Aston Villa is the next opponent for Leeds United after the international break and it’s make or break time for Daniel Farke who is under huge pressure.
The Whites were beaten by Nottingham Forest on Sunday, a result that has dragged them towards the drop zone. Leeds started off brightly with Lukas Nmecha giving them the early lead, but Forest equalized just two minutes later. After that it was all downhill from there, and in the second half, Sean Dyche’s men sealed the game with two late goals to win out 3-1.
Leeds have looked like a completely different team since the September international break and, barring a win over West Ham, they look like certainties for relegation.
| Before Oct Break | Statistic | After Oct Break |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Goals Scored | 3 |
| 6 | Goals Conceded | 9 |
| 4.0 | Expected Goals Against | 6.6 |
This season Farke has managed to get positive results against Everton and Wolves, as well draws with Bournemouth and Newcastle. However, Leeds came back from the last international break in October and suffered a shock defeat to Burnley. They bounced back against West Ham but then were played off the park by Brighton in a 3-0 defeat. Leeds have now lost four out of their last five games, and by the reaction of the fanbase, Farke’s days are numbered.
The club’s schedule after the break includes games against Villa, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool. It is now looking bleak, as no one knows where Leeds’ next points will come from. They look certain to head into the festive period into the bottom three.
Daniel Farke needs to make these Leeds United changes before Aston Villa game
The Whites were a much better side in the Championship last season. Obviously, it is a much easier division to get positive results in, however there was certainly a better balance to a consistent team. And that was after they lost three of their best players in Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville. Farke coached an attack with Brenden Aaronson as the number 10 to a 95-goal season with a 100 points in the league. Dan James was the best player in the Championship and Manor Solomon was a revelation on loan.
It looks like the Leeds boss will need to revert to old ways to get the team firing on all cylinders again. Farke needs to think about playing the team that got them to the Premier League in the first place. And the first change should be Karl Darlow back in goal; Lucas Perri has been questionable since his return, with some of the goals going past him too easily.
| Statistic | Rank |
|---|---|
| Goals Conceded | 10th |
| Clean Sheets | 15th |
| Saves | 22nd |
| Save % | 21st |
| Post-shot xG Allowed | 12th |
In defence, the Rodon-Struijk pair needs to be reunited, the Dutch defender has spent enough time on the bench. Jaka Bijol has also not shown why he should permanently keep Struijk out of the line up. To put it blunty, he has been poor.
| Player | Games | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan James | 37 | 12 | 9 |
| Willy Gnonto | 45 | 9 | 6 |
Last season’s attack thrived because of the dynamism on both wings; Manor Solomon and Dan James were instrumental last year. Willy Gnonto also made his impact felt with his cameos off the bench. Farke could do with starting both James and Gnonto against Villa. This would be controversial given Noah Okafor has been solid, but Leeds need balance and Farke needs to go with the tried and tested.
Leeds need to change what is not working
Credit to Farke for making changes and tweaks to the team this season, but some have ultimately not panned out. The Brenden Aaronson experiment continues to bear no fruit. Despite a goal and assist in recent games, the American really does not offer anything on the flanks – Gnonto would be a better option given he is a natural wide player.
| Player | Games Started |
|---|---|
| Joe Rodon | 47 |
| Jayden Bogle | 44 |
| Brenden Aaronson | 44 |
| Illan Meslier | 39 |
| Ao Tanaka | 37 |
| Joel Piroe | 37 |
| Pascal Struijk | 33 |
| Junior Firpo | 31 |
| Manor Solomon | 31 |
| Dan James | 30 |
Okafor has been okay this season, but Leeds need more from him. Maybe a few games on the bench could shake things up. The game against Aston Villa is the start of a difficult run, so Farke will need every help he can get. Reverting to the regular XI from last season could re-introduce the familiarity into the side, and help them in their fight for survival. Ao Tanaka is another player who was outstanding last season but has struggled for consistency this season due to the manager not knowing his best midfield.
In a nutshell, Leeds need to make changes and play the players who got them to the Premier League because the majority of the club’s summer signings are struggling. Back at Elland Road against Villa in front of a passionate crowd, Farke should bring back Darlow, Struijk, Tanaka, James and Gnonto back into the team. They are players the fans love from last season and deserve more of a chance to prove they are Premier League quality. It simply has to happen.
