Leeds United may not be quite as consistent as Daniel Farke would like – dropping points in should-win games recently – but spare a thought for the Norwich City supporters.
27 games, nine wins, nine draws, and nine defeats. 43 goals scored, 39 conceded.
For the perennial ‘yo-yo club’, the string appears to have snapped. Johannes Hoff Thorup’s team may have a few players who would walk into most Championship teams – you could certainly make a case for Borja Sainz and Marcelino Nunes starting even at Leeds United – but this season has been a story of one step forward, two steps back for arguably the most confusing team in England’s second tier.
Thorup’s Norwich hammered the likes of Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, Hull City and Watford – scoring 18 goals in those four matches – but also found themselves on the wrong end of embarrassing defeats at the hands of Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United.
So even Derren Brown himself may be hard pressed predicting which Norwich side will turn up on Wednesday night, Leeds hosting The Canaries at Elland Road in midweek.
Daniel Farke, the man who guided Norwich to promotion to the Premier League on two occasions during his spell at Elland Road, is not taking the threat of his old employers lightly, even if the glorious days of Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia feel like lightyears ago.
Daniel Farke hails Josh Sargent as Leeds United prepare for Norwich City clash
“Norwich themselves? I’m pretty careful, especially in a game with less pressure at Elland Road,” Farke said during his Monday press conference. “I expect them to be highly motivated. They are a really good group who are brave with intensity.”
Farke feels that, in Josh Sargent, Thorup has one of the Championship’s premiere centre-forwards at his disposal.
Interestingly, Leeds were linked with Norwich’s £20 million-rated hitman Josh Sargent over the summer. The American international may be yet to repeat the form of last season – 16 goals in 26 starts across 2023/24 but only four in 12 this – but Sargent is also a massive reason why Borja Sainz is emerging as a Golden Boot frontrunner, albeit before picking up a ban which keeps him out of that Leeds clash.
Sargent has five assists this term. Given what Farke ideally wants from a centre-forward – one capable of bringing Leeds’ array of talented playmakers and widemen into the game – Sargent may yet be a player who finds himself high on the Yorkshire giants’ wishlist should injury-hit veteran Patrick Bamford depart in the near future.
“[Norwich] want to be offensive and press high. I think they will be looking for a late push into the play- offs. Josh Sargent is back and a top striker in his league,” Farke adds. “It will be beneficial to for them to have him there.
“We have to be there in the decisive moments. We have to defend really well and use our chances.”
Farke is a big fan of Sargent’s ‘unbelievable’ attitude
Joel Piroe started in the number nine role as Leeds beat Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 in the Sunday kick-off. For all the Dutchman’s qualities, however, he does not quite possess that Bamford-like ability to get the best out of his supporting cast.
So Farke’s admiration for Sargent – a superb presser who offers a phenomenal work ethic out of possession and real intelligence in the final third – means those Leeds links hardly came as a surprise.
During their time together at Carrow Road, Farke highlighted Sargent’s ‘unbelievable’ work-rate, as well as his ability to open up spaces for the prolific Pukki.
Interestingly, Sargreant is not the only Farke favourite who has been mentioned as a potential Leeds United target.
Leeds reportedly want Bali Mumba from Plymouth Argyle, as well as Nottingham Forest’s Andrew Omobamidele and Nico Elvedi of Borussia Monchengladbach.
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