Daniel Farke: Leeds United took a point against Brentford by being smarter, not tougher — Yorkshire Post 30/8/25

By Stuart Rayner

Leeds United rescued a point from their first home game of the Premier League season by trying to play smarter, not harder, against Brentford, according to manager Daniel Farke.

Both teams went into the match on the back of great starts to 2026-27, but the away team who had much the better of the first half, taking the lead through Kevin Schade.

Farke felt Leeds had to be careful not to get lured into trying to outmuscle impressive opponents, and claimed a 1-1 draw after a second switch of formation produced Dominic Calvert-Lewin's equaliser.

Asked what he said at half-time, Farke said of his players: “I think they were also a bit shocked and they were a bit, 'We have to be stronger and fight better and win the duels’.

“It's sometimes true that you're not on it, but if you have a look in the data, what we invested in terms of intensity, sprints, cover distance was even more than in the last two away games in Nottingham (where they beat Forest in league and cup).

“It's not always a solution if it doesn't work to say we have to fight more, we have to win more second balls because they are bloody good on second balls and heading and physicality and intensity.

“It's hardly possible to outperform Brentford in this terms, it's the only team next to us who can deliver this. Then it's more like to find technical solutions, to find bravery, to find football solutions and calm them down a bit. They were doubting if they invest enough.

“It was no, no, we have to play better football, we need to find better football solutions.

“Of course, more fight is always good, but if it's just about mentality then mentality teams will always win the league. It's not just this.

“We needed good football solutions and we definitely found better solutions in the second half.”

Leeds lost Joe Rodon to a first-half hamstring injury, just days after Farke had stressed that four senior, specialist centre-backs was not enough for a team that generally plays with three every game – although for a period at the start of the second half they reverted to a 4-2-3-1 before switching to 3-5-2.

The transfer window closes at 11pm on Tuesday, and Farke was asked if he would be happy were his squad to remain as it is.

“I'm happy on the goalkeeper position right now with the transfer of Michael (Zetterer, signed from Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday) because he's a very experienced goalkeeper with good energy right now.

“Also Alex Cairns has proved during pre-season that we can trust him, so we have lost three goalkeepers (Karl Darlow, Illan Meslier and Lucas Perri, who joined Torino on loan at the weekend) and brought two goalkeepers in, but I'm happy really with my goalkeeper group.

“In terms of outfield players, the group is not too big. Senior centre-back options, wing-back options, we don't have the most, so we will stay awake until Tuesday night.

“One or two additional options would definitely be helpful.

“But I'm very happy with the players I've got and we found even with this squad a good solution against a very good Brentford side to be competitive at least and find a way to stay unbeaten. This was important.”