Sheffield United, Leeds United and FA Cup - The YP FootballTalk Podcast
Leeds United have scored in just two of six Premier League away games this season but manager Daniel Farke says improving that will have to wait until he can get his side back to being defensively solid.
If that increases criticism from Whites fans growing restless with him that he is too defensively-minded, Farke takes it as a compliment.
Leeds put great store this summer on making themselves more secure, not only by recruiting defenders and a new goalkeeper, but also the midfielders added. There has been a heavy emphasis on the defensive qualities of at least one winger – usually Brenden Aaronson – to the detriment of Daniel James and Willy Gnonto.
Take away the 5-0 loss at Arsenal and it took five-and-a-half matches to concede six goals in the season’s early weeks but they have shipped six in the last two, both away.
That will be a big focus for those at Thorp Arch during the international break.
"It is crucial to return to our defensive stability because the last two games we conceded three goals (in each)," stressed Farke.
"Perhaps it was also due to the quality of the opponent (that more have not been scored), but look at how many chances we have created and what type of chances we have missed and how you can create more on the training pitch.
"On Sunday we scored a goal, we had a few good situations, but it's crucial that you transport your lead (they conceded inside two minutes at Nottingham Forest), it is crucial that you don't go behind because the opponent has to open (up) more, gives more space and you automatically have a few more chances.
DEFENSIVE FOCUS: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)placeholder image
DEFENSIVE FOCUS: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
"As a new side at this level, it is not like after lost the other game 3-1 we said, 'Listen, we should have won the game 5-3, we need to work on how to score more goals.'
"The first step is always we have to be... (better defensively). I wouldn't label that we are open or give too many chances away, but somehow in the decisive moments...
"More or less the basic, especially once you are promoted to a new league, is always you have to be rock solid and this is definitely the (next) step. Then, if we have done this, we can try to score even more away goals or have more creativity, but it is not the other way around."
DEFENSIVE WEAKNESS: Morgan Gibbs-White was one of three Nottingham Forest goalscorers on Sunday (Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)placeholder image
DEFENSIVE WEAKNESS: Morgan Gibbs-White was one of three Nottingham Forest goalscorers on Sunday (Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Even in winning last season's Championship, Farke has had a reputation with some Leeds fans for being over-cautious but it does not concern him – quite the opposite.
"It's not like we can bring five strikers or five creative No 10s on the pitch to take this league by storm, it's simply not possible," he told the BBC. "We have to rely on a really good, solid behaviour.
"No one is more desperate to create more chances. I've been criticsed my whole career that I'm too offensive. We won 100 points and scored 100 (96 last season, in all competitions), we have also scored many goals for a newly-promoted side.
"To be criticsed that I would think too defensively is more or less a compliment becuase it would be the first time in my whole career that I hear this!"