Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has been warned that he cannot afford to make one key selection mistake when his side faces Brentford in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke is heading into the game against Brentford with a new sense of optimism, after obtaining two statement results against Chelsea and Liverpool.
Leeds could move just one point behind Brentford in the Premier League table, as Farke looks to steer his side to safety.
The Whites’ resurgence has been fuelled by Farke’s switch to a 3-5-2 system, and the expected return of Lukas Nmecha means he is likely to stick to his new setup for the trip to London.
Now, Graham Smyth has warned Farke against switching back to the 4-3-3 that he favoured in the opening weeks of the season, as Leeds look to pick up more precious Premier League points.
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Daniel Farke cannot go back to 4-3-3 with Leeds United
Speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast, Smyth explained why Farke cannot go back to his old tactical setup as Leeds look for a first win in London since 2022.
Farke’s changes against Liverpool, which saw him introduce Ao Tanaka, Willy Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson in the second half, helped spark Leeds’ comeback.
However, Smyth believes Leeds’ new, more direct approach is the right approach for the trip to the capital, as he explained: “I guess for Leeds, you might look at this and say, this is a team that we should be winning against Brentford.
“Away from home in the Premier League, I think if you get away with a point, you can be very, very happy. And I would be very, very happy with a point, I think, against Brentford, given who’s gone there and not won and not got a point.
“The style is going to be really, really interesting. You know, Farke’s approach will be really interesting because there is a little part of me that wonders when he comes up against a team, when he thinks we can dominate possession.
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“Is he going to lean back into his natural inclination to want to have the ball and play with the ball, you know, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, whatever it is. But I just don’t think you can go away from what’s been so successful in the last few games.
“You know that the fans love it. You know that it suits the players you’ve got. If you’ve got Nmecha back, all the better, just go and create chaos and do what Forest did to Leeds. Just go direct, but go direct – better that they do it and impose your will on them.”
- READ MORE: Chris Sutton backs Daniel Farke to avoid Norwich repeat in Brentford v Leeds United prediction
Leeds United must be wary of Brentford’s threat in the box
Leeds were the beneficiaries of a penalty decision against Liverpool, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up to spark his side’s comeback into life.
However, Farke’s side must be wary of the threat their opponents pose in the penalty area, as they look to continue their remarkable Premier League success in this regard.
According to Opta, Brentford have won more penalties than any other side in the competition, having been awarded seven in 15 games.
Keith Andrews’ Brentford side have scored five of their seven attempts, meaning that 23.8% of the 21 goals they have scored this season have come from the spot.
Leeds have conceded two penalties this season, which places them firmly in mid-table in the division by that metric. However, Farke will need his side to be on their best behaviour in the box when facing the Brentford attack.
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