This weekend was a new beginning for Leeds United. Their legendary manager with knees of steel, Marcelo Bielsa, has ridden off into the sunset and been replaced by American Jesse Marsch on the touchline. Bielsa may be gone from Elland Road but what he has done will not soon be forgotten as despite this season’s struggles the legendary manager remains a hero at Leeds for returning the club to the Premier League. Things will be both different and similar under Marsch’s watchful eye. He opened his time at Leeds with a 1-0 loss to Leicester, but the team put in a strong performance, and there were already hints of what Marsch will try and instill with his new side.
Marsch’s plans for Leeds United
The team has primarily been hampered by their defense, a group that’s allowed 60 goals on the season, five more than the second loosest side, Norwich City. Leeds are on pace to match Derby County’s record for goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League season which is 89 in the 2007-08 season. The defensive woes are due to a mix of breakdowns in Bielsa’s man-marking system and injuries to Diego Llorente, Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford. and Liam Cooper. Man marking is only as good as the players available so without players who could keep up, the cracks in Bielsa’s press began to show.
Marsch taking over Leeds United won’t magically make the team healthier, but according to his first press conference, he will get some boosts sooner than later. Patrick Bamford is back in training and while Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper aren’t available yet, they are making good progress to return to the squad sooner than later. Those three alone can provide the quality that Leeds needs to stay in the Premier League but Marsch’s job is to make sure that the team is already heading in the right direction as his best players get back on the field.
Having learned a thing or two during his time with RB Salzburg and…
Source : cbssports
