'Unhappy' — Leeds United self-criticism after early hours gut feeling was quashed before QPR draw — YEP 15/3/25

By Graham Smyth

Daniel Farke saw his Leeds side fall 2-0 down at QPR before recovering to take a 2-2 draw.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke was critical of his own decision making after overriding a gut instinct in the early hours of the morning before a 2-2 draw at QPR.

Farke went unchanged after the 2-0 victory over Millwall at Elland Road in midweek but yet again the Whites endured a difficult trip to the nation's capital.

The Whites paid the price for another slow start in an early kick-off, going 2-0 down through defensive frailty and lapses in concentration.

Brenden Aaronson played the ball straight to Kōki Saitō in the area and the Japanese midfielder bent a screamer of a shot beyond Illan Meslier.

Things got worse for Leeds when they switched off for a throw-in, left Manor Solomon alone to defend a two-v-one and Paul Smyth's cross was headed in by an unmarked Steve Cook.

Leeds grabbed themselves a lifeline prior to the break as Solomon's pass was brushed into the net by Junior Firpo, with a helpful final touch from Morgan Fox. Farke replaced Aaronson at half-time and his replacement made an almost immediate impact.

Willy Gnonto's pass broke the defensive line, Daniel James crossed and after Solomon's shot was saved Jayden Bogle stuck in the rebound.

Either side could have nicked the result - Cook forced Meslier into a smart stop at his near post and Leeds' wide players provided some inviting deliveries without really testing keeper Paul Nardi again.

Leeds were unable to make more of an advantage of Saitō's late red card for a studs-up challenge on James and had to settle for a point, but one that ensures that no matter what happens elsewhere they will go into the international break top of the table on goal difference at least.

Farke was unhappy with himself after the game for not starting defensive midfielder Ilia Gruev rather than the more offensive duo of Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka.

"I'm today a bit unhappy with myself," he said. "I thought to bring Ilia in until the early hours of the morning, our awareness and defensive sharpness is always a bit more on it when he's there.

“But I wanted to take the momentum of a really good game, especially second half [against Millwall] and got the green light from the medical department that all the players were ready to go and be at their best.

“I was thinking about Ilia a lot but I was a bit too greedy and wanted to dominate. There were then problems in the first 25 minutes. Then you have to take more risks to create something so it was too late to make this change. Perhaps this played a role.

“I would have wished we were a bit more on it, the goals were too cheap - the throw-in situation, we have a clear principle who defends two against two and if we're too lazy to move out it's an easy give and go. [But] for that, it was the third in six days for my players, I'm a bit more critical of myself."

Leeds' first half problems stemmed from a lack of defensive awareness, said Farke but after going two goals down he insisted the result was a good one.

"Before the game I would never sign off on a draw but we as a club don't have the best record in London and everyone told me before the game a draw was a good result," he said.

"I'm not dancing on the table but of course during this period, a third game in six days and you go two goals down, it's definitely a good point. QPR deserved to be in the lead, we were poor the first 30 minutes. Started okay with the ball but our defensive sharpness against the ball was not there. We gave two easy situations away. Not switched on to defend the second, the first goal our whole behaviour was similar.

"The reaction was good. We had a similar story last season here, 2-0 down and just let it happen, today we showed resilience and wanted to fight back. We got one foot back with a good goal of Junior Firpo and then second half were completely on it, equalised and had four or five deliveries through the six-yard box and came really close to turning the game completely. After this story of the game it's a good point and we take it and it's a point closer to where we want to finish."

Gnonto's contribution as a half-time substitute was exactly what Farke hoped for but the manager revealed he had considered the Italian as his starting number 10 at Loftus Road. Not bringing in Gruev dictated otherwise.

"I was convinced he would make an impact," said Farke. "If I tell you a secret, I was thinking about him for this position from the beginning. If I had brought Ilia in I would have been tempted to have Willy from the start. Because we had two ballers in the number 6 roles I thought we couldn't afford to lose the relentless work of Brenden against the ball.

"Willy looked sharp in his last substitutions. He's not a central player, more a winger and we have our in-form wingers so it's tough for him. I like him so much, he delivers relentless work to improve in training. Even before the game I was thinking because he has not that much convinced as a 10, the feeling is he's learning more and more to create good situations. This is what he did, perhaps not with his pressing load but he was involved in the goal and thank God he has delivered."