Leeds United’s malaise needs to be broken and Farke may need another ego bruise

Thursday’s second leg between Leeds United and Norwich City is well prepared. At 0-0, it’s all still to play for for both sides, who showed enough on Sunday to suggest no sweeping changes are needed.

Lineups measured each other, no goalkeeper was particularly stretched and that extra five per cent was needed to unlock doors left alone for fear of leaving the back door open. The first leg was a positive step forward for Leeds, back to the solidity and safety of their best clean sheets.

Having conceded nine in their last three outings, a Norwich goal was good for everyone’s confidence. Despite his distribution flaws, Illan Meslier remains a better option than Karl Darlow between the sticks.

READ MORE: ‘World class’ – Illan Meslier’s verdict from Daniel Farke defends Leeds United’s performance

It doesn’t make sense to dump a backup shortstop with no minutes in 2024 in a playoff semifinal second leg. Connor Roberts, who has been unable to add to his recent limited minutes at Carrow Road, remains a temptation at right-back.

After an early bent header at Meslier, Sam Byram settled in to become a very tidy performer for Leeds in Norfolk. The 30-year-old made a couple of key tackles, including a last-gasp save on a goalbound Borja Sainz, and also advanced to useful effect, even hitting an aerial shot from well inside the box.

Junior Firpo was a constant at left-back, his attacking instincts overcoming any defensive fragility at Carrow Road. The Dominican measured his forays well and almost kept Jack Stacey quiet when he roamed forward from right-back.

The central axis of Ilia Gruev-Glen Kamara-Archie Gray was a first for this season and a bold decision by Farke in such an important game, but it worked. Leeds need to go through more of their paces on Thursday, but not at the risk of handing Norwich an advantage at Elland Road.

Keeping that core, to which Gray can bring an attacking flair, feels important. Even as an 87th minute addition, Daniel James quickly showed why he has been so direct this season.

The Tiring Canaries didn’t want to see the heel winger enter the fray so late. Unfortunately, he has trained so little that he is not a realistic starter for Farke on Thursday. Wilfried Gnonto will be relied upon to add some quality to the pace we have seen in recent weeks.

The biggest debate has to happen at the top of the attack. Georginio Rutter has looked unwell since undergoing hernia surgery during the international break, but there appears to have been no alternative to get the Frenchman out of the firing line.

Gray’s inclusion on Sunday showed there is now another option for Farke in the hole. Rutter’s move to the front might have been the change he needed to shake off this malaise, but he again failed to make an impression in a game at Leeds.

With Patrick Bamford already ruled out, the alternatives are Joel Piroe or Mateo Joseph. Every decision Farke has made this season would suggest that Joseph has no chance of starting on Thursday.

Sunday was enough of a departure from the norm for the manager to then pair the 18-year-old with a 20-year-old seems anathema to Farke. It will surely come down to Rutter or Piroe.

The former, on paper, should have had the pace and mobility to hurt Norwich’s aging centre-backs, but they were comfortable. Perhaps Piroe, with at least two goals since the start of April, could overcome the French flair that needs a reset.

It might hurt Rutter’s ego, but Piroe took his bench after scoring against Southampton on the chin and soaked it up for the team.