Jamie O’Hara blasts ‘Embarassing’ Marcelo Bielsa in Leeds United tweet
By Adwaidh Rajan
After an impressive first season back in the Premier League, Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United look to be struggling this term as they find themselves in a relegation battle with the likes of Burnley, Newcastle United and Norwich City.
The Whites were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the fourth round by Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who registered a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Ahead of their clash against bottom side Norwich on Sunday, Leeds find themselves 17th in the league table with seven points from nine matches. They have only recorded a single win in the top flight this season — a 1-0 defeat of Watford in the first week of October.
And this poor run of form has prompted former Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves midfielder Jamie O’Hara to slam Bielsa on Twitter as he termed Leeds’ displays under the Argentine tactician “embarrassing.”
“Leeds fans any of you starting to turn on Bielsa only beaten Crewe and Watford this season over 90 mins, embarrassing, get your calls in from 10,” wrote the talkSPORT pundit on Twitter.
Leeds have been poor, but injuries haven’t helped
There is some ground to O’Hara’s tweet as it is true that Leeds have only managed to defeat two teams over 90 minutes this season. Of those, one came against League One side Crewe Alexandra in the second round of the Carabao Cup back in August.
The Whites have also suffered a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United and a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool since the start of the season as they have looked a shadow of the side that impressed many during the 2020-21 Premier League season.
But it is not Bielsa who is solely to blame for Leeds’ misfortunes this term. The team have struggled with injuries to key players since the start of the season with Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips and Luke Ayling among major stars to miss out due to fitness issues.
Leeds were also without Raphinha, Junior Firpo, Robin Koch and Jamie Shackleton for their loss to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup forcing Bielsa to hand out a debut to 19-year-old right-back Cody Drameh at the Emirates.
But it is not all doom and gloom at Elland Road. Bielsa has already hinted at a return for the likes of Firpo and Bamford for this weekend’s game against Norwich. And Leeds’ form will only pick up once more players return to fitness in the coming weeks.
In other Leeds United news, a midfielder has suggested he wants to quit Elland Road.