Calvert-Lewin hung out to dry by Daniel Farke amid Leeds United reveal
Leeds United are not playing to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s strengths this season.
If we’re being honest, Calvert-Lewin has been poor for Leeds, with his goal against Wolves still the only time he has found the back of the net, or even looked like coming close to it.
However, Daniel Farke simply isn’t playing to his strengths, and is only making life harder for the Englishman with the lack of service provided to him outside of goalscoring opportunities
Despite the physicality possessed by the 28-year-old, Leeds rank third-lowest in the Premier League for a stat that, if changed, could bring out the best of Calvert-Lewin.
Leeds need to play more long balls to Calvert-Lewin
Via FotMob, Leeds average 19.7 accurate long passes per game, which is a stat that only West Ham and Man City are worse at, and given the quality that the latter have in their locker, it is no surprise that they very rarely resort to long ball tactics.
However, Leeds have a tall, strong, athletic forward with Calvert-Lewin, and Farke is insisting on playing a style of football that very rarely utilises his strengths.
Now, that doesn’t excuse some of his perofmances this season, with the Englishman underperforming his xG by a decent margin, but it does explain why he has such a minimal effect in games.
Leeds don’t need to turn into something that Tony Pulis would be proud of, but it is evident that this is an area they need to take advantage of more often.
With the likes of Willy Gnonto, Noah Okafor and several others, Leeds have players who would also thrive from second balls, which would, in turn, give them a much better chance of putting points on the board.
Daniel Farke has two options at Elland Road
Playing to the strengths of those in the team is the first option, and by far the most sensible.
However, if Farke’s stubbornness at Leeds is going to prevail, he has to change something, and it may be the personnel.
Calvert-Lewin is going to be useless if the current way of playing remains, and with Joel Piroe still waiting for his first real chance of the season, Leeds have options.
Now, it is up to Farke to decide whether he is going to make the change or keep a system that is ultimately failing.
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