Key defender selection call, Leeds United mindset, Frank Lampard revenge and Coventry test
Leeds United supporters are still bouncing from Saturday’s 7-0 thrashing of Cardiff City and have every right to be.
Their team is top of the table after matchday 30, five points from third place and have scored more goals than any other team in the division. Though, those travelling down to Coventry City know the Whites are in for a tough test.
Frank Lampard has strung together a series of results at the CBS Arena and will feel confident of causing Leeds frustration - and not for the first time. Here are four things to consider ahead of kick-off on Wednesday evening.
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Struijk and Firpo
Pascal Struijk returned to action after a three-week hamstring injury lay-off against Cardiff, coming off the bench to get around 20 minutes under his belt once the full-time whistle blew. Fans may be hoping to see him back in the line-up against Coventry City as a result.
However, Farke said at Thorp Arch on Thursday that he is mindful that the centre-back has been out for three weeks and believes the form of the defence means he has no need to rush back.
Junior Firpo may start, though. He bagged three assists against Cardiff and didn’t let anything past him defensively either. The more ambiguous question, perhaps, is whether Struijk gets the nod.
Mindset
It is easy to get elated after such a thrashing of a league rival, but Farke said post-match that his players should enjoy the annihilation of Cardiff albeit keep a level head. After all, Coventry are on a good run of form and are no pushovers.
On Thursday, Farke said that he felt he has not had to re-align concentration within camp, saying his players have remained focused and sharp. Whether you win by one or by seven, it is still only three points on the board.
Last month, Farke outlined, to him, it is not the games against promotion rivals that count most, but the ones against the rest of teams lower down the division. The Sky Blues currently sit mid-table and are a banana skin for teams who let their guard down.
Frank Lampard
Every Leeds fan knows of spygate, which only ramps up the animosity of the game against Lampard. The former England international has guided Coventry to four games unbeaten and will be desperate to keep that run going against the league leaders.
Farke has a score to settle here. In his four matches as Norwich City boss against former Derby County and Chelsea manager Lampard, he has yet to register a win.
Meanwhile, Leeds have failed to win their last two away matches. Plenty of motivation for Leeds to get the win, then, especially given that infamous play-off semi-final double-header against Derby in 2019.
Clean sheet
By the time Leeds kick-off tomorrow, they will have not conceded a goal in a month. Five matches have passed by in the interim and the team have kept blank slates in all of them.
Three of those matches have been without the presence of Struijk amid his hamstring injury. Farke coined the central partnership between Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon as his ‘Welsh wall’ and has full confidence in the duo as a pairing.
It’s a simple adage that always rings true - if you don’t concede then you can’t lose. United are 13 games unbeaten across all competitions and a 14th would send a message given Coventry have netted in each of their last seven games.