Daniel Farke on Leeds United January transfer window and huge tests in pre-Forest press conference every word

Leeds United are heading for another huge Premier League game at Nottingham Forest - ahead of which boss Daniel Farke had plenty to say at his pre-match press conference. Here is every word from United’s German head coach including answers to questions on the January transfer window and a bold claim about December’s upcoming games against the division’s giants.

Well, let's start with a big game on Sunday. You had a great result against West Ham a couple of weeks ago and now Nottingham Forest on Sunday. How important is it for Leeds United that you pick up points against the teams around you?

“Yes, I think at this stage of the season, you shouldn't interpret too much into the fixtures because in the end, if it would be whatever, game day 36 and there is a team who is around us anyhow, you could interpret more into it. So you never know where Nottingham, for example, will be at the end of the season. Last season, they qualified for Europe. It could also be that in a few months' time they are in mid-table or even close to where they finished last season. So for that, I wouldn't interpret too much into it. It's just another opportunity to win points. So on this level, as the newly promoted side... You always have to be at your best, at the top of your game in order to give yourself a chance to win some points. It's the same right now away at Nottingham. It's a difficult fixture for us, so we have to prepare in the best possible way and then try to win as many points as possible. Of course, each and every point that you win on this level is huge in the end. You need probably nine wins in order to stay in this league. We are on three wins. We're on a good path, but we know three wins won't be enough. We need to win more games. And additionally, you also need whatever, nine or ten draws. Yeah, we are on two draws. We also need to add a few more draws. So each and every point counts. And for that, it's another opportunity for us to win some points. But I'm also sure that Nottingham and Sean also will want to win the points. So I expect also a tight game, a complicated game. But we want to be back to our best again.”

This time of year, Daniel, it gets a bit darker, a bit colder. Little children start thinking about Christmas. Football fans start thinking about the January transfer window. So I'm going to ask you, we are a way away, but are you thinking at all about January and are you looking to strengthen? You came close to bringing in an extra body or two in the summer. Have you already started to think a little bit about potentially strengthening when the window opens?

“To think perhaps, but not to speak about it. Because I had to speak about the last transfer window for four months. And right now there will be the time, whatever, after Christmas also. Then, of course, we're allowed also to speak a bit more about it during January, but not right now. We are focused on our group. We have a good group together. And I can't waste 1% of my energy right now to speak about other things and just to make sure that with this group that we have at least till the 1st of January that we are as competitive as possible and there are so many games coming up so we are fully focused.”

Is it fair to say, finally, if you were going to bring in one player, say, for example, would it be an attacker? Because we know you tried to get one in the summer.

“You never know what happens until January, so there's nothing to speak about yet right now. My only focus is Nottingham and we worry about these topics perhaps a bit later in the year.”

Could you give us an update on Dominic Calvert-Lewin? You said he was struggling with a quad injury. Is he going to be available?

“Yes, it's actually an adductor injury, so a little adductor strain. It will be a tight race, so we will make a late call. He's doing his rehab, he's progressing well, but was not in team training yet. We still have a couple of more days, but we won't take any risks, so it will be a late decision if he travels with us or not. He's a question mark, little question mark behind Sebastiaan Bornauw. He got a hit against his MCL during this week, also missed the training session, so little question mark behind his availability, but all the others are fine and ready to go.”

And Willy Gnonto?

“Yes, Willy was out for quite a long time, I would say, with calf problems and then with hernia surgery on both sides. He's meanwhile back in team training since two full weeks. It's good, you can see him growing. He's growing each and every day. He's back, he's also available and ready for selection. We'll see if we take, it's not a risk anymore because he's back in training, but if it's enough for him to be involved right now, already before this game, definitely then with 100% or so after the international break. But there's also a chance that he could be picked up also for this game, yes.”

Whether it's Dominic Calvert-Lewin who starts up front or you have to go with another option. There's been some concern that perhaps your striker has been left a little isolated. What's the key to providing them with more support in order to hopefully get those all important goals?

“Well, we are a newly promoted side and you wouldn't expect for a newly promoted side to be able to create as many chances like, yeah, whatever perhaps Man City does for Erling Haaland. Of course, it's always a bit easier for a striker to play a side who is just dominating game after game. But our strikers are fully aware in which position we are. And for us, we just have one target and we don't want to win the golden boot during the season. We just want to win the golden prize for all of us to stay in this league. And for that, of course, each and every striker wants to score goals. I was a striker myself and you need also this greediness that you want to score and want also a good personal tally in order to add end product. There's no doubt about this. But the main thing is that we are successful as a team. And Dominic, for example, has helped a lot. Of course, also with the goal that won us a few points. It's exactly like also Lukas Nmecha's goal, for example, won us a few points against Everton. Of course, it's crucial, but I don't judge my players and also my offensive players just by their goals and assists. So also their workload is quite important. And for that reason, I'm quite happy with what they have delivered. They played their part also in the last games. I think in the last game in Brighton, it's fair to say that we were in creating chances, not at our best. And I'll criticize this also a little bit straight after the game. But overall, I think we have scored several goals, also created many, many good chances. Could have been a bit more clinical also in a few situations. Also, Dominic, for example, could have been a bit more clinical, but overall I'm very, very happy with what he delivers, with his experience, with his all-round game anyhow. Again, for us, just one topic is important. This is where we are on the table with the team and not too much where my strikers are on the striker table.”

Albeit that, yes, you need the strikers to be clinical, is the onus perhaps more on the wingers and your midfield to perhaps be a little braver, to be more willing to get forward to support whoever is up front?

“I'm not sure. I wouldn't label us as not brave and also not that we don't create enough. When I think about our last games, West Ham, we scored two goals, could have scored a few more. Also like the away games, even at Brighton. So we were brave and had more possession and brought the game, not after, I think the starting period was definitely not our best, but for a minute 15 to 15. In 1965, we brought the game a lot into the opponent's half. So to have more possession than Brighton in the home game as a newly promoted side is not too bad. It's also a sign of you go for it and not like you just try to park the bus. I think in this game, it's fair to say that we were not creative enough, but I couldn't label it in the games before. because we have created so many chances, even last away game at Burnley. So if you have a look on what we have created and which type of chances we have missed, when I think about Brenden's big chance, about Jayden Bogle's big chance, Joel's chances, Lukas’ chances. So we can't speak about we were not brave enough and didn't create enough. So my feeling was we have created for a newly promoted side, many, many chances could have been in a few more games, a bit more clinical chances. Yes, and away at Brighton, that's a fair assessment, and I think we were there not at our best in terms of creation, but this is also what happens sometimes over the course of 38 game days that you have sometimes, especially in a difficult away game, and for that, yeah, it's not too much I want to criticize too much.”

Given the difficulty of the fixtures that lie ahead, is this, if not a must-win game, certainly not a must-not-lose game away at Forest?

“It's more or less, I think, game day 11 and seventh time in the press conference I'm asked if it's a must-win game. I can give you always the same answer if you want. Each and every game is an opportunity for a newly promoted side. Not one game against an established Premier League side is a must-win game, especially not in an away game. Perhaps on game day 38 if you need to win the game or need to win the three points. What we want to achieve is, in the end, at least nine wins. What we want to achieve is a point average of one point per game. And if I win this away game at Nottingham or home game against West Ham or away game at Liverpool or home game against Man City, I don't mind. I'm just addicted anyhow to winning. that many games that we need in order to stay in this league. And for that, I'm not willing to over-interpret too much in a game day. On game day 11 will be the same for Nottingham. They will also speak about, OK, a home game against a newly promoted side. Must-win game. Yeah, and what happens if you don't win the game? Then you keep going and make sure that you try to win the next game. So for that, of course, we want to win each and every game. There is no doubt about this. And also in this game, if we can't win it, yes, then like you said, we want to make sure that we don't lose it. And, you know, of course, but this is what also the opponent wants to do. And for that, I wouldn't over-interpret too much into a fixture game.

The Brighton game aside, are you happy with the performances, if not the points picked up away from home?

“Performances, yes, because apart from the Arsenal game, I think we should have one point in each and every game. To rate the performance efficiency is also a topic anyhow. And for that, I think we could have been a bit more efficient, especially in using our chances a bit more clinically. So we could have won a few more points. What I'm happy and pleased with is that we've shown more or less in each of the games that we are competitive on this level and we 100% belong to this level. So there were four newly promoted sides in former years. several question marks and some of them were waiting, had to wait for the first win, for example, pretty, pretty long. So not us. We won the game on the first game day. We are already on three wins. Overall, I think we're on a good path, but this doesn't lead to any complacency or not that we are over the moon. Anyhow, we know with just 11 points, we won't stay in this league. So we have to keep going. It's not that we fall asleep and are... enjoying ourselves too much. We also speak about what we can improve after the last game at Brighton. I think I was not really happy with our starting period. I think also cutback defending was something we could have done better and also to be a bit better in possession in terms of creating chances. But also after a win against West Ham, several topics I spoke about and I wanted to do better. So I haven't seen so far a perfect game from us and for that there's always space for improvement also in performances.

And by your own admission, in terms of the target, 10 games, 11 points, you are whereabouts you need to be to stay in this league. There might be a lot of negativity from the outside, but inside the group, there must be a lot of positivity of how you started this Premier League campaign?

Yes, but that's also quite normal for such an emotional club like Leeds United. If you're not league leaders, then there's always a bit of concern. You know how this club is after each and every win. everyone is over the moon and speaks about Europe, and after each and every loss, everyone is feeling about League Two. So for us, it's just important that we are on a good path, that we are already, like you said, on 11 points, that we are already on three wins, we are not one time under the line in terms of relegation battle. And this is a good thing to say as a newly promoted side. But that doesn't mean that we are 100% happy because there were already a few games where we could have won more points. There were a few games where we could have performed a bit better at Brighton, for example. And for that, we are always balanced. We are fully focused. We are aware that with this group, we have a chance to stay in this league. And this is why we are so greedy and desperate also to win more games and more points and to prove each and every game there.

In terms of strikers, there's been a lot of talk about the forward players. With the forward players potentially not scoring as many goals as you'd like, is there a responsibility for the rest of the team to chip in?

“Of course. So we take each of the goals. So it's important that our defensive players, Joe Rodon, for example, has stepped up and scores goals. Pretty happy that Noah Okafor, for example, also has delivered end products and also other players. So again, we don't want to win the golden boot. My strikers are also invited to score. There's no doubt about this. Of course, they have a better chance to score a goal than my full-backs, for example, because they're closer, hopefully closer to the opponent's goal. So for that, yes, the responsibility is, of course, and also they are a bit more the offensive players to score. We need also goals from midfield. We need goals like Anton Stach, for example, has delivered. We need goals from defensive players like Joe Rodon. And whenever we've done this and we've won games, for that, everyone of my players is invited also to chip in with goals, yes.”

Daniel, you said you expect a complicated game against Forest, I'm sure all games are complicated, but what are the complications specifically from Forest and Sean Dyche?

“Yeah, first of all, Forest, it's a side with these players, of course they had a few outgoings but also really really good quality incomings I have to say they were able to qualify for Europe and we don't have to speak about the quality of the players I think they have high individual quality in all positions and all options so for me it's definitely a side who can deliver top performances on this level and win many points and last season has proved this and I think they have the quality in order to be in this region there's no doubt about this of course it was lots of ongoing and lots of noise outside, but then also like a very experienced manager like Sean Dyche. I think with this experience, you will bring also calmness more or less into this group. And when this comes together, high quality players and also a manager who is experienced and brings calmness and is always normally a good setup to win many points. So we want to make sure that this doesn't start more or less like test start before they had also good results also good first win under him but we want to make sure that this doesn't happen in the league on the weekend because we want to win the points but it's definitely a side who will under Sean be very competitive and also then deliver definitely honest work and they will be on it against a newly promoted side to win the home game so for that I expect, like you said, a complicated game, but each and every game on this level is complicated. So for that, yeah, we have to be on it. But if we play to our strength, then we also will have a chance.”

You spoke about what the team could have done better at Brighton. After 10 games back in the Premier League yourself, what's your self-assessment of how it's gone and are there things you think that you could have done better or differently over the first 10 games?

“To be honest, it's so busy at the moment. I'm not too much in a reflection mode. I do this always during the international breaks or perhaps in the summer breaks or in the ongoing process. It's not like you look back too much and judge what you've done so far. either proud or a bit disappointed or whatever. So as a manager, you have to be there with decisions more or less each of the day, lots of decisions, bags of decisions, what to train, which formation to choose, what training sessions, how your next team meeting looks like, how the speech is a bit more concentrated on the contents, a bit more emotional. And you have to take many, many decisions. And if I'm honest, all of us are there in each of the week with wrong decisions and many, many mistakes. You just have to make sure that you are there, hopefully with more positive than negative decisions. So what I can improve and had to improve and where there were mistakes, I could name many, many things anyhow. But this is something that happens, I would say, to each of you, each of you manager and for that. I'm just concentrated to take the right decisions for the upcoming game against Nottingham in order to win even more points than we have already.”

On Daniel James, how close are you to being confident to start in terms of his fitness?

“Yes, in terms of his fitness, I would say meanwhile he's also back and able to start the game. Yes, we have lots of competition because we also need in the offense, of course, players who can deliver end products and can chip in, but also to make sure that we find always a good balance between creators and also players who are perhaps a bit more straightforward in order to use perhaps either to their pace or to score themselves anyhow and yes for that it's always like quite often we have more or less one winger who is a bit more straightforward and attacks also with his pace or with dribbling the box and perhaps one more player who is also capable to deliver some assists and for that we always need for each of the game to find a good balance. So I would say Daniel, for example, fits to several of our winger types, but also not to each and every one of it. And for that, it's always like to find the balance who starts also in the game. And yes, he has all chances to impress in training. He has all chances to use his chances when he comes on. And then we always try to find the good balance and the right decisions also on the winger positions.”

Dominic and Lukas have both, you know, when the ball's gone up to them, they've brought the ball down really well and managed to offload it to the wings quite well. But it does feel sometimes that, like, in the space around him, once they've brought the ball down, there isn't as much support. And I know you referenced the other day that you brought Brenden into the centre to sort of help with that. Is that something that you've been working on in training in terms of once the ball's been brought down that Dominic or Lukas does have direct support behind them?

“Yes, of course, it's always important that you can create close to your striker. This is what I meant, for example, when we speak about wingers. So it's sometimes a bit difficult to play with two wingers who both like just to be wide, because at least one winger should be a bit closer to the striker. So for that, it's a bit difficult sometimes to play with two wingers who are very, very similar and just both stay wide because then it's also for the central midfield a bit difficult to support it also in a proper way. But it's definitely something, yes, what we want and need to use, but I wouldn't label it overall a problem because otherwise we wouldn't have scored against West Ham two goals and should have scored more. Otherwise, we wouldn't have created so many chances that we did, for example, away at Burnley. Otherwise, we wouldn't have scored three goals against Wolves. At Brighton, it was definitely the case that we were a bit, too reluctant in order to be closer to our striker. That's definitely a fact, but I wouldn't label it as an overall problem. Again, as a newly promoted side, it's normal that you can't dominate each and every game and sometimes also you have to overplay perhaps intense pressing from the opponent into a physical strike and then it's also a bit difficult then always to be close and to support. So for that, again, it's definitely a topic that we want to be spot on, but it's also not that easy for a newly promoted side always to be in each of the topics then perfect like we were, for example, also last season when we scored one goal.

Hi Daniel, we probably know how it's going to feel at kick-off on Sunday. It's a very loud, passionate fan base at the city ground. They've got a lot of reasons for optimism. Sean Dyche brings with him security, stability, a good record in the Premier League. The optimism of a new manager and moving things forward with the results hopefully to come. They haven't quite turned yet. So we know it's going to be bouncing, in other words. We know they've got a very, very good squad. You'll know that. It's a top-half squad as of last season playing European football. So coming into it as the manager of the visiting team, how do you either harness that energy or limit it in some way or try and match that optimism? Because they're going to be all guns blazing. And how do you and the team ride that out and turn it in your favour?

“First of all, to enjoy the challenge. This is what I've said more or less in my first meeting once we spoke about Nottingham. I described it exactly like you did. More or less like exactly this atmosphere and what will happen also in this game. And I told them, listen, we have to enjoy this challenge. This is why you want to start to play football games. You want to be involved in this game the best possible. scenario is always home game, because it's a second to none. It's a very unique experience and it's a joy to be allowed to play in front of this home fence. But the second best scenario is a very hostile away ground. me as a player, I'd rather play it when the whole stadium is against you and you can rise to the challenge instead of you playing in a stadium where it doesn't matter anyhow. And for that, I told them, listen, it's important that we enjoy the challenge and not in a way impressed or whatever, scared or something like this. So it's more like in this type of games, you can show also your character and that you're capable to show some steel and whatever. And it's a great challenge and I would beg my squad that we also will enjoy this challenge and for that I don't want to change too much of the atmosphere. I also want to go there and also want to enjoy this away challenge and if you're capable then in this circumstances then to grind out a result. This is sometimes more or less one of the best games in the season and for that Yes, we want, of course, highly motivated to show this and then also to play our football and to play our style and try to be as dominant as possible in as many periods as possible.”

I think based on your comments and the way many of us might feel in here, that of the 10 games, it's probably only been two, Arsenal and Brighton, where the team's been outclassed. It's been a very, very difficult afternoon and the prospect of a result has seemed quite slim throughout. So generally, I think most of us would agree have played pretty well across those eight games in varying phases. So you're in a good place, at least performance-wise. You probably forgive our questions when we ask if it is a must-win game because if you look at the context of what is to come, be it home to Aston Villa but after that three of the so called top six across a seven day period. Without playing badly, it could spiral, do you understand why Sunday is so important and why the narrative can change?

“Yes this is why we were not over the moon with just performances. We were self critical and if you play well, you need to make sure you pick up points because there are sometimes games when you are not at your best. It is quite normal when you have 38 game days. When you face an opponent and you have to say after the game sadly they were too good for us and we have to accept this loss. Away at Arsenal they were at their best and super effective and it was tough for us to win any points. But the problem is you can’t just, just because we haven’t won five or six more points it is also like you say come on and you have to win the next fixture. It is more or less like yes I know we face at some point Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool even in seven days. Why shouldn’t we win some points there? We had more or less the same scenario when we played Newcastle here, a Champions League side with their new signings. They had just signed my German fella Nick Woltemade for I am not sure how much money. Everyone said they will out class you no chance. We got a point and were even closer to win it than Newcastle were to win it. I also got the feeling against Tottenham for example. A home game, also usually in position fighting for the Champions League. No one expected us to be there but we dominated periods and should have won some points. I don’t see why this should not happen against Liverpool, Man City or Chelsea or teams of this calibre. If you want to take part in the Premier League it is not like ok against the top five or top six you lose all the games and then you have to make sure against whatever newly promoted sides you win games. If you would have asked me before the season you would say ok Nottingham is one of the most difficult fixtures because they have qualified for Europe. Right now they didn’t have the best start for whatever reasons and then to speak about, okay, it's a must-win game. So, I don't see this. So for me, it's more or less like you take each and every game like it is. And perhaps you're also sometimes lucky and you play one of the top sides who are there just after a Champions League game, perhaps they rotate a little bit and out of a sudden you have a chance. And for that, I take points out of each and every game. And of course, I want to win the points. And the problem is, Sean Dyche and Nottingham want it as well. They will also speak about, OK, if not a home game against a newly promoted side, where should we then win the point? So it's for both teams always the same, but just one team can win it or perhaps there's a draw anyhow. For that, it's important that you make sure that you deliver a top performance. And if there is a chance, come on, grab yourself the reward. And if not, then you draw a line and you keep going. This is how a marathon and the Premier League is a marathon works. Of course, everything would be a bit easier if you would win three points because it's always easier then. But if not, then we also keep going. And we are even after that still above the line and still on 11 points after 11 games. I would rather be there with, whatever, 40 points after 11 games. But we haven't achieved anything if we win it. And the race is not over if you lose it. So yes, we are highly motivated. We aren’t desperate. We won't give 1% less because we are not motivated. But it's also important that you don't overdo it and you don't lose the nerves and you don't panic and you stay also composed and calm. And you know, whatever happens on Sunday, the world will go on and there's still a chance for Nottingham and also for us.”

And given what you've just said, Daniel, how important is it that that's reflected in the players that you've recruited and the players that you've retained? Because obviously squads are made up of all different types of human beings, but do you need a group who all think the same way in that respect?

“It's decisive. This is why I wanted to sign... During this season, just players who are in a good age, between 23 and 30, not down the hill already, not a project. If you are a newly promoted side and you're normally used to win football games and each and every loss was more or less a disaster last season, and you head then into the Premier League, And you can be motivated as you want and can deliver top performances by your standard as you want, but you will lose games. And if you dwell under it by losing games, and this sucks you down into sink sand, you have no chance to survive. So you have to make sure, not that we want to get used to losing football games. It's still, if you lose it, you have to take it personal and you have to be embarrassed and you have to be self-critical and speak about what you need to improve. But it's also important that a loss or difficult spell or sometimes even a difficult period of games doesn't suck you into sink sand because this is what happens to teams who are then relegated in the end. They panic and they lose their confidence and their calmness. And for that, exactly what you said, I wanted to sign characters who know this level, who know that on the top level you can also lose games and how difficult it is, you can be punished, although sometimes you don't deserve it. But you have to keep going and show strength and steel also in difficult surroundings, in difficult away grounds. This is why we just signed players who have delivered on Premier League level, on Bundesliga level, La Liga level, Ligue 1 level in one of the top leagues. This is why we wanted to recruit in this way. So it's important that we have this mentality and also to make sure that we keep this mentality and we won't panic as a group so that we are self-critical and always speak about what we want to improve, but that we are also confident in our whole behaviour. And believe me, so I will back my players. The players will back themselves. We have enough in order to win many points on this level.”

And by the same token, in terms of the bigger picture, you'll go into this international break above the relegation zone. You've never been below it. Despite everything you say, is that significant in terms of the psychology of the group to just stay above that dotted line? Or given everything that you've just said, does it not matter?

“It's good, it's not a problem, it's more or less the other way around but it would also not be the case with this group of players and what we do if at some point you are perhaps one point below the line, not that we want it, I would rather be in the Champions League positions anyhow if I'm really honest and I will never ever be in danger during the whole season and we go and we flow easily through the 38 game days and without being one time in any danger we will maintain our status if it works like this would be a bit dreamland but also sometimes dreamland is possible and of course we won't want to do this if you would have asked me before the season started I wouldn't have expected this that it works in this way I would have expected, okay, they are also sometimes privileged when we are perhaps below the line and then there's even a bit more pressure on you. So it's good that we so far, we are already over our point average, that we are over the line, but our mindset wouldn't change if there is sometimes a point and we are below our average or below the line. And of course, the outside world will panic, but I'm 100% convinced that with this group, we have enough in order to win as many points as possible. And, of course, if we can make it smooth and easy, yeah, I would prefer this, there's no doubt.”