Jayden Bogle's influence on the match grew after the shift in formation
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
13:06, 11 Feb 2026
Jayden Bogle sparks the comeback
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Jayden Bogle sparks the comeback(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Daniel Farke would have been crucified for starting six defenders just three months ago and indeed the knives were out from some critics ahead of kick-off against Chelsea.
A state of confusion encircled his Leeds United line-up. Three full-backs? Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, both defensive pivots, in midfield? Only Brenden Aaronson and Lukas Nmecha in attack? It was a head-scratcher.
The only plausible prediction was that Jayden Bogle would be a winger, barring an unthinkable back-six formation. Some have called for Bogle to be given a run out there given his overall attacking production and Farke felt now was the time to oblige.
Sitting 2-0 down early in the second half with Leeds barely laying a glove on the hosts painted the story, and Farke simply had to change his 5-4-1 set-up. On came Noah Okafor and a back-four Leeds managed to eke out a crucial point. At the centre of the comeback? Bogle.
The 25-year-old won the penalty that allowed Lukas Nmecha to sink his sixth goal of the season. And it was his tenacity while running centrally which ultimately saw the ball squirm to Okafor for the equaliser.
By that point, Bogle had moved into “the pocket”, as described by Daniel Farke. "If the game went on for longer, we would have seen more from him going forward,” the Leeds boss added of Bogle.
Bogle had noticed the need to run centrally into 'the pocket' long before Nmecha flicked the header on
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Bogle had noticed the need to run centrally into 'the pocket' long before Nmecha flicked the header on(Image: Sky Sports)
Looking at the match statistics charts, Bogle does not top many and walked away with rather average metrics, but some figures show his impact amid the second half formation change.
Some 41 of 43 touches were successful. In terms of average position, he was the second-highest Leeds player on the pitch, only behind Nmecha. His total ball-carrying distance was 82.5 metres - the most in the Leeds team.
Only Okafor registered more progressive carrying metres - how far forward the ball is taken when said player has possession - than Bogle’s 27.5. Up until his second half drive that won the penalty, it was right to question whether the Bogle experiment had worked.
It looked a risky decision given he had started ahead of the likes of Okafor, Daniel James, Wilfried Gnonto and Facundo Buonanotte. A penny for their thoughts.
“I didn't want to disrupt Justin and Bogle's relationship,” said Farke post-match when explaining his Bogle ploy. “Jayden had never played that role, but my players have shown their tactical flexibility. It worked and for that all credit goes to them."
Will we see it again? It’s hard to say. Anton Stach’s and Pascal Struijk’s return lower the odds albeit if it is to be deployed again, it will most likely be so away at a top five club, and Aston Villa is the next Premier League roadtrip.
Given how the first half played out, it seems obvious that Bogle playing right wing in a 5-4-1 set-up is too defensive and did not work. Yet the second half spark means the knives ought to be put away.
Later on in a game if a result needs chasing, should Farke wish to switch to a back-four formula, then Bogle has shown to be yet another option to make his team flex to whatever is required.
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