Daniel Farke opens up on private talks with Lucas Perri amid Leeds United concerns
Daniel Farke is happy with Lucas Perri’s shot-stopping ability, but wants the Brazilian to be better with the ball at his feet.
Leeds beat Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road on Tuesday, with Farke alleviating the pressure from his own shoulders after the win.
The 49ers could yet decide to sack Farke if the Whites don’t get a result against Liverpool on Saturday, as the German head coach will need all his players to be at the top of their game once again,.
Perri has come under fire for his goalkeeping performances, with a few mistakes to his name already this season.
Tensions have been high at LS11, and Farke has told Perri what he “needs to improve” in particular.
Daniel Farke has spoken to Lucas Perri about improving his distribution
Leeds signed Perri from Lyon in the summer after the goalkeeper impressed by making 45 appearances for the French outfit, playing a part in a lengthy Europa League run.
The Brazilian is seen as the Whites’ first-choice goalkeeper, which is why Farke has stressed the heavy reliance on Perri and why he needs to improve.
- Perri has played nine games for Leeds this season
- He’s kept two clean sheets
- Perri has an average Sofascore rating of 6.57
- He has prevented -1.15 goals
Perri is underperforming as far as stats go, but Farke also believes that the 27-year-old can be better and has revealed what’s been discussed with the goalkeeper while speaking to the media.
Farke said at Thursday’s press conference: “What I like about he has been involved in our clean sheets this season. There is no hiding behind the fact there are things he needs to improve.
“More importantly, he stops the strikes, but we’ve spoken honestly about [his distribution].”
But with Farke’s latest change against Chelsea, Perri may see less of the ball anyway.
Leeds are starting to play more direct under Farke
Farke has been criticised for being too naive in the Premier League and trying to play a style that simply doesn’t work against elite-level competition.
The German head coach has changed to a five-at-the-back formation recently, which has more of an emphasis on playing long balls and being physical.
This tactical change could suit Perri, as Leeds seem to be focusing less on having the ball, which means the goalkeeper’s job should be to send the ball long when he has it.
Playing out from the back benefited no one, certainly not Perri, and the Peacock Army could soon see the best of the ‘keeper.
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