AliousLeeds United manager Daniel Farke has never shied away from publicly addressing his players when he feels their performance falls short or costly mistakes could have been avoided.
The German coach previously criticized Junior Firpo’s red card against Millwall and Manor Solomon’s costly error in the loss to Burnley. This time, during Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on New Year’s Day, his attention turned to Ao Tanaka.
While Farke wasn’t overly harsh on Tanaka, who has been a dependable presence since arriving from Fortuna Düsseldorf, he made it clear that the midfielder fell below his usual high standards. Farke noted that Tanaka and fellow midfielder Joe Rothwell failed to quicken the tempo when Leeds needed to break down a resilient Blackburn side.
Additionally, Farke suggested Tanaka could have been more alert defensively. A chipped ball down the wing caught Max Wober off guard, leading to the corner that resulted in Blackburn’s late equalizer through Danny Batth.
### Farke Questions Tanaka’s Impact
“We are slightly disappointed with just one point at home,” Farke said post-match, reflecting on Leeds’ first draw at Elland Road since September. “It wasn’t our best game. We were too slow, especially in the first half. We didn’t move the ball quickly enough.
“The two eights [Tanaka and Rothwell] were too patient and didn’t play enough vertical passes. We also could have defended the channel run better before the corner. If Tanaka had tracked the run, or our defender reacted earlier, nothing would have come from it.”
### Credit to Blackburn’s Defense
Farke was quick to praise Blackburn’s defensive discipline under John Eustace, as the visitors limited Leeds to just a few clear-cut chances despite enjoying only 30% possession.
“Blackburn are a tough team to break down, and they’ve kept many clean sheets. They defended well, and it’s always challenging when a team focuses so much on defense,” he added.
### Leeds Hold Their Lead Despite Missed Opportunity
Despite the draw, Leeds benefited from slip-ups by promotion rivals Burnley and Sheffield United, maintaining their three-point lead at the top of the Championship. However, Farke admitted frustration that the gap wasn’t extended to five points.
“We tried to adjust with substitutions and a new formation, adding crosses into the box,” Farke explained, crediting Pascal Struijk’s penalty for salvaging a point. “We’re disappointed with just one point, but it’s football. You take it and move on.”
While the result wasn’t disastrous, it serves as a reminder that Leeds must remain sharp, both in attack and defense, as they push for promotion to the Premier League.
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