'Reporters with mistakes' give Leeds United boss Daniel Farke a bee in his bonnet — YEP 13/2/25

By Graham Smyth

Daniel Farke has a bee in his bonnet about Leeds United and their reputation as counter-attacking specialists.

It's not that Farke denies that counter attacks form an important part of their offensive arsenal and nor could he, because the numbers don't lie. Their 10 counter attack goals in the Championship this season is three more than anyone else in the division has mustered. With the pace of Daniel James, the technical ability of Manor Solomon and the ball-playing skills throughout Farke's side, Leeds are a team built to kill the opposition in transition. There is more to it than that though, in Farke's eyes.

"[We've worked on it] more or less from the beginning of the season," he said after a 4-0 win at Watford that saw Leeds at their counter attacking best. "We know we are one of the best counter attack sides in this league. But for that, it's also important that you organise yourself for winnings of the ball in interesting areas. So for that, you also have to work on the pressing and if you want to win the ball, sometimes in deeper positions you have a good structure against the ball."

There are more ways to skin a cat than with a counter and that is something Farke is keen to highlight. Counter attack goals count for under a sixth of the 66 they have plundered in the league so far this season. They have 45 from open play - seven more than the division's second most deadly open play team Norwich City. Six have come from set-pieces, three from the penalty spot and two from the body parts of opposition players.

At Watford Leeds' first goal could be deemed a counter attack because Watford were in possession immediately prior to the move that made it 1-0. Watford were also directly involved in the move, Edo Kayembe passing straight to James 35 yards from goal and watching in despair as the winger raced in to fire home. The second goal was undeniably a counter attack because Watford were pressing to make something happen in the final third, Ao Tanaka got a toe in and Ethan Ampadu cleared straight to Brenden Aaronson midway inside his own half. About eight seconds and two quality passes later the ball was in the back of the Watford net, again from the boot of James. Goal number three came thanks to a throw from the left flank, Solomon's dart and shot and a hefty deflection. And the fourth started with a free-kick deep in their own half. The ball was passed back to Illan Meslier and the goalkeeper started a chain of nine passes before Joel Piroe finished it off. Meslier was one of six players involved in a beautiful, sweeping passing move as Leeds showed they are so much more than pace merchants. Within that move was a beautiful turning circle that took Tanaka away from Tom Ince, before the ball went into the area where it was moved too quickly and smartly for Watford to respond.

Leeds have scored a number of eye-catching goals from periods of possession, some longer than others, this season but their ability to go back to front in devastating fashion is undeniable. Just don’t call it a counter attack if it isn’t one when Farke is listening.

"We also want to be the best team in possession and create chances, like we did," said Farke. "It was not all just a counter attack. When I think about the fourth goal, for example, again, it was an unbelievable team goal, more or less from the build up until we scored the goal. So sometimes we execute the final third finish in a way that everyone thinks we scored on the counter attack, but actually it's quite often also team goal, and sometimes even reporters are there with mistakes and speak about the counter attack although we never won the ball, it was more like we built up the game with a goal-kick or something like this. So I know today definitely we were top on the counter attack, but we also scored and created chances out of other areas."

One of Farke's key objectives this season was to make Leeds more dangerous from more areas. He wanted goals and assists from both full-backs, the midfield, defenders, set-pieces and every other conceivable resource. In some aspects he has excelled - Leeds lead the league in scoring and have shared the goals and assists around in a way they were unable to do to the same degree last season. Five Leeds players have hit double figures for goals and assists already this season and Firpo, Jayden Bogle and Largie Ramazani could all join that group before long. Right now only Middlesbrough can boast as many as three players with 10 or more goal contributions. In other aspects Farke still wants much more because only by being well-rounded and unpredictable does he see a route out of the Championship.

"We want to be flexible," he said. "We want to have many threats, have different plans. We try to attack and play offensive football and to play attractive but in this we have many different approaches to bring our principles. It was necessary to do it in this way today. We can score more from set-pieces, chip in with midfield goals, we have other players than Ao who can chip in and his goal tally isn't that impressive so far. I'm pretty pleased how we develop as a team. We have other areas we can strengthen and we won't rest until we achieve it.

"To be honest, just to have just one threat, it's never enough in this league. You have to have many tools and weapons, and this is what we try to work on. And yes, counter attack is definitely also one of the big, big topics on the training pitch."