Marcelo Bielsa style of play mooted by Sky Sports pundit at Leeds United ahead of Championship return
We’re delighted to welcome former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson as our exclusive columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Leeds United…
Paul Robinson has suggested Leeds United fans would want an expansive style of football as the Whites get set to return to the Championship.
Tottenham ran away 4-1 winners on Sunday afternoon to condemn Sam Allardyce’s side to relegation, just three years after they returned to the top flight.
Robinson feels the change in system from the Bielsa era was one of the main reasons why Leeds have struggled over the last 18 months.
“I don’t think there’s a particular moment. There’s a combination of things,” Robinson exclusively told MOT Leeds News.
“There’s a lot of people that have to shoulder the burden. It starts from the top and runs all the way down to the pitch. You look back at the Bielsa era – people do with rose-tinted glasses – rightly so.
“They were everyone’s second favourite team and a great watch. But people seem to forget what it was like at the end.
“They were struggling to stay in the Premier League. Changes had to be made. He’s rightly held in high esteem because of what he did. A lot of fans would want to see that in the Championship.
“The initial problem – when Bielsa went – was the attacking system. Recruitment for a manager is just as important. He had a squad of players who suited the way he played.
“To then appoint a manager who plays a very narrow system with defensive midfield players, with a squad that’s geared to be playing expansively.
“It was one of Jesse Marsch’s faults. He couldn’t identify the squad of players he had.
“The win over Liverpool at Anfield and the Bournemouth victories kept him in a job. If he had gone before Christmas and a change was made, there could have been a different outcome.
“You question why Victor Orta and Marsch were allowed to spend so much in January and then leave immediately when the window closes.”
In other Leeds United news, Andrea Radrizzani has met a mayor as he aims to step up his exit route from Elland Road.