Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds Utd Friday 23rd August 8:00pm | Hillsborough
Leeds head off to Hillsborough on Friday evening in search of their first win of the season, against a Wendies side equally desperate to recover from their drubbing last weekend at Sunderland. The Black Cats exploited some terrible early defending, finding themselves 3-0 up after just half an hour. This brought an end to the Owl's impressive start to their campaign (having smashed Plymouth Argyle 4-0 on the opening game of the season, followed by knocking Hull City out of the Caribou Cup).
This time around Leeds will undoubtedly find the task a lot more difficult. They've lost much of their creative influence this Summer, and are yet to find their feet. The 0-0 nil at the Hawthorns last week should at least give the squad a psychological boost ahead of the Yorkshire derby. Both sides don't have any new injury worries. Max Wober is still struggling with a calf injury, which has kept him sidelined from training this week, whilst Wendies shot-stopper Ben Hamer is yet to recover from the knock he picked up in pre-season - James Beadle will once again deputise. Manager Danny Rohl could revert to a more defensive 5/3/2 formation to keep the Leeds forwards in check.
Ahead of the game Farke acknowledged the challenges of rebuilding the squad, particularly after the exits of key players like Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville. While the pre-season went perfectly, with five wins from five, the season's start has seen two draws, leaving Farke with a sense that the team may be missing at least two points. Despite a solid draw away at West Brom, the home draw against Portsmouth was disappointing, with Farke lamenting missed opportunities that could have easily resulted in a win. The manager remains cautiously optimistic but is keenly aware that new signings are needed to bolster the squad and stay competitive.
Looking ahead to the game against Sheffield Wednesday, Farke emphasized the need for quality and experience, acknowledging the team's youth and the small size of the squad. With injuries mostly under control, except for a question mark over Max Wober, Farke is focused on maintaining the defensive resilience shown against West Brom while adding more quality in possession. The manager admitted that replacing Rutter is the hardest task ahead, stressing the importance of swift action in the transfer market to bring in the necessary reinforcements. However, he remains committed to working with the current group and is determined to secure points in the upcoming fixtures.
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