CONSISTENT CALLS: DANIEL FARKE CALLS OUT VAR AFTER CONTROVERSIAL BRENTFORD PENALTY
Daniel Farke expressed frustration with VAR and referee consistency despite Leeds' 1-1 draw at Brentford, rescued by a brilliant Dominic Calvert-Lewin header.
Here’s what Daniel Farke had to say about the 1-1 draw between Leeds United and Brentford.
Leeds has made it clear that they're not giving up on staying in the Premier League. In the last two weeks, they had a tough 3-2 loss to Man City, a solid 3-1 victory over Chelsea, and a 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Elland Road.
Against Brentford, at the Gtech Community Stadium, Leeds had to rally after Jordan Henderson scored for the home side. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came through late in the game, giving the team hope that they could avoid relegation.
I'll be honest, we had more shots and better chances and should have scored more. Getting a point away against Brentford, who are tough at home, is good. We bounced back. So, yeah, a point at Brentford is alright.
Some of the referee's calls? I didn't get them. It felt like we could have gotten more from the game. The calls need to be consistent. The VAR should have stepped in on the offside for the penalty.
I don't think things were fair today, and it made things harder for us.
The way we finished the second half was good, not so much the first. We kept a clean sheet in the first half, but I did not like how we played. The second half was a big improvement.
We were unlucky, but I still think we played better in the second half. Coming back was brilliant.
“Dominic is a top striker—that's clear. His record speaks for itself. He is an amazing person and a hard worker. He's one of the best English strikers in the Premier League, and we're lucky to have him.
CONOR GALLAGHER CONFIRMED AS "VITAL" STARTER FOR SPURS FOLLOWING BENTANCUR’S INJURY LAYOFF
Conor Gallagher proved the doubters wrong against Man City. Discover why his €40m move to Tottenham is finally paying off for Spurs.
Chelsea and Atletico Madrid both decided Conor Gallagher wasn’t worth the trouble. At Chelsea, he had his moments—Pochettino liked him, but the fans never really warmed up. When Chelsea shipped him off to Atletico, it made sense. Enzo Fernandez stepped up, took over Gallagher’s role, and fit in perfectly next to Caicedo, with Cole Palmer adding that extra spark up front.
Things didn’t get much better for Gallagher in Spain. He barely got a chance at Atleti, lost his spot in the starting eleven, and pretty much ended up on the transfer list before anyone had time to blink. Interest was lukewarm at best until the winter window rolled around. Aston Villa wanted him and went after him pretty aggressively, but then Tottenham swooped in late. Spurs needed someone to patch up the midfield after Bentancur’s injury, so they just paid up—40 million euros, no hesitation.
His start at Tottenham? Rough. Honestly, that was to be expected. He’d played well at Palace before, but after his struggles at Atleti, he needed time to adjust. Sitting on the bench in Spain didn’t do him any favours.
Then Gallagher showed up. People doubted whether he could really add creativity and move the ball forward for Spurs, so his early struggles got people worried. But then came the 2-2 draw against Manchester City. He suddenly looked like the player both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank were so desperate to sign.
Against City, Gallagher flipped the script. He set up a crucial assist, drove play forward on the dribble, and kept drawing fouls—everything the Spurs needed. Defensively, he was all over the place in a good way: two tackles, three interceptions, a full 90 minutes, and a huge part of the Spurs clawing their way back into the game.
Tottenham fans loved it. They saw the effort, the attitude, and the hunger to win. Gallagher just wouldn’t quit, and in that second half, he, Xavi Simons, Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke ran the show. Four of those guys have been carrying Spurs lately, so Gallagher is fitting right in with them. That’s a pretty good sign he’s going to work out just fine in North London.
AC MILAN MEDICAL FAILURE: THE HIDDEN KNEE INJURY THAT CRUSHED MATETA’S £30M MOVE
Jean-Philippe Mateta's £30m move to AC Milan is OFF. Discover why a failed medical has put his France World Cup dreams in jeopardy.