Farke’s Leeds United plans clear after what he shouted at Gruev
Leeds United continued their pre-season schedule as Daniel Farke’s side saw off German third-tier side SC Verl 4-1.
Joel Piroe scored twice, with the second coming from the penalty spot, while Wilfried Gnonto and summer signing Lukas Nmecha also netted in the 120-minute match.
The result comes after Leeds United’s 0-0 draw against Manchester United in Stockholm last weekend.
Now, the Peacocks are in Germany as they look to build more momentum ahead of the new Premier League season.
Farke wants a double pivot in Leeds’ midfield
Leeds’ trip to Germany has been somewhat controversial, with no friendlies scheduled that fans are able to attend.
As a result, any matches are set to be played behind closed doors, including the friendly against SC Verl.
However, Daily Mail journalist Aadam Patel (23 July) watched the game and witnessed many intriguing decisions from Farke.
One of the most interesting was how the German set up his midfield, with Ilia Gruev and Sean Longstaff playing together.
Farke could be heard shouting “distance” multiple times throughout the friendly. This implies that he wanted his two holding midfielders to be close to each other and form a double pivot.
This clash against lower-level opposition was an early indicator of how Leeds may set up in games where they expect more of the ball.
Leeds friendlies against Villarreal and AC Milan will give clearest indication of Farke’s plans
After their camp in Germany, Leeds will return to England to play Villarreal at Elland Road.
The week after, the Peacocks will take on AC Milan at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
| Leeds’ pre-season schedule | Date |
| Leeds vs Villarreal | 2 August |
| Leeds vs AC Milan | 9 August |
Given the level of opposition Leeds will face, this will give the clearest indication of how Farke plans to set up his team in the upcoming season.
Hopefully, good performances and results will come out of the game to help breed confidence ahead of Everton on the opening matchday.
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