Graham Smyth says Leeds United man is not getting the credit he deserves

Add as preferred source on Google

Leeds United fans have been encouraged by the club’s start to the season. The trend of promoted sides being relegated was difficult to ignore, and yet, Leeds have eight points from seven games.

A run of games that has included three of the Premier League’s Champions League sides. A run that has also included Andoni Iraola’s excellent Bournemouth, a rejuvenated Everton, and Fulham, in London.

Wolves are the worst side of the bunch, and Leeds got the job done at Molineux. The Whites have also beaten Everton, while securing draws against Newcastle and Bournemouth. A smoother run is incoming.

There are plenty of players in form, too. Jayden Bogle is starring, Joe Rodon looks like he’s been playing Premier League football for years, Gabriel Gudmundsson is a bargain, and the midfield has been superb.

• READ MORE: The Real Madrid star that Leeds United tried to sign under David O’Leary in 2002

Graham Smyth leaps to the defence of Leeds boss Daniel Farke

Eight points from those seven games is a total that fans would have jumped at. Only the Arsenal clash saw Leeds prove uncompetitive, but Sean Longstaff, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Noah Okafor didn’t start.

Farke has started the same side for four games, even if Jaka Bijol could come in and replace Pascal Struijk at Burnley. But he knows his best side now, and Graham Smyth has heaped praise on Farke’s flexibility.

“I see a lot of criticism about Farke, but I don’t think he is getting the credit he deserves for the way Leeds have started. He’s been very flexible; he’s not stuck to the blueprint of how he got to the Premier League.

“He’s learnt from his time at Norwich, he’s learnt from other promoted clubs have fared over the last couple of years. He’s set Leeds up in a way to be competitive, stay in games, not conceding many goals.

“That, to me, says he is more flexible than we could have predicted. I’m not sure I saw that coming. If we had said Farke would have been this pragmatic, I’m not sure I would have believed you,” Smyth said.

What do Leeds need to change going into the next run of games?

While Leeds fans can be happy with the start Farke and their side have made, even if he does still get criticism, nothing has been done yet. Farke has made the point that no sides survive with eight points.

Coming up is a run of games that can push Leeds up the table. Burnley, West Ham, and Nottingham Forest are three of the next four games, and Leeds will feel they can get points from those matches.

Leeds need to remind themselves that games do not last 90 minutes, and injury-time concessions need to stop. That, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs a couple of goals in the next four games to ease pressure.

His one goal at Wolves shows that his capability of scoring at this level remains. But his missed chances against Spurs and Bournemouth show a rustiness that needs to evaporate. Goals, please, Dominic.