Former Leeds United manager Simon Grayson has surprisingly belittled Marcelo Bielsa’s tactics and says that it has been getting the fans behind the team which has resulted in the club’s success so far this season.
The Whites have enjoyed a brilliant start to their Championship campaign under the Argentine boss, sitting top of the table after going seven games unbeaten, four of those coming as wins.
However, with much praise going towards Bielsa, Grayson chose to belittle his approach somewhat by stating he was doing nothing new with his players, but that it was the way in which the team have got the supporters on side with their desire to play attacking football which has been the biggest factor.
Speaking on Sporting Life’s podcast, he said: “He’s (Bielsa) doing no different to a lot of teams. What they’ve done this year compared to last year is they’re keeping the ball a little bit more.
“He’s not reinvented the wheel. It’s nothing new, where it’s suddenly gone: ‘Wow, this is something completely new’. High pressing is something that managers and coaches have done for many years.
“He’s given them the opportunities to go express themselves more and I think the biggest factor at Leeds now is that he’s got the supporters really believing in what could potentially happen.
“All Leeds fans want to see is their team having a right go, getting the ball back, putting balls into the box, creating chances and trying to win the game three or four (to) two rather than drawing games.”
? Former #LUFC manager Simon Grayson shares his thought's on the 'Bielsa Effect'…
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Opinion
Grayson makes a very good point about Bielsa’s tactics not being anything new, but it is the way in which he has transformed the players to suit his system which deserves all the praise. Who would have thought that the likes of Pontus Jansson or Mateusz Klich would be so well suited to a high energy approach which demands incredible energy levels? Of course, the positive atmosphere around Elland Road right now is incredible and will have the players believing they can win every single game, home and away, but the worry is what happens when that bubble eventually bursts? Can the Leeds players come back from disappointment, or will one defeat shatter their confidence? That remains to be seen, but everyone at the club saw how a poor result snowballed into a dire run of form. The manager has sorted out the tactics, but Bielsa’s true test will come if or when his side are not dazzling the rest of the league. Can he manage them on a mental level to ensure they do not let one hurdle trip them up?