Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has emerged stronger from a run of fixtures, which was expected to end his time at Elland Road.
Since the second half against Manchester City at the Etihad, Leeds have looked a completely different side, who are playing with more attacking verve and confidence.
A team that couldn’t buy a goal has now hit eight of them, sparked by Farke’s decision to pivot to a 3-5-2 at half-time at the Etihad last week.
They comfortably beat Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road last week, before playing out a pulsating 3-3 draw at home against Liverpool in the last round of Premier League fixtures.
Daniel Farke has solved the biggest issue at Leeds United – turning Dominic Calvert-Lewin lethal again
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was struggling for form until the second half at Manchester City. He only had one league goal until the floodgates opened in East Manchester.
The former Everton striker has scored in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in more than five years, and is showing his class again in a Leeds shirt.
However, his change in form can be attributed to Farke shifting his tactics and playing two up front, which has provided more support to the 28-year-old striker.
Calvert-Lewin has himself admitted that he is enjoying playing with a striker partner rather than being the lone man upfront.
He told BBC Radio Leeds after the Liverpool game: “Today, I didn’t feel as effective in the first half as I did against Chelsea.
“I felt the dynamic was slightly different. I felt the way Liverpool set up was different.
“I’ve definitely found more joy with two up front, someone closer to me when I’m holding the ball up, I like to have bodies around me, so it’s been good.”
Farke has made one simple change to get the most out of Calvert-Lewin
Calvert-Lewin was struggling to score until the Etihad game. However, it was easy to see that he was not getting the service he required as well.
Farke’s decision to play a 3-5-2 has not only provided the striker a partner up front, but it has also allowed more players to be around Calvert-Lewin.
| Stat | 4-3-3 | 3-5-2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes played | 1,035 | 135 | 1,170 |
| Goals scored | 11 | 5 | 16 |
| Minutes per goal | 94.09 | 27.00 | 73.13 |
He managed only 2.16 xG over his opening 11 Premier League fixtures, but that figure has jumped to 2.48 in the past two games. And even without the penalty, valued at 0.79 xG, his 1.69 return is still higher than the combined xG of his seven outings leading up to Manchester City.
Calvert-Lewin is enjoying having more players around him. His goal against Manchester City came from Ao Tanaka feeding him as the midfielder in the final third.
His goal against Chelsea was the result of Noah Okafor robbing a defender of the ball for the striker to complete a simple tap-in. Calvert-Lewin is getting better chances to score, which has resulted in him hitting the back of the net more regularly.
The number of touches per game has also increased. He had 30 against Liverpool and 35 against Chelsea, and he had 15 touches in the second half at Manchester City.
He is getting more touches of the ball in dangerous areas, and with more players around him, the 28-year-old has looked far more effective.
The support around Calvert-Lewin has allowed him to flourish, with Farke now getting the best out of him.
