Daniel Farke defends decision to make 10 changes as Leeds United crash out of FA Cup

The Londoners rode their luck to win with two deflected goals and were grateful to some fine saves from their goalkeeper, including one from a second half penalty, but seemed to want it that bit more and will take their place in the fifth round.

For the Whites there were few positives, apart from a lively first start from 17-year-old Sam Chambers on the right wing, and it is quickly back to the more important stuff now as they look to hold onto their advantage at the top of the Championship at Watford on Tuesday night.

Manager Daniel Farke admitted making so many changes had affected the result, but defended his decision to bring in 10 different players to the starting line-up in the midweek win at Coventry.

He said: “We wanted to go through, otherwise we wouldn't have shown up.

“I mentioned even before the game, you know my attitude – to rotate is necessary and important, but two or three changes are healthy for fresh legs. If you rotate in 10 positions it can't be beneficial for the fluidity for your football.

“We had the worst possible timing with the schedule, played Wednesday night, players not in their beds before 3am, just a Friday to recover a little bit and the early kick-off here against a competitive opponent with a whole week to prepare.

“We had to take a few decisions, a few players with a knock not even involved in the squad. We gave game time to players not involved that much in recent weeks, a full debut for 17-year-old Sam Chambers.”

Farke added: “We had chances to win it but it was one of those days. You have to say credit to their goalkeeper, probably one of the games of his life. Great saves, even saved a penalty.

“In one or two situations we played a bit complicated. One of those days when the ball goes deflected into the corner.

“We missed our chances and were perhaps lacking a bit in being clinical. No moans or complaints about the performance that we were not at our best as a team, it was a bit expected. Disappointed to lose.”

Leeds never hit anywhere near the heights of the previous week's 7-0 win over Cardiff as Millwall made it difficult for them to play out from the back and stifled the hosts in midfield.

There was one early chance as the ball fell to youngster Chambers, who took it down well before lashing a volley over.

Willy Gnonto – given a chance at number 10 – also hit a volley from an Isaac Schmidt pull back only to bring out the first of Liam Roberts' saves.

Roberts got down well soon after to collect a low ball in after Chambers had gone clear down the right.

Largie Ramazani then cut in from his left wing position, but his shot was easily saved.

Millwall's first effort of any note brought them the opening goal on the half-hour when Schmidt was pushed over near half-way, but no foul was given by inconsistent referee Gavin Ward. The ball was quickly moved on to winger Femi Azeez, whose shot from the edge of the box left home keeper Karl Darlow wrongfooted when it took a big deflection off Josuha Guilavogui.

The visitors should have been two up five minutes later as Ethan Ampadu lost the ball in trying to run it out of defence and Azeez's shot hit the crossbar. It bounced back to Luke Cundle, but he headed wide with only Darlow to beat.

Leeds looked to respond with Chambers found by Schmidt in the box only to see his shot saved by Roberts, who also denied Ramazani after the winger had gone on a good run.

Ramazani threatened again early in the second half and saw his well hit low shot superbly saved by Roberts.

But Millwall made it 2-0 when Joe Rothwell's risky pass to Guilavogui saw the United player lose the ball and Azeez pounced again with another shot that took a deflection to beat Darlow at his near post.

The initial response to this was good with a dangerous attack seeing the ball bounce in the box where Gnonto was about to get on the end of it only to be pushed by Cundle.

A penalty was the result, but Pascal Struijk saw his effort tipped onto the post by Roberts and failed to follow it up to allow the ball to be cleared.

Leeds huffed and puffed from then on, without ever finding the intensity needed. The closest they came to pulling a goal back came with a Rothwell free-kick from just outside the area that brought another top class save from Roberts.

Despite Farke turning to some of his first teamers the game petered out and thoughts were soon turning back to the league campaign.

Leeds United 0

Millwall 2

(Azeez 30, 55)

Saturday, February 8, 2025

FA Cup, round four

Attendance: 34,923

Leeds: Darlow; Schmidt, Ampadu (Debayo 83), Struijk, Byram (Firpo 59); Guilavogui (Tanaka 69), Rothwell; Chambers (Solomon 69), Gnonto (Piroe 80), Ramazani; Joseph.

Millwall: Roberts; Harding, Tanganga, Cooper, Bryan; De Norre, Mitchell (Wintle 74); Neghli (Bangura-Williams 69), Cundle (Kelly 81), Azeez (Honeyman 74); Ivanovic (Watmore 69).

Referee: Gavin Ward