Leeds United manager Daniel Farke was in high praise of goalkeeper Illan Meslier after his side booked a place in Wembley after thumping Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road in the EFL Championship play-off semi-final.
This year marks the largest gap of points between a third place and sixth place team for over 20 years and it certainly showed as they eased to victory in Yorkshire.
After a goalless first leg, goals from Ilia Gruev, Joël Piroe, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville ensured Leeds get a chance to do something the club have never done before, earn promotion through the play-offs.
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Not completely satisfied
West Brom or Southampton will be no easy task, whoever makes it into the final.
Leeds have had plenty of experience in play-off heartache but after this performance, this could be the year where they finally end that drought. Farke was certainly not content with everything and will be hopefully of improvement to achieve the ultimate goal, he said:
“Well done to the boys. Congratulations to Norwich for a really good season and although we were up that early in the game they tried everything in order to come back so we had to be switched on in each and every moment.
”It was important for defend really well and to make sure that we return to the dressing room with a clean sheet.”
Farke felt the emotions of the occasion got to some of his younger players despite the comfortable victory.
“There were a few things I would like to moan about and we have to speak about because we have to be more effective in using our chances.
”Sometimes, in the stadium it is not that easy, but sometimes we were over excited in possession and overridden by the emotions but we have a young side and of course a great night for us.”
“When I watch the game on the sofa, I will enjoy it. They were brilliant today. Obviously, a bit more brutal and clinical in front of goal to finish off the game earlier going into the second half, normally you need to put the game to bed because there are so many experienced players and they know what to do to finish the game so we had to always be switched on.”
After the goals from Gruev and Piroe, United States international Josh Sargent had a chance to half the lead, but Meslier was the hero of the hour with a save that stopped any chance of a comeback. Farke was very complimentary of his number one, he said:
“This is one of the things I meant when I said we were a bit over emotional and Josh Sargent has a really good chance and for that then, this is a sign of being a top-class goalkeeper.
”He was not in the game, did not have one save to make but in the crucial moment, it was a world class save and all credit goes to him today”.
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A bad day at the office
When there is a winner, there is inevitably a loser. Norwich manager David Wagner has experienced play-off highs with Huddersfield Town but this will be a low for him as his next steps are yet to be confirmed. He spoke about this as well as his take on the second leg performance.
“At the end of the day it was poor. Leeds were very good so congratulations to them.
”Everything we should not have done, we did. First goal from a set piece, super soft, super avoidable. The second one, totally predictable situation, something we have spoken about the last two weeks, they have done it in the last game and this game. It was totally clear what would happen, if we press them on the side and we did not shuffle over and concede.”
“Then we had this one chance with [Josh] Sargent where maybe we can get our energy back and we have not used it. We were poor tonight, unfortunately, in a moment where it counts. This obviously hurts a lot”.
"At the end of the day I think it is clear that there has to be some conversations from my side as well about the plans next season.”
