A WELL-REASONED manager and proven Championship operator, Daniel Farke insists now is not the time to panic for Leeds United, despite a couple of setbacks.
On a day when promotion rivals Ipswich Town dropped two points at home to Farke’s former club Norwich City, third-placed Leeds could not make inroads into their lead after drawing themselves on home soil in a 1-1 draw with Coventry City.
The gap between Leeds and Ipswich, in second, remains at ten points ahead of their key meeting at Elland Road on Saturday.Leaders Leicester City can move three points clear at the summit tonight if they beat Midlands rivals Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.
Leeds, beaten at Sunderland last Tuesday, looked on course for an eighth successive home league win after Crysencio Summerville put them in front after 58 minutes against a stubborn Coventry side on Saturday.
But the visitors soon levelled through ex-Barnsley loanee Bobby Thomas and despite strong late pressure, United could not net a precious winner.
Despite collecting just a solitary point from the last six available, Farke remains calm.
The German, whose side have lost just once in their last nine matches, winning six, said: “Before the game, we had (played) 21 games and had so many points already and I think we were even better than Burnley last season and everyone was praising them as the best Championship team ever.
“We are in a really good position. Yes, after seven wins in a row at home, there is sometimes a day when you are not clinical in terms of finishing and you have to live with it. We are still unbeaten and have a fortress here and I like this a lot.
“We don’t have to panic and oversize or over-play this situation. It’s the Championship, I’ve had losses and setbacks before and I know what it means.
“Sometimes, you have weeks like this. The last week was a bit unlucky and disappointing, but this is what you have to accept.”
Saturday was a day when Leeds spurned several chances, particularly in the second half.
Farke stressed after Saturday’s game that he wanted his players to feel the pain of that disappointment for a few days.
On their return to training, the focus will be on finding that ‘last two or three per cent’ on training in a bid to sharpen his players up in front of goal, the German said.
He commented: “It is always good to find balance and not to lose self-confidence in terms of finishing because we have scored many, many goals and fantastic goals.
“Some team goals were a bit like ‘goals of the season’, so it’s about reminding them of those situations and how well they have gone in terms of end product all season.
“But it’s also that last two or three per cent and greediness to score. This is definitely a topic for training, yes.”
Despite dropping points, United’s unbeaten record at home this season still remains intact, a fact that midfielder Glen Kamara was keen to point out.
He said: “We’re unbeaten at home, so just want to carry that on.
“I feel we’re going to approach it (Ipswich) like every other game.
“There’s no easy games in this league. We’ve got to be hungry and ready.
“They are above us in the league and we want to go out there and get three points, especially at home.”
A brief commotion followed the final whistle on Saturday, involving both sets of players with home scorer Summerville being among the central figures.
Speaking about the rumpus, Coventry scorer Thomas claimed: “It was Summerville. I went to shake his hand and he palmed it off, so you thought there was no respect there.
“You have argy-bargy on the pitch, but you shake hands after. But he didn’t.”
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