Farke on wet pitches, free agents and Watford

Posted by Admin October 21, 2024 Football

Leeds United face Watford at Elland Road after an impressive 2-0 victory over promotion rivals Sheffield United.

Manager Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media. Here are the key lines from his news conference:

There are no fresh injuries. Winger Willy Gnonto (shoulder) has some bruising but is expected to be fit. Farke said: “No big concerns, no one picked up an injury during the game, nothing that should disturb us, we have our long term ones but all the others are available.”
Max Wober, Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev remain sidelined.
Asked what he has done to ensure Tanaka and Rothwell reflect the work that injured duo Gruev and Amapadu do, Farke said: “We can’t make other players out of them and I don’t want this, we want to use their skills, they are tidy on the ball with imagination and creativity going forward and also breaking the lines of the ball. But of course it differs when you go with a different approach so it needs a bit of time. It’s always consistent working, in the last game they got better and better and long may it continue.”
Leeds have been linked with midfielders Francis Coquelin, Cheikhou Kouyaté and ex France international Josuha Guilavogui who was recently at Mainz. Asked if any progress has been made on signing a free agent, Farke said: “A bit closer, latest by the end of the next week we will have a decision made but it can happen quick and let’s see.”
On why he keeps the pitch wet: “We take care of each and every percent and it’s important not to overlook. A wet pitch always helps. It’s important also that the ball boys are not sleepy, it’s important to have the ball speed high. It’s important that the surface is perfect, I am not a greenkeeper but they know my wish. We need to take a look under each and every stone.”
How he will approach Watford, Farke added: “We always try to be ourselves on the pitch and to be the protagonist but it’s also important to be prepared for different scenarios. It’s important not to be predictable. It’s always to find good solutions but it’s quite often after the game that you find out. We always try to be ourselves.”