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Jonathan Woodgate shares hope Leeds United will survive, would've kept Marcelo Bielsa
Jonathan Woodgate says he would have kept Marcelo Bielsa as Leeds manager rather than sacking him and insisted he would have turned the club’s form around.
Bielsa was sacked in February and replaced by Jesse Marsch with the club battling relegation, but the Whites sit in the relegation zone with three games remaining in their season.
Speaking to britishgambler.co.uk, Woodgate said he thinks the club got rid of the Argentine as they wanted something fresh and shared his hope that the club would avoid relegation.
“I think the injuries have really hampered them,” he said. “Most of the season they’ve had no Cooper, Phillips and Bamford – the spine of the team.
“Cooper is injured now, Stuart Dallas, Bamford. Without three of the most reliable players aside from Phillips and Raphina, it’s going to be really difficult for Leeds, but I just hope they stay up.
“I really do because they’ve a massive football club. Maybe Leeds could have brought in a big name striker in the January transfer window.
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“I would have kept Bielsa on, as I think he would have turned it round. I know they’d been on a bad run, particularly at home losing a few, but he would have turned it around.
“I was a big fan of Marcelo Bielsa, and what he did to the Leeds team and the players, he improved the club and the players, but I just think Leeds wanted something fresh.”
Justified?
At the time of Bielsa’s sacking, many believed it was the wrong decision as the fans and players were still firmly behind him and his ideas, despite their poor form.
But since Marsch’s arrival he has garnered great levels of support too and the result took a positive turn initially which saw them move away from the drop zone.
Only because of Burnley’s insane run of form in recent weeks have they been dragged back into trouble, and it’s the beatings they took at the hands of Bielsa that have their goal difference so poor which is why they’re in the bottom three.
Marsch has done a great job and there is no evidence to suggest that Bielsa would have been able to turn it around, with many fans simply pointing out his love for the club as a reason to keep him.
Marsch’s arrival has been justified, even if they get relegated, because the team look better under him than they did under Bielsa this season.
In other Leeds news, Michael Owen predicts result of Leeds United clash vs Chelsea