Leeds’ Next Chapter
After a top-half finish in the Premier League last season, Leeds United looked like it was bound for a continuing upward trend. European football was even a possibility, and it would be the first time since 2002-2003 when the squad made the Europa League under the care of Terry Venables. All of that has flipped on its head as Marcelo Bielsa has left the scene at Elland Road after a 4-0 defeat to Spurs over the weekend.
C/O: The Guardian
After the heartbreaking loss to Tottenham, manager Marcelo Bielsa stated, “I think the result is fair. We could've reduced the difference, however. But we were never able to recover or dominate the game…Even if we created goal-scoring chances, we never had a feeling of clear dominance over the opponent.”
After conceding 14 goals in the last three contests, the Bielsa era at Leeds has reportedly come to a close. According to reports by talkSports Bielsa left Elland Road just hours after his side was defeated by Tottenham on Saturday afternoon. The replacement for Bielsa has been confirmed to be former RB Leipzig and N.Y Red Bulls manager Jesse Marsch.
Bielsa took over a club back in June of 2018 that was trying to make it back to the Premier League for the first time since 2004. Leeds is one of the most historic football clubs, but in the early 2000s, it found itself all the way down in League One for a total of three seasons. In the 1960s and 1970s, Leeds United was a powerhouse of a club and was in the top-four of the top league in England for 11 straight seasons. It won three league titles, an FA Cup, and an EFL Cup in the span of just 10 years.
After a fall from glory in the 1980s, Leeds found its way back in the early 1990s, winning two League titles, and an FA Charity Shield over Liverpool. In 2006-2007, the club hit rock bottom, and finished dead last in the Championship, moving down to the third division for the first time in the club’s history. This was not the Leeds United that had been hoisting trophies so many years in the past.
C/O: talkSport
The club slowly began their climb back to the place where they belong, but it took a lot longer than many expected. Bielsa made the difference when he took over and introduced “Bielsa Ball” into the Leeds United squad. The team played exciting, direct, and attacking football while retaining possession of the ball at the same time. In order to play this philosophy, the squad had to be in insane shape, and this creates inconsistencies.
Bielsa’s style of play made an instant impact on the team, going from 13th in the Championship to third in just a span of one season. Following a heartbreaking loss in the playoff final to Frank Lampard and Derby County, Leeds got its redemption the following season, making it back to the Premiership on the back of the first Argentine manager in Leeds United history, Marcelo Bielsa.
In his first season in the Premier League, Leeds United had so much momentum and finished in ninth in the league. It was the first time that Leeds ended up in the top-flight of English football since the 2001-2002 season. Patrick Bamford finished fourth in the Premier League in goals with 17 in total, and Leeds had finally made it back to the big time. Before the season began, Leeds United was looked at as a contender for European football, but now it will take some luck to stay in the top-flight.
Leeds lives and dies by the way Bielsa wants to play, and with the style now becoming too easy for top clubs to break down, the breaking point has been found. A lot of the regression has to be on Bielsa, but with injuries to both Patrick Bamford, and Kalvin Phillips, Leeds just did not have that consistent firepower like it had last season. Bielsa leaves the club as a hero and someone that brought the club over the hump. Even with an ugly exit, all the fans, and members of the club should be incredibly grateful for bringing excitement back to Elland Road.
C/O: BBC
Bielsa never blamed the issues on the absences of several key players. Promising young Leeds defender Charlie Cresswell is also out due to a shoulder injury alongside Bamford and Phillips. Where does Leeds go from here? The club sits just two points above the drop zone and has allowed the most goals in the Premier League. Burnley is playing better as of late, and Leeds could find themselves in the bottom if it does not put some points on the board. Now that the club and Bielsa have moved on, things may be bitter between the sides, but he will be forever remembered as a savior for a club that lacked an identity.
