Ilia Gruev must be axed by Daniel Farke as Leeds United struggle v QPR

Ilia Gruev has been a liability for Leeds United in the first half and played a big role in QPR scoring their second goal of the half.

The midfielder, who has been exceptional for Daniel Farke's side, has put in arguably his worst performance since moving to Elland Road.

It's time for Farke to be ruthless at the break and drop him as it's clearly not working for the Bulgarian.

Ilia Gruev may cost Leeds United direct promotion

For Lucas Anderson's goal, the 23-year-old stood like a statue in front of Illan Meslier rather than closing down the attacking midfielder and was at fault for the first goal as well.

This saw Anderson take an audacious swing at the goal which ended up finding its way into the back of the net.

Gruev has also been all over the place, losing both of his attempted ground duels, according to Sofascore.

He's also made a few erratic passes and any time he's looked to be a little adventurous, he's ended up making the wrong decision and has been terrible for the Whites.

The central midfielder has also failed to impose himself as a strong presence which has allowed the hosts to play right through Leeds.

Daniel Farke must show why he's the Leeds United manager

At half-time, Leeds find themselves trailing 2-0 against Queens Park Rangers, a position far from their pre-match status as favourites.

This dismal performance threatens their promotion aspirations, and it's now crucial for Farke to act decisively during the break.

The German must immediately address the team's shortcomings in the first half, emphasising the need for a drastic change in attitude and performance.

He should remind his players of the significance of the match in terms of promotion and the expectations that come with being favourites.

To turn the game around, Farke needs to adjust tactics and formations, focusing on exploiting QPR's weaknesses while shoring up Leeds' defence.

In other Leeds United news, a teenage sensation is now set to snub Manchester United in order to move to Elland Road.

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