Leeds United, Norwich City, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion will content this season’s Championship play-offs.
The Whites were forced to settle for a top six finish in the regular campaign after a poor final month of the season in which they picked up just eight points in as many matches.
Leeds had still harnessed the faintest of hopes of catching Ipswich Town on the final day but rather unsurprisingly, it didn’t happen and they will now face a two-legged tie against Daniel Farke’s old club Norwich City for a place at Wembley.
After such a poor end to the season, it would be fair to say Leeds fans are not overly confident heading into the play-offs.
Martin O’Neill also believes Farke has a big task getting his players over the disappointment of missing out on automatics, but that is what he is paid to do.
Farke must improve one key area for Leeds to win play-offs
In the eight days Leeds have between the final day defeat to Southampton, and Sunday’s first leg trip to Carrow Road, Farke will be racking his brain on how to improve his side.
Raising the confidence levels of players such as Georginio Rutter will be key, but he must also look a little closer to home on what he can do better.
A couple of Farke’s weaknesses have really come to light in recent weeks and one particular area where he simply has not been good enough is the use of his bench.
As per research from Opta during the March international break, Leeds had only scored five goals through substitutes. That has only increased by two to seven since, with Mateo Joseph netting at Watford and Joel Piroe at Coventry City.
By the same period Leeds had five, Ipswich and Southampton had both surpassed the 20-goal mark from subs, showing just how useful effective changes can be.
Farke often leaves it just way too late to change things. At Boro his first sub was not until the 75th minute, and against Blackburn Rovers it came just before the 70th. Sunderland was the 71st.
QPR was the earliest at 63, but even then, Leeds had just produced their worst first half display of the season and changes should’ve been made at half-time.
There is just no where near enough time for players to come on, adapt to the pace of the game and make a difference.
Subs can be especially useful in play-offs for Leeds
EFL play-offs are undoubtedly the most stressful time of the season for players both mentally and physically.
The mental fatigue of knowing your season could be over with a defeat takes its toll, while such crucial matches at the end of a 46-game season will, of course, be tough physically.
With that in mind, bringing on subs early against tired minds and bodies can be so effective, particularly when you consider some of the depth Farke has.
Dan James and Patrick Bamford could be back on Sunday and that would leave Farke spoilt for choice in attack. If things aren’t going well, he simply has to make use of them.