Leeds were unable to reclaim the top spot in the Championship after Todd Cantwell’s penalty handed Blackburn the victory. Although Leeds manager Daniel Farke didn’t specifically name the player involved, he pointed out that one individual was responsible for numerous stoppages while his team was chasing an equalizer.
Farke admitted that while his side showed improvement in the second half, the constant interruptions made it more difficult to build momentum. He specifically highlighted a player who went down multiple times, with each stoppage lasting around a minute, even though no treatment was provided. Farke expressed his frustration with how these delays affected the flow of the game, allowing Blackburn to recover and reorganize.
“The second half was definitely better in terms of our performance, but the constant stoppages didn’t help,” Farke said. “There was one player, an experienced one, who went down six times, and the referee kept stopping the game for him. It wasn’t for treatment, just delays that lasted a minute each time. It disrupted our rhythm and gave them time to reset.”
The Leeds manager also reflected on the no-nonsense nature of English football, where time-wasting is often met with crowd disapproval. However, he admitted that while he didn’t like the tactic, it could be considered a professional move if the referee allowed it.
Ultimately, Farke acknowledged that Leeds’ slow start was the primary reason for their defeat, stressing the importance of starting more aggressively in future games.
