Leeds United have parted ways with Marcelo Bielsa after four years at the club, following his unwillingness to accept defending is required in modern-day football.
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Having earned Leeds promotion back to the top flight in 2020 by playing an attractive, attacking style of football, the sacking comes on the back of a string of poor results, which has seen Leeds concede 268 goals this season, working out at a goal every three minutes.
This run includes allowing four against bitter rivals Manchester United, a side that boasts less attacking threat than a division four Sunday pub side.
Bielsa had this to say to an Argentine journalist on departing the Yorkshire club.
“My philosophy is quite simple. Run around a lot, sprint always, make yourself look busy, shoot. The best form of defence is attack.
“If we attack them, they cannot attack us. The best way to attack them is by playing nine players in attack. If we have nine attackers just running around the pitch at 1,000mph, everything should come together in the end,” he confirmed.
“Unfortunately for me, the opposition did score three, four, five, and six, and we didn’t score any goals – so it made us look quite bad.
“Still, my philosophy is correct, and I will not change it no matter who I manage next. I hear Man United is looking for a new boss?”
Paddy Power News spoke to John Smith, head of the Leeds United supporters podcast, who offered his opinion on what the rest of the season could look like.
“Bielsa will always be a club legend for taking us up, but I think the main thing we do from here is stop listening to the media, stop listening to the press and stop being so sh*t.
“We need to keep it simple and just remember that being sh*t-but-lovable is no longer an option.
“The first place the new manager needs to start is replacing our existing defenders with fresh air, it might make us a little less sh*t.”
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 06: Jesse Marsch, Head Coach of RB Leipzig reacts at the final whistle after the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund at Red Bull Arena on November 06, 2021 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
And word around Elland Road suggests former RB Leipzig manager Jesse Marsch will take over soon.
“We’ve already got the office floor-to-ceiling stocked with Red Bull to welcome him,” a club source confirmed.
Elsewhere at Leeds United, rumours are intensifying that the club will re-sign Lucas Radebe, Gary Kelly and Jonathan Woodgate.
Despite having a combined age of 141, the general feeling coming from the Leeds board is these players served the club well throughout the 90s and 00s, and absolutely cannot be worse than what is already at the club, so what’s to lose?
*Paddy Power’s breaking news coverage is 100% fake news, and that’s the truth – honest*
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