Leeds United 0 Middlesbrough FC 3 Farke’s tactics torn apart. Leeds United were unceremoniously dumped out of the Carabao Cup. There was an expectation that Farke would push on from last season. Having beaten Middlesbrough FC last season Farke should have had an idea of how to take on Caddick. Ironically, after all the troubles he faced at the beginning of last season, this start looks worse. Last season he solidified the defence with consistent clean sheets; this season it looks like he forgot about it in his efforts to strengthen the rest of positions.
It was an inauspicious start to the new season for Leeds with a high-scoring draw against Portsmouth. They should have won with five goals scored just in the first half. It was a weird match that Leeds looked psychologically unprepared for – Rodon and Meslier not focused at the back. For this second home match he needed his team to tighten up.
Farke said the changes throughout the team were opportunity to give players minutes on the ball and rest some others. This was a test on Farke being able to show the squad has depth. Fans were pleased to see Gelhardt given a rare start as his rare moments on the pitch last season were promising, after a good first half, he faded. Wober is a different story as fans are still not convinced he will be with Leeds by the end of the month – a Bundesliga level player who is on the bench in the Championship. He simply looked a shadow of the player who joined us in the Premier League.
This was a shocking start to the season. Two home matches conceding three goals each time. Farke prided himself on his clean sheets last season and no wins. The need for a more attacking play has bizarrely led to defence being forgotten about. Against Portsmouth, Leeds showed that improved goal attempt but, in this match, Middlesbrough nullified that attack in the first half and then stepped up a gear in the second which Leeds players could not handle. The substitutions that entailed were a damning condemnation by Farke of his players. But the way that Middlesbrough’s tactics in the second half out classed Farke is embarrassing.
The first half reflected last season with Leeds dominating possession and looking to find gaps in a deep Middlesbrough. But Leeds rarely looked like scoring in the first half with Bamford rarely given a useful ball. Like late last season Middlesbrough were dangerous on the counter attack.
Leeds should have come out the second half stepping up a gear but instead it was Middlesbrough, with Dijksteel dancing through the Leeds defence across the goal finding the net. They could have had a second minutes later but for Darlow.
It took quarter of an hour for Leeds try to get some composure on the ball but then commit high and Middlesbrough score their second. That swarm of players coming back to defend that we used to see was absent. And it could have been three, just minutes later.
This was so embarrassing for Farke he made an unprecedented five changes in one go. But the change back fired as Middlesbrough immediately scored a third and sealed the match. Struijk was caught out by the pace of play and Rodon again having a poor match.
Leeds stepped up with Rutter showing his class hitting the side post – a rare long range shot by Leeds, but Middlesbrough had closed down the match by then. Farke said he made a risk with a lot of rotation tonight and he takes the blame. It’s a long way back for Farke as his tactics looked exposed and his work on with the team going backwards.
Man of the match: Rutter who tried to get the ball forward when he came on as a sub.
