Poch responds brilliantly after Carragher asks if Leeds will suffer from burnout
The question that annoys Leeds United fans most of all is whether their side will suffer burnout under Marcelo Bielsa.
It seems to completely ignore last season when Leeds flew through the Championship and also ignores how fit the players are under Bielsa.
Sky Sports were at it before the game last night with a tweet that asked if the Leeds game was sustainable.
And the subject came up again before kick-off when Jamie Carragher asked Mauricio Pochettino for his opinion on Monday Night Football (Sky Sports, Monday, 7pm).
Pochettino replied, “It’s really, really enjoyable. It’s difficult for me to objective about Marcelo as he’s like a football father to me. I am so grateful to him for everything.
“The main challenge for him is to remain consistent. It’s a very tough game that he wants to play.
“You need to focus and concentrate and the physical demand are so high.
“I have to say when he was in France, he called me and he was asking me about England. And I said ‘Marcelo, you can be very successful here… You will fit perfectly’.
“For me, it’s very exciting to watch and to see how he maintains this physical level which is so high.”
Very sustainable
As expected, Pochettino talked very highly about Bielsa and it was wonderful to hear him talk about their time together.
The question about Leeds and burnout is a contentious one and we think it’s quite lazy to bring it up now, just seven games into the season.
Leeds will play fewer games in the Premier League than they did in the Championship.
They’re out of the league cup and they’re not playing European matches.
We thought the Pochettino reply was thoughtful and spot on. He admitted that the physical demands were high but said he had also recommended that Bielsa bring his high-octane style to the Premier League.
He said that, with it, Bielsa would fit in perfectly and so it’s proved.
Leeds have already thrilled neutral fans with games against Liverpool and Man City.
We expected the games against Wolves and Leicester to be tougher and so it’s proved. That’s a challenge for Bielsa to crack. The question about burnout won’t concern him.
In other Leeds United news, Gary Lineker delivers verdict on Leeds v Leicester after 4-1 defeat for Whites