Daniel Farke will have plenty to think about after Wednesday night’s 6-3 defeat to Chelsea, but the heavy loss has also given the Leeds United boss a clearer idea of what he can expect from certain members of his squad.
Leeds looked to be in complete control after moving 2-0 ahead early in the second half, but Chelsea turned the game around in spectacular fashion, scoring six times to secure their place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
Michael Zetterer’s performance between the sticks means the Leeds debutant is unlikely to get another game until the FA Cup in January, unless James Trafford gets injured.
While the Leeds goalkeeper grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons, Farke has reasons to be concerned about several of the players on the pitch who struggled to cope once Chelsea increased their intensity in the second half.
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Daniel Farke must drop Leeds midfielder
When Leeds signed Sean Longstaff from Newcastle United in the summer of 2025, he was expected to be a regular in the team who would add Premier League experience.
He was one of the first names on the team sheet until the midfielder suffered an injury, and he never really managed to win back his place in the starting XI.
A solid pre-season fuelled hopes of a Longstaff renaissance. However, the midfielder failed his audition against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
The former Newcastle star’s experience meant he should have taken control of proceedings when Chelsea raised the intensity after scoring their first.
But Leeds were overran in the middle of the park, and the damage was done by the time Longstaff was replaced in the 67th minute.
Longstaff struggled to have much influence from a deeper position and managed to play just three of his 27 passes into the final third. His approach was far too cautious, with the midfielder rarely looking to take the game to Chelsea or attempt anything adventurous in possession.
That lack of ambition often slowed Leeds down, with the ball being moved sideways or backwards instead of trying to break the lines and put Chelsea under pressure. It made it difficult for the Whites to build any real momentum.
Longstaff also failed to complete either of his attempted dribbles or crosses, highlighting just how little impact he had going forward. Remarkably, even goalkeeper Michael Zetterer ended the game with more touches than the midfielder.
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He won’t start against his former side Newcastle
Longstaff’s former side, Newcastle United, are set to arrive at Elland Road on Monday night for a big Premier League game under the lights.
However, the midfielder is almost certain to be back on the bench against the Magpies as Farke is expected to field his best midfield three at home for the league game.
Anton Stach, Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka are likely to be the midfield three for the Newcastle game, with Longstaff back on the bench after the EFL Cup clash.
He can have little to complain about, as he got his chance against a top team such as Chelsea and completely squandered it with a passive performance.
Long streak of geordie piss should be no where nr the Premier league
Imagine playing longshot instead of tanaka
Get a grip daniel!!!!
Mongstaff, James and Zetterer should be cleaning boots from now until we can loan them to Wrexham in January.