Joe Cole hails Marcelo Bielsa for attacking Leeds United XI v Manchester United
Joe Cole was full of praise for Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking team selection ahead of the 5-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Leeds fans will no doubt be ruing the decisions Bielsa made prior to the humiliating defeat but there’s no doubt that the Argentine is a man who isn’t afraid of anyone and really wanted to take the game to Man United this weekend.
Rodrigo started in the midfield with Stuart Dallas at left-back, leading to BT Sport host Humphrey saying the Whites had an attack-minded line-up for the clash at Old Trafford.
When Jake Humphrey said on BT Sport 1 on Saturday that Leeds are going for it with their attacking line-up, Joe Cole said: “It’s unbelievable, it’s unique.
“It’s almost eccentric football and it’s not often you see someone so dedicated to their way of doing it and that stubbornness if you like, in how they play.
“It’s beautiful to watch and they were one of the bright sparks last season.
“If you couple that with them going back to Elland Road with that fanbase behind them and that attacking football, they could be a real force.”
Nothing new
It wasn’t that attacking of a starting line-up. It definitely wasn’t more attacking than we’re used to under Bielsa, anyway.
Junior Firpo and Kalvin Phillips were not ready to start, which led to Dallas dropping into the left-back position and Rodrigo having to start in the midfield.
It also meant centre-back Robin Koch started in Phillips’ holding midfield role – and that really didn’t go down well as the German struggled to cope with hat-trick scorer Bruno Fernandes.
Firpo and Phillips were both on the bench for Bielsa with Firpo coming on for his competitive Leeds debut at half-time. Phillips, however, was unused by the Argentine.
Cole may have been impressed by Bielsa’s decisions but in all honesty, we weren’t.
He should have learned from the pasting we had at Old Trafford last season that he cannot name an attacking team.
However, the size of the squad limits the players Bielsa can name. Maybe it’s about time he changes his ethos and signs a couple of players just to make up the numbers and help cover injuries and lack of fitness.
In other Leeds United news, a player has been left out of a matchday squad amid reports he’s due a medical at Leeds.