"It's unbelievable" - Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson left surprised at Leeds United, Daniel Farke exploits | OneFootball

"It's unbelievable" - Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson left surprised at Leeds United, Daniel Farke exploits | OneFootball

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·23 ottobre 2024

"It's unbelievable" - Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson left surprised at Leeds United, Daniel Farke exploits

Immagine dell'articolo:"It's unbelievable" - Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson left surprised at Leeds United, Daniel Farke exploits

Leeds continued to look impressive against Watford in midweek.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has praised Daniel Farke and Leeds United for how they've been able to perform in the Championship, despite losing many of their best players.


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Farke and his players extended their current unbeaten run to six games with a 2-1 home win over Watford on Tuesday night.

They started really sharply, snapping up two goals in the space of seven minutes, which could have been three had Wilfried Gnonto's effort, that was sandwiched between the pair of goals, crept the other side of the post.

Leeds were given some help from opposition goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann, who made mistakes for both of the home side's goals. The first one came from a shot from Largie Ramazani which went straight towards the Austrian, but he couldn't keep the effort under control and his attempted save spilled the ball over the line.

For United's second, Bachmann was tested by a dangerous cross from Gnonto. He parried it out straight towards the penalty spot, where Brenden Aaronson was waiting to finish and double Leeds' advantage.

It wasn't a perfect night for the Whites though. They weren't able to keep a clean sheet, Ramazani picked up an ankle injury and Junior Firpo will miss this weekend's game against Bristol City after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season already.

Still, it was another step taken towards the club's ultimate goal of promotion. They've looked like one of the best sides in the division since their win over Sheffield Wednesday, and they've impressed many along the way.

Paul Merson hails "unbelievable" Leeds United & Daniel Farke

Merson, the former Arsenal midfielder turned pundit, has been blown away by what Farke's team have been able to achieve so far this season, especially with the summer they had.

The signings of Ramazani and Ao Tanaka certainly look like encouraging ones, but they went into this season without three of their best players from last season; Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter.

Speaking on Sky Sports about Leeds, ahead of their match against Watford, Merson said: "It’s unbelievable really because usually when you come down [to the Championship] you sell all your best players, don’t you? But they haven’t had to settle the books, yeah [they have] been amazing so far this season.

"I'm pleased for the manager because I remember about five or six weeks ago we had a game on Sky and he had to win that game or he was under some severe pressure.

Immagine dell'articolo:"It's unbelievable" - Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson left surprised at Leeds United, Daniel Farke exploits

"When you've managed in these leagues, like the two lads here have, that experience is priceless. It's priceless. You don't panic, you know the league, you know the players, you have faith in the players.

"They’ve got rid of them players and the players they bring in, they know that they can play in that league – it’s hard playing at Leeds, it’s a hard place to play, it’s a Championship team but it’s really a Premier League club in my opinion with the fan base."

Daniel Farke should be commended for Leeds' consistency

When the firesale was in full flow this summer, and the Whites were being picked apart by vulturous top tier sides who were looking to rip the pieces off of the carcass that was Leeds at the time, faith in them to make another promotion push wasn't high.

The same could be said for their slightly stuttery start to the season, but the German manager has got this team right back on track.

Sheffield United boss, Chris Wilder, called Leeds: "the best team they've played this season," after losing 2-0 at Elland Road last Friday night. That's some serious praise from a fellow promotion hopeful, and it shows how good of a job Farke has done to right the ship again.

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