Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is never afraid to call out his players publicly if he feels their performance level has dipped, or he spots a mistake that could have been avoided.
The German hit out at Junior Firpo’s indiscipline after his red card against Millwall. Manor Soloman suffered Daniel Farke’s ire in the 1-0 home defeat by Burnley, giving possession away in the build up to Lucas Koleosho’s winner.
And, as Leeds dropped two points in a draw with Blackburn Rovers on New Years Day, this time it was Ao Tanaka’s turn.
Now, it would be unfair to say that Farke was particularly critical of his usually-reliable Japan international. More that, with Tanaka setting such high standards since arriving at Elland Road from Fortuna Dusseldorf, he expects a little better. At both ends of the pitch.
Farke felt that, as Leeds United struggled to break down a resilient Blackburn side, both Tanaka and Joe Rothwell were guilty of slowing things down when the accelerator needed to be pushed.
He also wonders if Tanaka could have been a little bit more switched on when a chipped ball down the flank caught out Max Wober, allowing Joe Rankin Costello to force the corner from which John Eustace’s team would snatch a 90th minute equaliser via Danny Batth.
Daniel Farke questions Ao Tanaka display in Leeds United draw
“The problem is you want to win each of your home games, so we are slightly disappointed with only one point,” Farke told reporters at full-time, Leeds failing to secure a win at Elland Road for the first time since that Burnley reverse in mid-September. “But that’s football.
“It was probably not our best game. We were too slow, especially in the first-half. We didn’t move the ball quick enough. Also the two [number] eights played not enough vertical [passes], were a bit too patient if I’m honest.
“We could have defended the channel run before the corner better. [We were] not switched on. Goals are always out of mistakes.
“There is this one moment where we should have defended the channel run. If we would have moved before, and if Ao Tanaka had overtaken the channel run, if our defender sees it a little bit earlier, nothing will happen out of this game.”
Leeds boss credits Blackburn Rovers resilience at Elland Road
Fortunately, with Burnley drawing and after Sheffield United slipped up at Sunderland, Batth’s stoppage time heartbreaker is not quite the disaster it might have been on a day full of coupon-busting scorelines at the top of the Championship.
Leeds remain three points clear, albeit in the knowledge that it could have been five.
Though, against a Rovers team who mustered only 30 per cent of the possession, against a Rovers team managed by the arch-organiser Eustace, against a Rovers team who beat Leeds only a few weeks prior, it’s not all bad news.
“Credit to Blackburn. We know they have many, many clean sheets. They defended well. It’s always difficult when they concentrate on defending. Its so difficult,” Farke adds, opting to introducing both Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph in the second-half before Pascal Struijk scored from the spot.
“We tried to change it with a few changes and changing the base formation and going for a slightly different approach with crosses into the box.
“We feel disappointed. We know we can’t win all the games but you want to win all the games. We’re disappointed it’s just one point but you take it and move on.”
Daniel Farke critical of £3m Leeds United player after Blackburn clash and says he was ‘too slow’
