Daniel Farke’s Leeds United are certainly not the first Championship side to deploy a death-by-possession approach alongside a couple of swashbuckling full-backs.
Yet, as Daniel Farke somehow succeeds in striking a balance between reckless and supremely disciplined, one Football League expert is left wondering just how on earth the Elland Road boss has managed to make this stick.
The thing that really sets Leeds United apart from previous promotion-winners – see Leicester City and Southampton last season – is the manner in which Farke gives Junior Firpo and Jayden Bogle the freedom to play almost as wide forwards, albeit without throwing in an extra midfielder or central defender to provide protection against opposition counter-attacks.
In recent weeks, as Pascal Struijk suffered a season-ending foot fracture, Farke has partnered Joe Rodon with Ethan Ampadu at centre-half while introducing Ilya Gruev alongside Ao Tanaka in midfield.
Meanwhile, Firpo and Bogle spent much of their time popping up in the opposition penalty area, Brenden Aaronson, Manor Solomon, Dan James and Joel Piroe forming an orderly queue as they wait for pull-backs.
EFL expert says Leeds United breaking new ground under Daniel Farke
Arguably nothing sums up Leeds’ approach better than the fourth goal in Sunday’s 6-0 shellacking of Stoke City.
Bogle drove into the box before picking out Firpo to convert. One rampaging full-back to another, and 23 goal contributions between them.
“Tactically, I will remember this team because of how dynamic they’ve been, how exciting their build-up is,” Ali Maxwell explains on the Not the Top 20 podcast. “We’ve seen quote a few teams – I think about Leicester City and Southampton – who build up in the modern style of a 2-3-5 or 3-2-5 in possession.
“Lots of slow build-up to move the opposition around and strike in the final third.
“Leeds have been a little bit different, where I basically thing their formation in possession is a 2-2-6. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
There were times early on against Oxford United on Good Friday – Bogle provided another ‘wonderful’ cross to assist Manor Solomon’s winner at the Kassam Stadium – in which Leeds appeared to have more than half of their team camped inside the home team’s final third.
It is testament to the positioning and intelligence of Rodon, Ampadu, Gruev and Tanaka, meanwhile, that Leeds’ uber-attacking set-up is so seldom punished in rapid-fire transitions.
In particular, Rodon was nothing short of ‘sensational’ as Leeds moved one big step closer to the Championship title in Oxfordshire.
“I was watching the game against Oxford and I was like; ‘How are you making this work without conceding like so many big chances on the counter attack’,” Maxwell wonders.
“The most notable thing has been the position of Firpo and Bogle, how rare it is to have two full-backs in a back four who are that attacking and [where] you don’t get caught out very often. It doesn’t make logical sense to me.
“The ability of the defenders – Rodon and Struijk, now Rodon and Ampadu – and the midfielders – Tanaka and Ampadu, now Tanaka and Gruev – to both build-up without giving the ball away in scenarios that would be dangerous defensively, but they are also well positioned to snuff out counter attacks when they do happen
“It is absolutely, genuinely incredible. I really, really haven’t seen anything like it before.”
Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Ilya Gruev and Ao Tanaka play huge roles
As the records tumble like a house of cards in an earthquake, Joel Piroe became the first Leeds player to score four goals in one half against Stoke City. Harry Gray became the youngest member of the Gray family to feature in that famous white shirt, aged just 16.
Leeds also overtook Marcelo Bielsa’s previous club-record tally of 93, while Farke became the first manager in the club’s history to record over 90 points in two successive seasons.
If it wasn’t for Burnley’s own remarkable defensive record, meanwhile, Leeds would go into the final two matches against Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle looking to establish themselves as the team with the least goals conceded in a Championship campaign.
“Rodon has been imperious, magnificent, a great leader for the team as well,” Maxwell adds, Illan Meslier’s blunders possibly the main reason why promotion was not secured a few games earlier.
“I think of Rodon had been manager, he would have dropped Meslier about six months before Farke!
“I think Farke’s greatest flaw is that he played the goalkeeper too long. Most teams in the 72 would like to have a manger who’s biggest mistake is putting too much trust in an individual to try and manager them into better form.
“Bogle and Firpo, as a partnership, unbelievable. Gruev and Tanaka in midfield, Tanaka’s dwebut season has been brilliant. I can’t wait to see how he does in the Premier League.”
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