After a draw as frustrating as the one Leeds United were consigned to at home to Blackburn Rovers on New Years’ Day, the tendency is often to focus on the negatives.
To dwell on Danny Batth’s 90 minute equaliser, scrambled home past Illan Meslier after Leeds United struggled to deal with the chaos inside their own penalty area.
To wonder what might have been had Max Wober’s thumping volley not been pushed aside by Ainsley Pears at the death.
Daniel Farke felt his Leeds side were too slow against Blackburn in possession, and slack without it; John Eustace’s typically well-drilled side snatching a point against all the odds moments after Pascal Struijk stroked home what looked destined to be the winner.
But while Farke certainly won’t be placing this amongst his happiest days in the Elland Road hotseat, the former Norwich City coach does argue that it was not a performance entirely without merit.
Daniel Farke picks out the positives as Leeds United slip up against Blackburn Rovers
Farke liked the way Leeds snuffed out Blackburn’s threat in transition. Batth’s goal was one of only two attempts the visitors had on target.
And on a day in which Ao Tanaka, Joe Rothwell, Brendan Aaronson and co struggled to exert their usual influence – bogged down by Blackburn’s backs-against-the-wall resilience – Farke felt that his usually possession-orientated Leeds side showcased another string to their bow, especially after both Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph entered the fray to act as an old-school centre-forward partnership late on.
“What I liked about the game is that we controlled their counter-attacks and didn’t allow them anything,” Farke told reporters at full-time. “What I also liked was a bit of a different approach. Not our fluid football. A bit more like steel and crosses and fighting for the first goal.”
A relieved Farke played down concerns over Jayden Bogle too. He hopes to have the in-form right-back available against Hull City on Saturday while describing the injury which forced him off as a mere ‘dead leg’.
Farke says Leeds players ‘tired’ after gruelling Christmas schedule
Leeds’ opener came via one of these aforementioned crosses.
Max Wober drilled the ball into the penalty area first-time and, in the resulting chaos, Joseph was sent tumbling. Struijk would then stroke the ball home past Pears, albeit only two minutes before his fellow central defender found net at the other end.
Yet, while Leeds were restricted to just the one point by full time, Farke was enthused about the way his side kept pushing for that opener. Their patience eventually, albeit briefly, rewarded.
“It was good that we showed this character and this mentality, although you can feel the lads are a bit tired today,” Farke says, his team players four games in just a week and a half.
“The other side were just concentrating on defending. They have one corner kick, the second phase they score. Is it deserved? Probably not but football is not always fair.
“You have to accept that this is football, and also the reaction afterwards was good. We had two chances, especially with Max Wober. We will take the point and keep going.
“It is so difficult to score against [Blackburn], especially when they concentrate on just on defending. We showed great character and great mentality to force this penalty situation.”
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