Leeds boss Farke delighted at last gasp 3-3 draw with Liverpool

NicheSportMedia

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke was delighted after his side came from 2-0 and 3-2 down to secure a last gasp 3-3 draw with Liverpool Elland Road, Leeds, UK 06/12/25

Transcript

00:00We've got our usual order up to two questions each and take on the questions from anybody else afterwards.

00:10Graham, if you want to start when you're ready.

00:12Daniel, can you sum up quite how that game went?

00:16Crazy. It's another magical night here at Elland Road.

00:22The ground was again rocking like no other ground properly in world football.

00:28Once this place is on it, it can be second to none.

00:32Crazy game.

00:33I think a tight game in the first half, of course, they had a bit more possession,

00:37but we had also our spells when we put pressure on them,

00:40especially similar to the first half against Chelsea.

00:43We didn't allow real chances.

00:47I can't remember one save Lucas had to make in the first half tight game.

00:52If you want to win points against the top sides in the world,

00:55you need top energy against the ball.

00:57This is what we had throughout the whole game, but also top energy with the ball.

01:02I think in the second half you could realize that after this week,

01:05third game within eight days, we were running a little bit out of energy in possession.

01:09Sadly, it had been two mistakes where we more or less assisted to their two goals.

01:14Yes, my boys have this attitude.

01:17They never know once they're beaten.

01:23They always try whatever is thrown at them in terms of difficulties or adversity.

01:28They always try to find the answer and try to find good solutions.

01:31And then to come back also in this way after being too nulled down and to equalise the game was,

01:36yeah, of course, outstanding.

01:38A bit over-motivated then.

01:402-2, 80s minute.

01:42We stepped out of our block in the pressing and without the trigger,

01:45it allowed them also as a top-class side to score the third goal.

01:49But again, then to come again back and find another answer and to equalise this game,

01:56it's just a point.

01:57Of course, it's just one point for the table,

01:59but the leds should be really, really proud of themselves

02:01and can take lots of confidence and lots of belief out of this whole game.

02:06How placed are you for your substitutes?

02:08They all had an impact on how?

02:11Yes, very happy, of course, because all the credit goes to the boys.

02:17We got so much praise for our different formation right now,

02:20but then once we're too nulled down we wanted to change a bit also the challenge for Liverpool.

02:26We played without wingers before, wanted then two mobile wingers

02:29who are sometimes wide, sometimes in the pocket, give different tasks.

02:33Also wanted to press in a different way.

02:36Yes, and let's execute the plan in a brilliant way.

02:40We really won the penalty, so assist for him.

02:43Brennan was there with an assist to Anton's goal,

02:45A.O. later on, also with an equaliser after I was a bit furious with him

02:49because he stepped out of our D-block and opened a bit our block.

02:53But he's always such an emotional player and a great guy and had the answer.

02:58And also Sebastian Bonneau, in the end we wanted to create a bit chaos.

03:03He played against the ball fullback and with the ball striker.

03:06So we need to change something,

03:09and I think this took also a bit or catched Liverpool a bit by surprise.

03:15And for that we were then able to create a few more set pieces

03:18and out of one we were then able to equalise.

03:21So all the credit goes to the boys,

03:23because if you then change your base formation again

03:25and the way you want to play after this exhausting week

03:29against such a top side again and it works,

03:32it's amazing and all the credit goes to the boys.

03:35When we spoke before the Forest game, you talked about the fictionalists

03:38and how daunting it was that you had these three games across this week

03:41on the horizon and how the narrative can shift.

03:44So could you have imagined and believed that in the last seven days

03:46the way things have pivoted?

03:48Yes, because we knew it would be a week that costs lots of energy.

03:54You always have to be on top energy level against the sides,

03:58but I always said before I don't over-interpret too much into fictionalists,

04:02I'm not a believer in like, okay, this is more or less a must-win,

04:05this is perhaps an easier game and this is more difficult.

04:08I wouldn't label a home game even against the top sides for us more difficult

04:14than for example an away game against a side who is not the favourite

04:18and also for that I take each and every point.

04:21We know in the end we need nine wins perhaps to stay in this league,

04:25we need in the end one point per game

04:27and if I win the game points against Chelsea or Liverpool

04:30or I win them perhaps also against other promoted sides I don't mind,

04:33so I just take the points.

04:35On this level each game is difficult and challenging and you always have to be on it

04:40and when there is a chance to grab some points you have to be ready

04:44and that's what we did today.

04:46It's hard to ignore your reaction to Liverpool's third goal,

04:49something really, really infuriated you.

04:51Can you check to mind what happened there and what let you down if you like?

04:54Yes, you know, if you change the base formation

04:57and you have to invest so much energy to come back and to equalise 2-2,

05:03in possession it's difficult because we play then with wingers

05:08and the way we want to press and it's so complicated.

05:10They execute in the perfect way but the easiest thing is how we want to act in a low block.

05:15So against the ball before it was 5-3-2 and then later on it's 4-5-1

05:19and we never step out of the centre.

05:21But with all these emotions, 82nd minute, 2-2, we stepped out of the centre,

05:26opened the passing gap and Liverpool is a world-class side.

05:29Two passes, of course they find the player in between lines,

05:32he could then play the final through pass.

05:35I was annoyed that we lost the nerves more or less in this moment.

05:42I can't hide it, RO stepped out and not opened the gap.

05:46But it's a bit also how we are.

05:49We are perhaps not perfect and sometimes even a bit naive

05:53and sometimes we need to adapt to this top level just,

05:56but we have a great mentality and a great attitude.

06:00It's also typical that RO is in there, also a decisive moment

06:03and equalise the game and is in the spotlight then again and also deserved.

06:08I think, yes, we take just a point out of this game,

06:12but it feels like in terms of spirit and belief and unity

06:16and to be confident it's even much more than just one point.

06:19Daniel, on a small question whether Arsha got involved in the penalty.

06:25He admitted there was contact but he wasn't sure when he was out of play

06:29and the play was going down.

06:31What's your take on the penalty?

06:34I was just doing press if I haven't even watched the scenes back,

06:38but I would think if the VAR comes in and the referee decides to watch it again

06:45and then decides, oh, it's a penalty, I think it's how it should be handled.

06:49Because it's more or less like if the referee reviews it,

06:52has time to review it in a proper way and gives a penalty,

06:55then the penalty should have been given even if it was a mistake before or not.

06:59But, yes, definitely then a penalty.

07:02Many positives for today.

07:04If there is one thing to improve,

07:06is it concentration on the restart?

07:08I think in terms of Forest,

07:10the City of Golden after school on first,

07:12Man City, obviously Chelsea and Green.

07:16I don't know what today is. Is that one thing to improve?

07:20Yes, there's always something that we can improve.

07:23We've spoken so much about that late goals has cost us points today.

07:27We have delivered a goal that won us a point.

07:30Yes, on the flip side, there's always something you need to improve.

07:34And, of course, I think the concentration was more or less like an in-possession

07:39because the first goal we assisted to them

07:41and the second also after Lucas saved the ball,

07:44then we had two bad touches and gave the ball again within five seconds again

07:49and they scored the second goal.

07:51It's also a bit understandable.

07:53We had the full energy against the ball in all three of the last games,

07:57but today also having several key players not available,

08:01I think you could also understand why the boys in possession lost a bit of concentration,

08:06lost a bit of energy and were then there with one or two mistakes

08:10and a top side like Liverpool is able to punish you for that.

08:13And, yes, I wouldn't say something, a message that we need to learn,

08:17we knew it even before, but it was simply the fact that today

08:21it was also difficult for the boys to play this game within such a short period of time.

08:29Liam?

08:30Has this done your confidence that you've really been allowing the players

08:33to play against Liverpool by Wednesday?

08:36Yes, of course, but I was even convinced that we belong into this league

08:46even before we won the title with 100 points,

08:49so you don't win a Premier League season in a lottery,

08:52so you have to earn it, that's what we did.

08:54And also the games before, we had one game away at Arsenal

08:56where we had no chance in all the other games,

08:59we were competitive and in many of the games even the better side,

09:02so I was there with full belief before this week, during this week

09:06and also after this week.

09:08Did you win eight hours in school this week?

09:11Did you win some of the sides?

09:13Yes, of course, if you can also win points against the top sides,

09:17if you can come back against the top sides,

09:19if you can be dominant also in many games,

09:22second half Man City also in many spells also today,

09:25it was quite equal I would say probably in terms of all the objective statistics also today,

09:31it was not like we were unbelievably lucky,

09:33I think we deserved to win this point

09:35and definitely deserved to win the game against Chelsea.

09:37Yes, out of each of the good performance and good results,

09:40you take lots of confidence and this is what we also do out of this game.

09:44Going into this set of three,

09:47he was always going into a period,

09:49did you even just personally set a point target of

09:52I'd like to get this many points over those three games?

09:55No, because it makes no sense,

09:57you never know how a game develops.

10:00I know that in the end I want to have at least nine wins,

10:03I want at least one point per game,

10:05because this keeps you in the Premier League,

10:07this is what I can say,

10:08but I never when the fixture list comes out,

10:10it's more like okay in this game we need to win one point,

10:12or in this game we need to win,

10:13or in this game we can afford to lose.

10:15Even before the week, four points,

10:18yes the outcome is realistically probably great,

10:21but I would have never signed it,

10:23because I always played in order to win,

10:25and I'm just happy when we win all three points.

10:27Also tonight,

10:28yes I'm happy for the boys,

10:30and also the point feels like a win,

10:32but it's also just a point,

10:34we need to win many more points.

10:36Important week for us,

10:37important point also for us,

10:38yes, but nothing is achieved yet,

10:40we have to keep going,

10:41and we need to win a few more games,

10:43we need to draw a few more games,

10:45but if we show this type of performance,

10:47and this spiritual belief,

10:49then we definitely have a good chance.

10:51At this stage of the season,

10:52the performances in all three of these games

10:55have been magnificent,

10:57psychologically for you,

10:58but also for any potential relegation rivals,

11:00do you think that sends a really strong message?

11:02You mentioned already,

11:03you feel that you should be in the Premier League

11:05and you should be competing,

11:06but to compete so well against those three teams,

11:09do you think that does send a message to your players,

11:11and the opposition players,

11:12the opposition players,

11:13these guys?

11:15Yeah,

11:16I'm not sure,

11:17and I don't think it scares any other teams,

11:20I would say,

11:21but it sends definitely a good message to the group,

11:23because the lads are of course buzzing,

11:26they are confident,

11:27and each and every good result,

11:29each and every top performance,

11:30creates a better feeling,

11:33and a better belief,

11:34and more unity within the whole group,

11:37within the whole club,

11:38and for that,

11:39for us it was an important week,

11:41important results,

11:42and important games,

11:43I wouldn't over-interpreted the message that is sent outside,

11:46the most important thing is,

11:48we earn some points.

11:49Yeah.

11:50What's the 10th goal for the team

11:53for the set-piece of the season?

11:54Have you ever been able to help?

11:59We know that we ourselves spend so much attention on set-pieces,

12:03and we all know that we are also quite physical,

12:06and can score out of this situation,

12:08and spend so much time on the training pitch,

12:11in order to do this,

12:12so for that I was always confident,

12:14and against the top sides,

12:15it's always crucial,

12:16not just against Liverpool also,

12:18if you play against Man City or Chelsea,

12:21that you are dangerous out of this situation,

12:23because you can't dominate games against this type of opponents,

12:28with 80% possession,

12:29what we perhaps have done in last season,

12:33so set-pieces are an important topic for us,

12:35and of course,

12:36we also know it's difficult to win hand-aheaders

12:38against Van Dijk and Konaté,

12:40but nevertheless,

12:41we are still confident and back ourselves

12:43that we can score out of set-pieces against each side,

12:46and it was also definitely something,

12:47a tool that we wanted to use tonight, yes.

12:50Anybody else?

12:51Thank you very much.

12:54Have a good weekend.

12:55Thank you very much.

12:56See you soon.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended