“I’ve backed myself, and here I am now.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin spoke candidly after Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Sunderland. The Whites have started to pull away from the dropzone. The Stadium of Light stalemate extended their unbeaten run to five matches. The streak includes wins over Chelsea and Crystal Palace, and a late draw with Liverpool.
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It’s a far cry from the opening weeks of the season. At the end of November, Leeds sat in the relegation zone. They won just three of their opening 11 league matches. Daniel Farke was on the cusp of losing his change. The German had to change something.
Farke’s tactical switch benefitting Leeds
The late 3-2 loss at Manchester City, that in itself a bitter pill to swallow, prompted a tactical switch up. Gone was the 4-3-3 setup Farke favoured and in came a 3-5-2 formation. Leeds are benefitting from the alteration. Summer signing Jaka Bijol is proving a man-mountain at the heart of the three-man backline. Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk flank the towering Slovenian well.
There’s been a marked improvement in defence. Indeed, their goals conceded per game return has dropped from 1.92 to 1.40. In being more compact at the back, Leeds have tightened up. Few thought that possible in the opening months of the season. The alteration has subsequently eased the defensive burden on Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
There is now a greater onus to get the ball out wide and, crucially, whip the ball into the box. Since the start of December, Leeds rank fifth for attempted crosses per game (20.8). 5.8 accurate crosses per game is the third highest. A 27.89% cross accuracy is fourth this month.
Goals per game has increased since formation change
And as a result, Leeds are far more threatening in attack. “Leeds changing to a 3-5-2 formation has also helped in getting more players in the box to occupy defenders, which has given him a little more space,” former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said on Match of the Day. As such, the goals per game haul has increased from one to 2.4. Much of that is down to the performances of Calvert-Lewin. There was a period where the summer arrival was the butt of jokes.
On his Leeds debut, the 28-year-old came off the bench in an EFL Cup tie with Sheffield Wednesday. During an infamous half-hour, Calvert-Lewin missed four big chances. The former Everton man fluffed his lines from 12 yards in a penalty shootout defeat to the Owls. It was deemed the “worst debut ever”.
Even on a free, many felt Calvert-Lewin was a waste of money. Those same critics are following up their Christmas dinner with a huge slice of humble pie.
Calvert-Lewin has thrived since “worst debut ever”
Calvert-Lewin has now scored eight league goals this season. He’s netted in each of his last six Premier League outings having struck in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland. It’s the longest scoring sequence by an English striker in England’s top tier since Jamie Vardy’s eight-game run in 2019. Even Harry Kane never managed to score in six consecutive top-flight games.
What’s been key is that Farke has demanded Calvert-Lewin remain within the opposition box. He is averaging just 29.1 touches per 90 in the Premier League this season, but 5.2 touches in the opposition box. 17.78% of his total touches have been in the opponents’ penalty area.
Of the eight goals he has scored, five have been within the six-yard box, more than any other player. All eight, meanwhile, have been netted from inside the penalty box. The above shotmap shows a pattern of consistency. With Farke demanding the wing-backs provide the width, he has tasked Calvert-Lewin with operating as the focal point to the attack.
As such, Calvert-Lewin has transformed from a joke to Yorkshire’s own R9. Feed DCL, and he will score. Of the 63 players to have managed at least 20 shots, a 23.53% conversion rate is the sixth best. It’s quite the turnaround in fortunes for a forward who’d score more than five goals just once in his final four seasons with the Toffees.
Farke’s high praise for Leeds hitman
And as Calvert-Lewin gears up to return to Merseyside on New Year’s Day – Leeds kick off 2026 with a trip to Liverpool – Farke’s willingness to compromise on his tactical principles has given the club the required shot in the arm to boost their survival chances. Calvert-Lewin, for one, is reaping the rewards.
“For me he is one of the best strikers in this league,” Farke said following Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland. On current form, few could argue with the German’s assessment of Calvert-Lewin. Keep it up, and he’ll surpass the his 16-goal haul in 2020/21.
