How Marcelo Bielsa sparked Leeds United

[A TACTICAL ANALYSIS THREAD]

Marcelo Bielsa is arguably one of the most influential coaches in the world.

He influenced Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino directly, Arteta indirectly, and those managers in turn influenced others.

Without him, football just wouldn't be a game like it is today.

Bielsa is a dogmatic, Argentine, pressing maniac.

His style is largely influenced by transitional and intense movement football popular in Argentina, and he basically amplifies this already hardcore footballing style by a FUCK. TON.

Back in La Liga and Newell's Old Boys, Bielsa plays the same game as he does know. He just instills a work ethic and intense movement so his players PRESS. A. LOT.

Attacking in a Bielsa side is... league dependent, but...

This main style is largely the same to this day.

In Leeds, Bielsa plays a basic 4-1-4-1, involving...

2 flexible, confident on the ball Centre Halves
2 marauding, inverted, fullbacks
A disciplined holding midfielder that can send long balls
4 attackers moving so randomly and pressing aggressively
A lead striker who poaches

Calling his gameplay basic, apart from Formation, would be insulting, however.

Bielsa ball has a simple interest in his tactics. Bielsa wants his players to maximize small parts of the pitch with as many players as possible.

Defensively, and offensively

When out of possession, all 4 attackers interchange positions, going forward to press and win the ball back, the fullbacks push up high and the defenders get closer to the opposition midfield to limit space when opposition builds up play.

Breathing is hardly possible vs Leeds

Out of possession, Leeds don't complicate tactics apart from CHASING THE FUCKING BALL.

This isn't efficient and aggressive the way Klopp counterpresses

It isn't defensive like Pep's press

And it isn't wide passing lanes only like Pochettino's press

Leeds just want the ball back. And they will go through hell and back to get it.

This leaves them exposed vs Counters and rapid breaks... but, Bielsa is dogmatic. Trying to change his tactics and mind vs certain opposition is borderline impossible.

He will ALWAYS stick to his values.

Now, when in possession, Bielsa's Leeds is even more tricky and unpredictable... They conjure and have one of the best attacking displays and chance creations in the league...

In Patrick Bamford they have a forward who gets in behind, drifting from half spaces to find holes between the fullback and centre half, trying to finish chances.

In truth, Bamford is just an older British Haaland. Erling will play very well if he decides to come to Leeds

In Kalvin Philips, Bielsa has the one solid player he depends on to prevent counters. Philips stays in his position, unlike his teammates.

When he gets the ball, he spreads it with long passes into the wing, where Raphinha or Jack Harrison lies waiting.

What positions do the rest of his team take?

They don't have a set position.

8 of Bielsa's remaining players will run beyond their own players after passing the ball.

When a gap is left by a progressing, dribbling winger, a space is overloaded by the person passing the ball to the winger

This ensures numerical advantages, and highly flexible positional play.

Whenever a player gives the ball, the opposition has a new player to mark, overloading defences with utter confusion and many men to mark, that moves unpredictably

Inevitably, a chance will be created because of how vertical Leeds are and how many people that the defence need to think about.

This opens up space in the middle, leaving space for midfield runners to overload, Bamford to run into, and the Leeds wingers to drift inside and try a shot.

Relentless, attractive, and intelligent... Bielsa's Leeds are a real proof of a style that has massively influenced to the modern game...

Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, PSG, Spurs and Barça won't be the same without Bielsaball...

Just ask Pep.

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