Daniel Farke may have already hinted at his upcoming Leeds United lineup decision for tonight
Leeds United face Millwall tonight, aware of their aerial strength on set pieces—a factor likely to influence Daniel Farke's team selection.
This weekend, the Whites travel to face Millwall, aiming to maintain their strong form and reclaim a top-two position following Sheffield United’s late win on Tuesday.
Millwall enters the match off the back of three consecutive 1-0 victories, their latest being a win over Burnley on Sunday.
Under the management of Neil Harris, Millwall has shown impressive set-piece prowess, a hallmark of Harris’s coaching style.
According to FBRef, Millwall has created the most shots from set-pieces (46, tied with Luton).
They’ve scored five goals from set plays this season, although they’ve conceded the same number, per WhoScored.com.
Overall, Millwall ranks highly in offensive metrics. FotMob reports their expected goals (xG) at 19.5, placing them fifth in the league.
They also rank fifth in shots on target per match (4.4) and fourth in big chances created, with 34.
One key question for Leeds head coach Daniel Farke is whether to start Sam Byram again, even though Jayden Bogle is now available after suspension.
Byram started the last two games for Leeds in the absence of both Bogle and Junior Firpo, who are now eligible to play against Millwall.
Farke’s approach in Leeds’ 3-0 win over Millwall last season could influence his decision tonight.
Reflecting on his decision to play Byram over Jamie Shackleton in that match, Farke noted, “This is what you need, you need competition, and it was not a decision against Jamie; it was more like a decision in this game for the experience of Sam Byram.
We expect Millwall to play with many long balls and to be a physical aerial threat.”
Byram could be a crucial asset against Millwall’s aerial style tonight.
If Leeds aim to beat Millwall by focusing on possession, then starting Bogle could maximize their effectiveness.
However, if Farke anticipates a need to counter Millwall’s strength in the air, Byram’s experience might be the preferable choice.
Ultimately, either decision would be defensible for Farke, especially considering Bogle may not be fully match-ready after his absence last weekend.
