‘Disappointed’: Daniel Farke shares what really ‘annoyed’ him about Leeds loss to Stoke, other than the penalty
Cree Summerville was the shock omission – while Glen Kamara and Dan James were also taken out of the starting line-up. Ilia Gruev got his first start, while Willy Gnonto and Jaidon Anthony also started.
A dire game of half-chances sprung to life when sub Patrick Bamford won a penalty, but then skied the resulting spot-kick. Five minutes later, Stoke scored from a corner, Pascal Struijk scoring an own goal.
However, there wasn’t much the Leeds captain could do about it. Wesley’s header struck the crossbar, and Struijk was forced to block the rebound when it bounced off him. Farke walked away irritated.
When asked if he was frustrated with Leeds surrendering from a set-piece, Farke responded, “Very,” according to Leeds Live. “Because we had excellent defense and little opportunities allowed. Set pieces are crucial.
“These usually get off to a good start. Normally, my teams excel at set pieces. I felt irritated. We were able to be disappointed in our proactive approach to the ball and our alternative approach due to the missed penalty.
Farke shares what really annoyed him about Leeds loss to Stoke
Bamford will take a lot of the blame for the loss. His missed opportunity from the spot changed the game, giving the home team early momentum and delighting the crowd. There were, however, a lot more problems.
Farke’s modifications are also somewhat to blame. Gruev and Anthony, in particular, did not live up to the expectations placed on them. Leeds had a strong defensive line, but a weak corner cost them.
There are many lessons to be learned from the defeat, and if Leeds learn anything else aside from how tough it is to face Stoke on a chilly, rainy Wednesday night, it’s that Bamford isn’t permitted to take penalties.
