NafisaLeeds United midfielder and skipper Ethan Ampadu has acknowledged that the team aims to entertain but reveals that results must come first amid ongoing criticism of Daniel Farke’s style of play at the club.
The Welsh international, while agreeing that fans want to see exciting football, insists that a balance must be struck between flair and securing the necessary outcomes if the team hope to achieve it’s goals.
Leeds have been in impressive form, losing just once in their last ten league matches, winning six and drawing three. With the international break now in club football paused for the meantime, they find themselves third in the Championship table with few points behind the leaders and runner ups.
However, Farke’s tactics have not been generally accepted by the fanbase, with some suggesting the team’s style lacks excitement. Given the club’s ambition to return to the Premier League, anything less than promotion would be viewed as a failure by many including their core fans.
While fans, having spent their hard-earned money on supporting the team, expect entertainment, Ampadu believes it is important to remember that football is basically about results. “We try and make it entertaining,” the 24-year-old said in a recent interview with BBC Radio Leeds.
“Obviously, we come up against a lot of teams who maybe have a low-block, and try to slow the game down. Maybe sometimes, that’s just how the game goes, but for us players, we want to play in an entertaining way. But at the end of the day, we want to do what we’ve got to do to get the result.”
The pressure on Farke is evident, not least due to Leeds’ near-miss in last season’s play-off final. However, statistics suggest that much of the criticism over the lack of entertainment could be rubbished.
Leeds lead the Championship in possession (62.5%), shots on target (5.3 per match), and accurate passes (491.1 per match).
Additionally, they sit second in goals scored per match (1.6) and expected goals (25.1). Defensively, they boast the third-lowest goals conceded per match (0.6) and the second-most clean sheets (9) last season.
These stats show a team that is both potent in attack and solid at the back. While the style may not always be as eye-catching as some would like, Leeds are performing at a level that suggests they can secure automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.
Perhaps, as is often the case, it’s the hard-fought, less convincing wins that ultimately prove decisive. For now, Farke and his players can be quietly confident as they continue their push for the Premier League return after slightly missing out last season.
Nafisa
