Although the international break has been forgettable for the majority of Leeds United players to date, Daniel Farke could still take something from how his stars have been used.
It has been a weekend to forget for most of the Leeds United players on international duty so far, as Daniel Farke waits to learn if they will all come back to Thorp Arch unscathed.
Wales endured a difficult night at Wembley as Karl Darlow conceded three goals in a heavy defeat by England, although Joe Rodon was praised for his performance after the game.
Charlie Crew’s first game as captain of Wales’ under-21 side also did not go to plan as they suffered a 7-0 defeat against Belgium. Ao Tanaka fared marginally better, as Japan secured a 2-2 draw with Paraguay.
Although both Jaka Bijol’s Slovenia and Gabriel Gudmundsson’s Sweden suffered damaging results, Farke can learn a valuable lesson from how the pair were used by their international managers as he looks to solve a selection dilemma.
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty ImagesDaniel Farke can learn from Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jaka Bijol roles
Bijol has been a peripheral figure at Leeds this season, having been forced to wait for his Premier League debut after arriving from Udinese in the summer transfer window.
Farke has stuck with his preferred centre-back pairing of Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk so far this season, although a recent poll of Leeds fans suggests that the Elland Road crowd want to see Bijol given a chance.
A clue for how to unlock this dilemma may have been provided in Slovenia’s game against Kosovo, as Bijol was used as one of a back three in the 0-0 draw and looked assured in this role.
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Struijk is not as dominant in duels as Bijol, particularly in the air. By deploying a three at the back, Leeds could finally get Bijol into the team, with either Struijk or Ampadu as the other centre-back.
This would improve their ability in the air, without sacrificing too much in possession. It would also open up the possibility of playing a second striker alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, to reduce the burden on his shoulders in front of goal.
Photo by Damjan Zibert/Soccrates/Getty ImagesWhere would system change leave Gabriel Gudmundsson?
Part of Farke’s issue is how to fit all of his players into a system that balances defensive rigidity with enough cutting edge to threaten teams.
By switching to a back five with two wing-backs, Farke would have a decision to make over whether to sacrifice a winger in a 5-3-2 or to lose a central midfielder in a 5-4-1.
Farke already relies on his full-backs, Jayden Bogle and Gudmundsson, to provide his team with width, a role which would be even more important in a 5-3-2 with two central strikers.
🇸🇪 Gabriel Gudmundsson has been named in Sweden’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Switzerland
— Leeds United (@LUFC) October 2, 2025
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Interestingly for the Leeds manager, Gudmundsson was used on the left of a back three as Sweden fell to a defeat against Switzerland, and was praised by the Swedish media for his performance.
This would open the option of potentially using Jack Harrison or a different, more attacking option at left wing-back, while keeping the impressive Gudmundsson in the starting XI.
Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty ImagesThe case for sticking with Leeds’ existing defence
Although Farke will undoubtedly be pleased to see his players’ versatility on display, there is a strong case for making minimal changes to Leeds’ defensive system.
Whilst Farke may be tempted to bring Bijol in for Struijk after the defeat against Tottenham, the Opta stats from the Premier League show Leeds’ defence is holding up well.
After seven games of the season, Leeds have conceded a total of 8.1 expected goals against, which is the sixth-lowest in the division.
Premier League xG against after seven games
- Arsenal – 4.4
- Newcastle – 4.9
- Bournemouth – 6.3
- Man City – 7.5
- Liverpool – 7.9
- Leeds – 8.1
Although xG against is not a perfect measure, as the 11 goals Leeds have conceded are the only thing that matters, it does suggest that Farke’s side is conceding fewer chances than their peers.
Farke may decide not to try and fix a system that isn’t broken. However, the international break shows that he has options in both his system and personnel to be flexible if required.