Leeds United Changes Daniel Farke Could Make At Luton Town
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Leeds United have spent a large part of their season in the top two of the Championship table, but as the season approaches its end, the Whites are facing the possibility of missing out on automatic promotion and now face a crucial game with Luton Town. We look at the tactical changes boss Daniel Farke could make for the Hatters’ clash.
In the latter stretch of the season, the Yorkshire giants have a reputation for blowing comfortable leads. With just one victory in their last five league games and only six points out of a possible 15, Daniel Farke’s team are sending shockwaves through the spines of Leeds supporters.
Last weekend, Leeds drew 2-2 with Swansea City despite leading the game on two separate occasions. Illan Meslier produced a poor performance in the Leeds goal and as such has been dropped for this game in favour of Karl Darlow.
The Game Ahead
Farke now needs to look to Darlow to quickly settle into the team and will hope that replacing Meslier against Luton does not upset the team dynamic. The match against Luton will be a crucial game for Leeds, with Matt Bloomfield’s side having picked up their form and being desperate to avoid relegation from the Championship.
The Hatters will be determined to get a result out of this weekend’s game and Farke will have to find a way to rally his boys to lay down a statement win at Kenilworth Road. Now the question at hand is whether a change in goalkeeper will be enough for Farke to get his team back to winning ways? Or is more needed?
Inclusion Of Willy Gnonto
The 21-year-old winger has not featured for Leeds regularly this season and has yet to start a league game in 2025 for the Yorkshire giants. However, Gnonto has impacted games by coming on from the bench like he did against Swansea when he scored Leeds’ second goal in the 86th minute to hand his team the lead.
Now ideally to get the best out of Gnonto, Farke will need to use the winger in his preferred right wing position, but with Daniel James featuring from the right side Farke is unlikely to drop the Welshman.
He can look at the other side of the pitch and bring him in in the place of Tottenham Hotspur loanee Manor Solomon, who also has been a mainstay in Farke’s line-up. Solomon has failed to get himself on the scoresheet in the last seven games for Leeds and playing from the left side could give Gnonto an opportunity to use his lightning pace to tear past opposition defenders and cut inside.
Farke also could drop Brendan Aaronson, who scored the first goal in the Swansea game, but as the game progressed he faded out and later was replaced by Gnonto. The Italian’s introduction instead of Aaronson could add some necessary pace and threat in Leeds forward department and Joel Piroe could thrive with a little assistance from Gnonto.
Playing With A Front Two
Farke has often been criticised for being rigid with his formation and reluctant to adapt according to the opposition. Leeds have been playing with a 4-2-3-1 formation throughout this season, due to which Leeds’ centre forward has often found himself a bit stranded up top. Several former players have urged Farke to play with two strikers; however, the German has not budged.
Now with the Luton game coming up, Farke could try to provide Piroe with some help in the forward line by teaming him up with Mateo Joseph. They can play off each other and Joseph, being good at holding up play and protecting the ball, could be the right player that the Dutchman could benefit from. However, it is a possibility Farke might not be willing to explore it at this point of the season.
Firpo in, Byram Out
Junior Firpo has been brilliant for Leeds since coming back from his injury and has registered six assists and two goals in nine games. Farke did not start Firpo against Swansea; instead, he depended on Byram and the full-back’s absence was felt in the left-hand channel. Although Byram is an experienced player, Firpo this season has been simply exceptional with his darting runs going forward and adding to Leeds’ threat.
However, questions have been asked regarding Firpo’s work ethic going the other way, as he often leaves gaps for the centre-backs to cover, but it cannot be denied that the Dominican Republic international has been a crucial part of Farke’s starting line-up.
Don’t Blow It
Leeds are in a great position to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League and at this crucial juncture of the season, they simply cannot afford to slip up anymore. Farke himself has stated that he sees the Whites in the Premier League next season and rightly so, as they have one of the best squads in the Championship this season. However, having a great squad is not enough to earn promotion if it is not utilised in exploiting the opposition’s vulnerabilities and demonstrating strengths.
Farke will come under immense pressure in the coming weeks and he will need to make sure his tactical changes are the correct ones otherwise Leeds will go through the agony of the playoffs.
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