Everything Daniel Farke said after Leeds United defeat to Chelsea including penalty incidents — Leeds Live 10/9/26

The Leeds United boss gave his reaction to the 6-3 League Cup defeat shortly after full-time

Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter

Daniel Farke gave a detailed reflection of his thoughts following Leeds United’s remarkable 6-3 League Cup defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday evening.

Leeds had gone 2-0 up by the 48th-minute but suddenly found themselves 3-2 down by 60 minutes with the hosts doubling their tally by full-time, despite United’s intention to respond.

One major talking point centred around the penalty conceded by Daniel James, which instigated the comeback for the hosts.

Farke also touched on his side's sloppiness in conceding some of the goals and the general frantic nature of the second half. He only fielded four questions with Leeds needing to exit early to catch a flight back to Yorkshire promptly.

Below is everything Farke said before he boarded.

Can we start with your initial reaction today and what happened in the second half?

"Yeah, I could speak right now 50 minutes in the monologue about this game. Yeah, bit of a crazy, nuts game, if I'm honest.

"It’s what sometimes happens in the cup when you have so many changes on both sides and rotate so much, sometimes things happens like this.

"But it’s unlike us because our defending was in the last month spot on, and then to concede in this game six goals feels crazy.

"I have not too much to moan about today with my players because I think 60 minutes [sic] we were in full control and played a really, really good away game regarding that we left also some many key players out today.

"Overall I think a very commanding performance I think fully deserved to be in the lead 2-0 at half-time and 2-0 after [48] minutes. Also when I just had the chance to have a look at the statistics after the game, we had even slightly more possession than Chelsea.

“We had the same amount of expected goals. We had even more shots than them. So normally you would say it was a really, really good away game. But yeah, of course you're then you're disappointed with conceding six goals.

“I think the key message is that one small situation in football can change all momentum of the game. And it felt like after 2-0, it’s just a question of when do we score the third goal and bury the game completely?

“Yes, in the situation, I didn't realise anything, more or less, that the referee had the idea to give a penalty. Why ever?

"Can't really judge it because I didn't have the chance right now to watch the scene back. It was more or less like a situation where no one in the stadium, not one Chelsea player, not one guy in the centre, was asking for a penalty, and he gave out of nothing a penalty.

“Well, it was not even a chance for them because a cross came in, we cleared the situation, and were more or less already in position, trying to attack their goal.

“And the penalty was given, and then out of a sudden, of course, quality player scored the first goal, and the whole body language of the Chelsea players was different.

“The first time the stadium wakes up after [53] minutes. The substituted players - Rogers and Palmer and Reece James, and everyone is on it and tries to turn this game.

“And then yeah, another detail after a cheap throw-in situation. We underestimate the situation. We didn't follow the movement of Palmer, and yeah, it's a quality play, and he puts the ball into the corner 2-2, more or less out of nothing.

“But yeah, this little situation to give the penalty and not to follow the movement after the throw-in - was an important topic in the preparation of the game. It changed the whole momentum.

“The stadium was buzzing, their body language was on it. I think we could have done better then afterwards in a few situations. There is no doubt about this.

“Then yeah, quality players like them also use this, but it also felt a bit like each strike was on our goal was a goal. Even like when I think about the sixth goal, the ball would have come down in Fulham anyhow, but somehow Welbeck was in the way and put the ball in.

“Sometimes football is also a bit crazy like this. I like the mentality of my players. Even after 4-2 down, we tried to turn the game again. We scored the third goal. We're pushing for it. Noah Okafor, I think a penalty incident.

“Anton Stach had a really good chance. So even afterwards, the mentality was never in doubt. I was happy with this, but we didn't pay enough focus and concentration on the small situations.

“So again, I can't really judge the first situation. If there was something in it, if there was even an incident for a penalty, if there was something, then I would be critical with my player in the situation.

“But afterwards, I think we gave them the goals a bit too cheaply, and underestimated that a small situation can change the whole run of the game.

“And then it was one of these games when you think 6-3, you think more about Wimbledon in tennis, and not about football, if I'm honest."

Can we ask about your substitutions, the timing of them, and the decision you had. I think Jean-Matteo was ready to come on?

"Some of our key players who have played many, many minutes that are important for us, should get a bit of a rest, that was this now. Also for our players who didn't have the chance in the last weeks and months, to get many minutes, they should have a proper amount of minutes today.

“Yeah, to be honest, I didn't really see the penalty coming, and then two minutes later they scored the 2-2. If you know before he gives a penalty, probably would have changed before anyhow.

“But there was nothing in the air to smell it, and then after they turned the game, and were in the lead, we had to take the risk to bring some of our most important players, like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Noah Okafor, Anton Stach, and Ao Tanaka, who was brilliant in order to to turn the game.

“I think we did this. Dominic scored the goal. We're pushing also for perhaps the equaliser, sadly then the unnecessary loss of the ball and the fifth goal happened.

“And in the final 20 minutes, I wanted to go even more risky and to bring Jean-Matteo Bahoya in to bring one more offensive thinking player on. Yeah, but sadly Melvin Bard gave me the sign that he couldn't go further on because he had cramps.

"And Jean-Matteo is not left back, so I had to bring then Gabi Gudmundsson, who also had a few excellent scenes, I have to say. So was a bit unlucky for Jean-Matteo, but due to the cramps and that Melvin gave the sign that he couldn't go on, I had to bring Gabi on.”

You seemed quite frustrated in the first half. What were you frustrated about and did any of those worries come to pass in any of the goals conceded?

“Well, I'm a perfectionist, and I loved so many things in the first half. I loved our pressing, our counter pressing, our transition moments, our attention, how to control their counter attacks - but I didn't like our possession, and I think we were sometimes sloppy in the passes, and got the feeling we can be even more dominant.

“We dominated the game and had way more expected goals and way more chances, but it felt like, ‘oh come on, we can be even higher up than just 1-0 at half-time - go for it and be a bit better’.

“I think we were sometimes sloppy in our passing, and this annoys me sometimes a lot, and I spoke about this and was quite critical at half-time.

“Good that we actually started really well into the second half, scored a fantastic second goal, but then somehow these things have happened, yes.”

What are you looking for from the team in the next few games before the international break?

“Top performances like before, returning also back to our unbelievably tidy defensive behaviour, like we have shown over the last couple of months during pre-season and also all the first competitive games. Yeah, and hopefully to win as many points as possible.”