Phil Hay confident in Leeds United character compared to Everton’s ahead of clash
Fight in the face of adversity, and a coherent identity, has dragged Leeds United through a rough season, things Everton don’t have, says Phil Hay.
Ahead of the visit to Goodison Park on Saturday, The Athletic journalist assessed the state of both sides currently languishing next to each other near the bottom of the Premier League, and thinks the situation at Elland Road is far preferable to the weekend’s opponents.
Speaking on The Phil Hay Show he said: “The bigger issue for Everton is that the [bad] form has set in for them in a big way. I think there are games, for example Newcastle, which was such a crucial match for them… there wasn’t a lot of fight in it.
“That is the one thing with Leeds, they have never ever buckled. They’ve had bad defeats… but they’ve never completely lost it.
“Even at Villa, 3-1 down and in a really bad position in a week where they do need to take points, still digging that out and still getting a draw from it I think says an awful lot.
“I think at Leeds whatever else is going on, there is the framework that everybody can fall back on and believe in, because it has worked before.”
Bielsa’s legacy
Hay’s position shows the importance of manager Marcelo Bielsa to the Whites, and the importance of what he has implemented during his time in Yorkshire.
Everton have lurched between managers and identities in recent years under the ownership of Farhad Moshiri, and it has left them ill-equipped to deal with major adversity as they’ve faced this year.
On the other hand, United’s Argentinian boss has such a clear view of how to run things, there is a huge amount of trust in his system.
The club has been ravaged by injuries this season, not least to key performers, and yet the manager has stayed true to his vision.
It is a season that will essentially be written off once relegation is successfully avoided, but the impression is that going down is not a genuine threat.
With The Telegraph this week reporting that the club has drawn up a list of successors for if the manager leaves this summer, the ever-present risk of that security disappearing has risen its head again.
Fans love the manager like few others, and yet still, it may be that it won’t be fully appreciated what the club currently has until he eventually does go.
In other Leeds United news, Pablo Hernandez has sent Luke Ayling an entertaining message.