There was a moment last season when it looked like Daniel Farke may lose his job at Leeds United.
Between the start of October and the end of November, the Whites lost six of their seven Premier League matches. They were a club in freefall, a club looking like they might get relegated.
However, the German turned the tide. He changed formation and Leeds were transformed.
From the start of December, they only lost another five games in the league and subsequently finished eight points clear of the drop zone. It wasn’t just the formation change they had to thank. Their defence has quickly become one of the sternest in the country.
How Leeds’ defence has been transformed
During that wretched run of form nearly a year ago, Leeds shipped 16 goals in the space of seven fixtures. How on earth was Farke going to turn the tide?
Well, he switched from a 4-3-3 formation to a 3-5-2 or 3-1-4-2 system. What this did was remove some width from the side. Leeds no longer play with traditional wingers but they do play with two wing-backs.
For large parts of last season they were Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jayden Bogle.
It also allowed them to make the centre of the pitch more compact. Out of possession, Leeds essentially play with a back five. Three defenders sit in while Gudmundsson and Bogle provide cover down the flanks.
In possession, the two wing-backs are allowed to get forward and join the attack. It all pieces together seamlessly.
Three at the back gives them more cover, particularly in transition, while it has also shored up the midfield. Anton Stach and Ethan Ampadu have been a colossal duo in the middle of the park.
Only four teams actually conceded more goals last term – Tottenham and the three relegation sides – but Leeds were much better organised than the numbers suggest.
Indeed, their record this season is a much fairer reflection of the improvements made under Farke. Joe Rodon may well be injured but Nico Elvedi and Tarik Muharemovic, in particular, have proven to be exceptional signings.
In 2026/27, no side in the Premier League has conceded fewer than their three goals. Even Arsenal have conceded more with four.
All that said, the Leeds defence could have been even better had they kept hold of the English Thiago Silva.
Leeds sold a defensive upgrade for just £3.8m
When Farke first arrived at Elland Road in 2023, his defence was something of a ragtag bunch of players. During a 2-2 draw with Cardiff, Farke’s opening match in charge, his backline consisted of a centre-back pairing of Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk.
At full-back, Luke Ayling featured on the right and talented academy graduate Leo Hjelde was on the opposite flank.
On the bench that day was Charlie Cresswell. One of the best young defenders to come through the ranks at Leeds, he never got a fair crack of the whip in West Yorkshire.
Following relegation, a young Cresswell only played five matches that season in the league, totalling 135 minutes. It was strange to see him excluded from the side on so many occasions. After all, the manager himself noted that the centre-half was a “top-class player.”
He wasn’t top class enough for the German. In the summer of 2024, the defender took the wise decision to leave.
Leeds received just £3.8m for his services, which immediately looks like a mistake considering how the 24-year-old’s career has developed since.
Cresswell headed to Toulouse, where he very quickly became one of the best centre-backs in the division. He scored four goals and registered two assists during his debut campaign with the French club.
He earned big praise, notably from European football expert Andy Brassell. He said: “I think his physical power lends to it pretty well as well. What’s becoming clear is this is a bit of a breakout year for him, not just because it’s an improved Toulouse team, but because he’s at this stage now where not only is he defending very, very well, but he’s making the most of his strength and power at set pieces. It sort of recalls, like a Thiago Silva, someone who’s a real threat in the opposition penalty box, who’s got real smarts about him.”
Fine praise indeed. Since those comments in the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign, Cresswell has got even better. He ranked as the best centre-back in France for average match rating at 7.1 last campaign.
Why? Well, he was a colossus at the back, registering 9.1 defensive contributions per 90 minutes. Only 12 other players in the whole league managed more.
Unsurprisingly, that earned him a big move elsewhere. Despite interest from Crystal Palace, the former Leeds man decided to stay in Ligue 1, heading to Rennes in a £24m deal.
While he is yet to be capped by England, he’s rated very highly and it might not be too long before Thomas Tuchel picks up the phone and gives him a call.
The Leeds defence has certainly improved significantly since Cresswell left but the player has also made immense strides. Can you imagine him and Muharemovic playing together? Farke’s backline would be even more menacing.
