Leeds United press conference: Daniel Farke reacts to fan criticism, provides injury update and team news pre-Cardiff

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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke hosts his pre-match press conference this afternoon as the Whites prepare to face bottom-of-the-table Cardiff City in South Wales

United are looking to get back to winning ways this weekend when they travel to the Cardiff City Stadium with Bluebirds boss Erol Bulut under increasing pressure after a dismal start to the campaign.

Cardiff have lost four of their opening five league games this season, conceding 11 in the process and will likely seek to frustrate their white-shirted opponents on Saturday afternoon by setting up defensively.

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Whilst a draw might be enough to convince the Cardiff hierarchy Bulut has arrested the slump, a point in South Wales will be regarded a disappointing result for Daniel Farke. Leeds, at the very least, need to be winning this game in order to avoid falling further behind the Championship’s early pace-setters at the summit of the table.

Farke confirmed last week Dan James would miss out until after the next international break in mid-October due to a recurrence of a hamstring injury, while Patrick Bamford sat out the defeat by Burnley last weekend entirely despite returning to team training.

Who else might be injured?

We’re anticipating an update on the 31-year-old striker as well as central defender Max Wober who reported back from international duty with a meniscus problem.

In addition, Farke is likely to offer updates on the conditions of Ethan Ampadu - who was substituted following a heavy challenge against the Clarets - and Joe Rodon. The latter may have suffered a concussion in the closing stages of the 1-0 defeat therefore his availability this coming weekend is a topic for discussion.

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Planned tribute

Two of beloved ex-skipper Sol Bamba’s former clubs will come together this weekend to honour the larger-than-life character who sadly passed away earlier this month. Bamba represented Leeds between 2015 and 2016 before joining the Bluebirds for a five year stint which came to an end in 2021. The Ivorian will be the face of Cardiff’s matchday programme.

Follow all the text updates from Farke’s press conference here from 1:30pm.

Leeds United press conference LIVE

Farke on expiring contracts at end of the season

If I’m honest I haven’t thought about this scenario so far because it was such a difficult summer for other things. You know how much I rate Junior [Firpo] and Sam [Byram] and how important they are for us. Junior played a really good game against Burnley, after long travel, improved defensive skill and turning into a leader. Great will to improve further. Sam is versatile due to competition but we’re all happy that we have him, can play different positions and one of the most experienced, we don’t have many of those. Sam was complaining a bit the other day, an academy product, he said ‘Boss, I’m from this region, lifelong supporter and Ao Tanaka has been here two days and has a song’. Come on, let’s change this.

Farke on critics comparing end of last season to start of this

It’s a difficult scenario and situation. Last season we were chasing and you head into the last home game against So’ton, you know Ipswich need one point against an already-relegated side, you take risks you normally wouldn’t, then you lose this game because it doesn’t mean any harm. It’s completely different in terms of pressure and what happens in the game. Different scenario and group. Sadly last season many players perhaps thinking ‘what happens if’, there were offers for some of our players, key players were injured, I think it’s a different scenario if Bamford was available for the final stages and play-offs. Right now we have a completely different group. Cree is gone, Georgi is gone, Glen is gone, Archie is gone. James not available at the moment. what we’re doing right now is completely different to the end of last season.

Farke on set-pieces and employing a set-piece coach

If you play with these type of players, you get magic and creativity but they rarely come from a set-piece. If you play with Dan James you get forward running, pace. We don’t have the team who is so strong in set-pieces, that’s a fact. But we want to be better because it’s an important topic. It’s more or less like the takers, I was not happy how we took corners last season, I think we’re much improved. In the box, we always want to improve. Having Pascal back helps. I have to praise how much workload we put into this topic, our data people with support from the Americans, we have a company we work with. In pre-season we scored at least two goals from set-pieces. Right now we have many more first touches and also xG from set-pieces we are really good. Pascal could’ve scored two or three but we haven’t, we have to take it on the chin but I think it’s not long until we score from this situation. The feeling is we’re edging closer. The trend is your friend.

Farke on why the team didn't register a shot after 71st minute vs Burnley

We changed our base formation, we had injuries, I was not so happy during our last 20 minutes because we didn’t create enough when so dominant in possession. First, also always respectful of our opponent, Burnley were dropping deeper and deeper, capable to defend well against the ball. That’s one reason, second reason is we had just one day of training in the two weeks before this game and couldn’t really work on our processes and offensive game. Third thing is like the load for the international team players, all these players are key for us, sucked a bit of energy out of them. We didn’t have the creativity or energy to be precise. It’s a fair point to speak about the last 20 minutes. They are wasting time, many substitutes, goalkeeper yellow card for time-wasting, they break the rhythm, injury time on the pitch, some cramps, gives them the chance to regroup. We were critical with ourselves, we wanted to create a bit more. It was a special situation after the international break. It’s not a general problem, it was due to the situation, we lacked the energy we need to turn the game against a good opponent.

Farke on entertainment

This is quite normal, you face criticism when you don’t win games. Try to bring the ball forward with good principles and structures - when you don’t win games, you’re asked ‘where’s Plan B?’ Pep Guardiola has this, Marcelo had this here. It’s quite normal. We’re playing to win, it’s not like figure-skating when you get marks for beautiful posure, we want to bring this ball into the rectangle over the line. If you don’t win with our style of football or Man City or Marcelo’s, it’s not the proper brand of football. Yes, but you can’t change from week-to-week to do this. It’s important we are flexible in our base formation and how we create chances. Football will always be judged in the way we deliver results. Everyone is of course talking about Manor slipped away, but I thought he was good in the first half. Mateo Joseph missed a few chances, relax he’s a really good player. If Willy scores this goal, everyone speaks about Brenden Aaronson, what a Zinedine Zidane pass, he’s our new No. 10. Brenden played an unbelievable pass but we didn’t put the ball into the rectangle so there’s lots of criticism. I know how this business works and how the mood is after a game when we don’t score a goal. I’m not annoyed, it doesn’t change anything that there’s some criticism. Norwich, Gladbach, attacking football, playing opponents off the park, then if there’s a game we don’t score, ‘oh, it’s boring, put the ball up front’. I don’t change for every single game. We have to play with our style, we’re not a second balls team.

Farke on Cardiff under pressure

Two things, you know my attitude I’d rather play against a team that’s won the game before. After a loss, when you have a normal week, everyone turns every stone searching for solutions. I’m pretty sure this has happened at Cardiff. When you have a difficult spell and you’re struggling in terms of results, it’s difficult to turn things around and you have to be patient. Second, I get the group Cardiff has a really good group, I look at their teamsheet, Callum Robinson, Meite, so many experienced players in the centre of the park, I think they have a team to finish in the top half. It’s not playing psychological games, they showed this in the second half of last season, they have all the ingredients. Erol has turned things around last season, I’m thinking this week they’ve tried everything to turn things around. We have to be more aware. I’m fully aware of the quality of the players, they will invest in everything. We have to be even more switched on.

We are fully convinced of what we’re doing. You don’t want to have someone in this chair who is a flag in the wind. You have to be fully convinced of your expertise or you cannot be successful for such an emotional club. If there are question marks or tension, you can never take it personally. You also can’t be too affected, you have to be convinced. If you’re panicking, nervous, questioning and changing everything - no chance to be successful. I want to be with this club one day in the Premier League, I want to play football, we won’t change anything in how we work and how we want to play.

Farke on stress of the job and tension

I don’t feel in these terms, any pressure. I followed this club three decades, I always had a soft spot for Leeds and since I know even more I fell in love with this club. I always got the feeling, it’s what we are, after one bad result everyone is panicking. To be honest, it’s not a bad thing, there’s no bad intention, everyone cares so much, is so crazy passionate and emotional. After each loss, the manager is questioned, I was fully aware when I signed the contract. If this would affect me or surprise me, or I lose faith in what we are doing, I’m the wrong person in this chair. Why would I? We won 90 points last season, not the easiest summer window, replaced players with young talent, in five games this season drawn the first two, two wins then the first loss. I spoke about our statistics what we’ve done. A good clean sheet on the road at West Brom, perfect away performance at Wednesday and then another clean sheet win against Hull. Performance against Burnley, we dominate 72 per cent possession, nine-to-one corners, three times the xG they had, if I’m really honest last season we got really good results against the top teams but none of them were like how we dominated a top team like Burnley. What happened? Mateo’s missed a one-on-one, Willy missed a one-on-one, Manor Solomon slipped - that’s football.

Farke on a more adventurous midfield pairing

No, because the balance has to be right. In football, it’s always important to be rock solid and on the other end to create chances. If I judge our first five games, our balance was quite good. We’ve tried a more offensive-minded setup in the cup and it didn’t work out that great. We’re always capable to do this but in general when I judge the first five games, in the last four, we’ve only conceded one goal. Defensive behaviour we’ve been rock solid. I can just criticise one thing, be effective and use the chances. I’m far away from overinterpreting statistics, because the only one that matters is scoring goals.

Like all the players he can’t wait to be reinvolved. He tries to earn his place back in the squad and he’s edging closer.

We had a few little knocks and hits and problems during this week. Rodon missed two training sessions due to some glute problems. Junior Firpo was struggling a bit with his MCL, Manor Solomon with some back problems. Joe Rothwell rolled his ankle, a few concerns but I’m carefully optimistic all of them will be available. Biggest question mark is Solomon. Wober back in training today, just a light session, we wait to see his body reacts. Patrick Bamford back in team training since last Tuesday.

Half an hour 'til Farke is in the hotseat

Get some lunch, make a brew, set the timer. You’ve got 30 minutes.

An update for the diaries

On today's presser agenda

Why it's not all doom-and-gloom, yet

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Welcome to Thorp Arch

We’re at the training ground today for Daniel Farke’s pre-Cardiff City press conference.

Text updates throughout here. The manager is due with us at 1:30pm.

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