Daniel Farke's confidence in Leeds United may not be as total as he makes out after 1-1 draw at Luton Town — the final word — Yorkshire Post 6/4/25
By Stuart Rayner
Chief Football Writer
IT HAS become a theme of recent Leeds United press
conferences that manager Daniel Farke stresses his unwavering confidence in
promotion to the Premier League.
"One hundred per cent convinced" has joined
"flag in the wind", "crunchtime" and "fight with a
knife between the teeth" as favourite Farkeisms as he doubles down on his
boldness.
But you do not have to look far beneath the surface to see
doubts.
Goalkeeper Illan Meslier has been jettisoned, dropped for
two mistakes too many against Swansea City. Whether Leeds go up or stay in the
Championship, it feels like the end.
So good as Leeds put themselves into title contention, Manor
Solomon has run "a bit dry", according to his manager. His missing a
"golden chance" to win it was emblematic of Saturday's 1-1 draw at
Luton Town.
It would be less of a biggie were it not for Largie. Farke
preferred rarely-used defender Issac Schmidt from the bench, saying: "I
was not really 100 per cent happy with all the last performances of Largie
(Ramazani) in terms of maturity in the duels."
Willy Gnonto was needed in the hole because for the first
time since August, and despite his goal against Swansea, Brenden Aaronson was
dropped for a league game. His form before the international break cost him his
place in Team America, and would have done at club level had Gnonto been fit
enough to start against the Swans.
But Gnonto was subbed just after the hour having made only
one contribution of note, when he lost possession for Luton's goal.
Leeds won it back only for Ao Tanaka, one of their best
players this season, to be outmuscled even more comprehensively by Elijah
Adebayo than Gnonto was by Liam Walsh.
When Adebayo crossed, Leeds' back four had been drawn
towards the ball, leaving Isaiah Jones free at the back post to score.
"In possession he still plays good passes and he's
still there in the duels but in a few decisive moments he did not make a
perfect decision," admitted Farke of Tanaka.
"The last game he gave an unnecessary corner away and
there was the one-on-one before the second goal. On Saturday he under-estimated
the situation a little.
"I don't have the feeling he's tired. It just feels
like for him it's just perhaps a bit of a patchy period."
A calf injury means Joe Rothwell is rushing just to play
again this season. Used in 10 of 12 league matches after his injury, Ilia Gruev
has not had a kick in the last three.
Farke's whole schtick, especially at "crunchtime",
is to play it cool, wary of a club which is always emotional, sometimes
over-emotional.
The point Daniel James' brilliant curling finish ultimately
secured was, he stressed – contrary to perceived wisdom – a good one.
That calmness normally means when a player he trusts is
going through a tough spell, they get time to find their feet.
"The answer for (Solomon) is to work even harder on the
training pitch," he said.
"In the first (start) back (after injury) I don't
expect he runs the whole game for us," he said of Gnonto.
Tanaka needs to be "perhaps a bit luckier in the
decisive moments."
Patience is thinner now, with only six games to secure
automatic promotion. Farke may be exuding confidence about the play-offs, but
his club's fanbase is nervy about a format which has never had a happy ending.
"You don't have to pay too much attention to
man-management," he said. "You are always a bit more ruthless when it
comes down to the final games because you also want players on the pitch who
have a good momentum. You have to rely a bit more on the mature players.
"In the last period of the season you always are a bit
more ruthless."
Leeds need to show that on the pitch, stopping
counter-attacks like the one Jones scored from, taking chances like the one
James laid on a plate for Solomon. He shot wide of the goal Thomas Kaminski was
running back across to protect.
They also need leaders. Their captain, Ethan Ampadu is fit
again, but will need time to get back to his best.
Patrick Bamford’s appearance from the bench was his first
since New Year's Day. When James picked up Joe Rodon's headed clearance and
found him, his shot was saved.
Pascal Struijk limped down the tunnel in a protective boot
after being substituted.
Leeds are the Championship’s most talented team, and
Sheffield United's defeat a couple of hours later plus their Easter Monday date
at Burnley means if the Whites win out from here, they are promoted.