This week, Alan Shearer gives his assessment on Daniel Farke’s actions at Leeds United

Leeds United’s 3-2 loss at Chelsea earlier this week put an end to their FA Cup journey.

 

The Whites pushed their Premier League opponents to extra time at Stamford Bridge, but Conor Gallagher’s goal in the 90th minute—which, one could argue, went against the flow of play—decided the game.

 

Daniel Farke expressed his dissatisfaction with the match’s scheduling and his desire to have spent more time concentrating on it repeatedly in the lead-up to the game.

 

But Farke decided to make several changes to his starting lineup in light of the team’s journey to Huddersfield Town tomorrow lunchtime; however, those who made the trip should be proud of their efforts.

 

Gary Lineker noted that a recurring trend of the last-16 was Championship teams switching around their starting lineups in an interview with the Rest is Football Podcast. According to Alan Shearer, he fully comprehends the motivation behind it.

 

Shearer and Lineker talk about Leeds’s changes.

Lineker remarked, “It’s funny because as the competition went on, I noticed that a lot of the Championship sides—though not all of them—did play kind of second string and weakened sides. I think that’s probably because they play 46 league games a season.”

 

Then Shearer answered, saying, “I do get it a little bit more for the teams that are in the position that Leeds and Leicester are in because of the Premier League’s might and pull.”

 

Leeds United vs. Chelsea: Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round

 

 

After their respective seasons, it would have been fantastic to witness players like Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville take on Premier League opposition, but Leeds has more important things on their plate.

 

Farke has acknowledged that Rutter has appeared exhausted lately. While an injury was cited as the reason for his absence, he would have benefitted from having a full week to get ready for the weekend.

 

Despite losing, Leeds made a decent account of themselves because players like Mateo Joseph and Jaidon Anthony, who had only recently started, were able to stand up to the plate at Stamford Bridge.