Former Leeds manager Paul Heckingbottom said that the runs from Mateusz Klich were the standout tactically as his former side ripped Championship favourites Stoke to bits in their opening Championship game at Elland Road on Sunday.
Heckingbottom had to watch from the Sky Sports studio as the same players he had such a dismal run with last season, looked utterly transformed under new manager Marcelo Bielsa.
However, Heckingbottom was gracious enough to acknowledge the quality of what he saw on Sunday afternoon.
Talking on Sky Sports (Sunday, 4.30pm), Heckingbottom pulled out Samu Saiz and Klich for praise after the two players combined for Leeds’ first goal.
“Leeds were on top from the first whistle. The big problems are all coming from midfield”, Heckingbottom said.
“Samu Saiz loves getting on the ball, he’ll always drop deep looking for the ball, giving Klich the room to run in beyond as we saw with the goal.
“And that was the one tactical thing that was standout for me, the runs of Klich… and Saiz has the quality to pick passes like this.”
OPINION
This must have been quite tough for Heckingbottom to watch. The only new player in the team was Barry Douglas, although Klich had left on loan when he took over. However, Heckingbottom couldn’t motivate the core of the Leeds team that looked so good today. Down to a man they were sharp, hungry and switched on – everything the Leeds team weren’t in the second half of last season. Maybe it’s unfair to compare Heckingbottom with Bielsa, but it does show what a coup it was to land the legendary manager. It’s early days, obviously, but momentum is important in the Championship and this was the best possible start that Leeds could have hoped for. Leeds fans will be thinking, if we can do this to Stoke… Heckingbottom singled out Klich and Saiz, and they were the two standout players today – Saiz particularly. If Bielsa can get the mercurial Spaniard back to his best, Leeds will be a force for anyone this season.