Daniel Farke Credit: Imago
Daniel Farke watched his Leeds United side play out with a frustrating 0-0 draw against Brentford on Saturday to earn another point towards securing Premier League safety.
The point has proven to be valuable as West Ham’s defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday allowed Leeds to open up a four-point gap over teams in the relegation zone.
Most Read on The Leeds Press
However, the match lacked real quality, with both sides struggling to create the kind of clear-cut chances needed to secure all three points.
Brentford have come under fire for some of their tactics to waste time. But Farke was left furious for one more season with one of his Leeds stars producing another poor showing.
Daniel Farke was left furious with Brenden Aaronson in an off-camera moment
Aaronson had a forgettable game against Brentford on Sunday. He worked hard off the ball, but he created very little and was not a threat in the final third.
Leeds have not scored a Premier League goal in 419 minutes, and the likes of Aaronson are not doing enough to create chances for the strikers.
Farke is a big fan of the attacking midfielder and backed him earlier in the season when the Leeds supporters wanted him out of the starting eleven.
However, even the Leeds manager was left baffled and infuriated with some of his decisions on the ball against Brentford at Elland Road.
Brenden Aaronson – Performance vs Brentford
Key passing and creative statistics from Brenden Aaronson’s performance for Leeds United against Brentford
Statistic Value
Assists 0
Expected Assists (xA) 0.01
Key Passes 1
Crosses (Accurate) 0 (0)
Accurate Passes 7/11 (64%)
Passes in Opposition Half 5/9 (56%)
Passes in Own Half 2/2 (100%)
Graham Smyth revealed that the German was left furious on the touchline when Aaronson whacked a ball downfield with no aim or purpose.
The Leeds forwards had no chance of being at the end of the pass or chasing the ball in the channels.
It was one of the many baffling decisions the Leeds attacking midfielder made as the team struggled due to a lack of creativity on the pitch.
Leeds need their attackers to step up
Leeds have now gone more than a month without scoring in the Premier League, a worrying stat at a time when they’re fighting to stay up.
There’s already been a warning that they need to rediscover their cutting edge quickly, or risk being dragged into the bottom three as the season reaches its climax.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin hasn’t found the net in the league since early February, while Lukas Nmecha’s last goal came in the 3-3 draw at Chelsea last month.
Chances have been at a premium, and players like Aaronson will need to step up and provide better service to the forwards during the run-in.
If things don’t improve soon, Leeds could be under serious pressure after the international break.
A clash with Manchester United is up next, followed by games against Tottenham, Burnley and Wolves, fixtures that could offer a chance to pick up crucial points.
But none of them will be straightforward, and Leeds will need their attackers to start delivering if they’re to piece together enough results to survive.