Daniel Farke's next step becoming more obvious after Leeds United draw vs Brentford — Leeds Live 22/3/26
Leeds United found a solution but teams are now starting to figure them out
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
Leeds United really needed to win yesterday. A draw is not
disastrous, especially against a team pushing for Europe, but three points for
those pushing for safety at this stage of the season is vital.
Last night was a chance to heap pressure on relegation
rivals and to send a message with a hearted performance. That was a whimper.
It’s not a loss but Leeds are playing a risky game if they are to draw their
way to safety.
Leeds will likely need more than 38 points to stay up, and
Daniel Farke believes they still have it within them to go over that line.
Maybe they do, but they did not show it last night. This international break
comes at a good time to reset with Leeds in a slump.
Their last Premier League win came on February 6 and their
last goal a month ago. The last open goal they scored was in the 2-2 draw at
Chelsea on February 10, via Noah Okafor. He has been out with a month-long
hamstring injury and returned in the time since.
Farke says he is “not alarmed” by the lack of goals but many
supporters are. This two-week break is a chance for him to work out what he can
tweak ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final and Premier League run-in.
The need to adapt after going goalless again
Ahead of last night, Leeds had gone three games without
scoring and therefore were at risk of going throughout March having failed to
hit the net in the Premier League. This was the case at kick-off, half-time and
full-time - yet little creative ambition was shown at any stage.
It is true that Brentford set up a back five for the first
time since December, perhaps a sign of respect, but there is an issue at hand
after a fourth goalless league game in a row for Leeds: Teams are finding a
solution for their own solution that was first found back against Manchester
City in November.
Leeds adapted and morphed but now must do so again. Once is
not enough. Yes, they might not have the individual quality - as Farke often
says - but these individuals need to take more onus, responsibility and far
more risk.
Leeds’ xG has declined over the past four games, but
Saturday was a recent low - 0.55, their worst since the January defeat to
Arsenal. And suddenly the final home games don’t look to have had as foregone a
conclusion as they once did.
This is a wider point, not just on Leeds. Only 18 months
ago, there were complaints about playing out from the back and being too
tippy-tappy - so much so that one former Leeds manager named his podcast on it,
Sam Allardyce’s ‘no-tippy-tappy’’ show.
Yet now, it has swung the other way. The Premier League game
now revolves around set-pieces and dead-ball situations. It is breaking up the
game and making it a dire spectacle to watch at times.
Both in the Brentford draw and the Crystal Palace trip, both
teams sized up launching one into the box whenever they could with no thought
for another avenue, as did Leeds. A team might win the first ball but hardly
then the second and this just creates a numbing see-saw contest.
This might only be a trend, as in all eras of Premier League
football. The sooner this one is over, the better.
It’s right to reserve one of these talking points for when
the annual home tributes are paid ahead the anniversary of the passing of
Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight. It’s been 26 years now and Leeds have
kept their memories as alive as ever since that dreadful day.
Ahead of the game, chairman Paraag Marathe and managing
director Robbie Evans laid wreaths beneath the commemoration plaque outside of
the East Stand. And just before kick-off Ethan Ampadu and Brentford captain
Nathan Collins did the same by the dugouts, with a minute’s applause following.
Fans also took to their feet again on the 26th minute, with
backs turned to the pitch in defiance over the lack of justice over the
murders. Leeds will always make sure the pair are never forgotten.
Chris and Kev would have certainly been among those who gave
Mick Jones a rapturous reception as he received his Leeds United lifetime award
on the Elland Road pitch at half time.
The Whites legend was also bestowed a club-first heritage
cap, an initiative started by the Marching On Forever group, made up of former
Leeds players, to recognise those who have played a significant role in the
club’s history.
