Gabby Agbonlaor swoons over Leeds amid criticism from Hugh Woozencroft
Gabby Agbonlahor does not often applaud Leeds United but he was full of praise for the work Marcelo Bielsa has done this season.
He told talkSPORT’s Kick Off show that he has been impressed with how Leeds have performed despite some of the players in the squad.
Agbonlahor gave credit to Bielsa and his ability to get the best out of players, and pondered how good the Whites could be after signing better quality players.
He said, “As much as I have had banter with Leeds, they have been outstanding.
“The way he [Bielsa] can do what he’s done with Leeds this season with some players that are not outstanding players, but he’s getting 100% out of all of them.
“What could he do if he could sign some better players for Leeds, where could he take them?
talkSPORT host Hugh Woozencroft countered his point, replying, “Do you know what, there’s a part of me that thinks if Marcelo Bielsa was at a bigger team the results would be the same because of the style of football. It’s such risk and reward football.”
But Agbonlahor hit back and defended Leeds, saying, “You don’t think though that the better standard of the players he could bring in, if he had better centre-halves, a better left-back, [Gjanni] Alioski has been good but if he had a proper left-back who played the way Bielsa wants him too.
Agbonlahor spot on
It is rather surprising that Agbonlahor is right on a subject when it comes to Leeds.
Often he is disparaging of our team but on this occasion he has fought our corner, and rightly so.
Woozencroft made a lazy point about our style of play that has been repeated ad nasuem by various talkSPORT hosts and pundits.
They each fail to recognise how we how adapted our style throughout the season, and the fact we are now a lot more resolute and tougher to beat.
Patrick Bamford even described what it is like to play in this slightly adjusted team, explaining his frustration at the reduction in goalscoring opportunities, but accepting it as a consequence of the improved defence [BBC].
And Agbonlahor recognises that with added quality we will be even better next season.
It is remarkable how we have performed with a mostly Championship squad this term, and with a couple of big-money signings we can start thinking about European qualification next year.
In other Leeds United news, Leeds could start talks for £30.9m-rated midfielder within days after ‘verbal promise’ – report.