Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa showed his frustration with Leeds United dropping more points against Aston Villa in a 1-1 draw on Sunday, with the Argentine suggesting Pontus Jansson ignored his instructions in his comments after the game.
The draw against Villa at Elland Road extended Leeds’ winless run to three Championship matches, and ended any slim chances of securing automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Bielsa’s recent frustrations seemed to come to the boil in his post match comments.
“Jansson didn’t want to obey the indication I gave,” said Bielsa, as quoted by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Phil Hay via his personal Twitter account on Sunday.
“That diminishes my authority and I don’t know what the consequences are when you lose respect from a player.”
Hay then added that Bielsa said he was being ironic in that reply.
Slightly odd from Bielsa on Jansson trying to stop Adomah score. "Jansson didn't want to obey the indication I gave. That diminishes my authority and I don't know what the consequences are when you lose respect from a player." But then said his answer was ironic. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) April 28, 2019
Bielsa’s frustrations with Jansson were as a result of confusion after the Argentine, astonishingly, ordering his players to let Villa equalise, after Amwar El Ghazi was wrongly sent off for an alleged elbow on Patrick Bamford, with Albert Adomah allowed to run through to score into an empty met.
OPINION
Bielsa’s comments about Jansson, following another game in which they dropped crucial points in the end of season running, will be slightly concerning to Leeds supporters. The comments appear to be a sign of the frustrations felt by Bielsa over Leeds’ dip in form which has seen them miss out on automatic promotion. With Leeds now definitely in the play-offs, they will need to attempt to rediscover the form and momentum that brought them to the brink of automatic promotion this campaign. Jansson has been a very key figure in Leeds’ season, and Bielsa will be aware of his importance to his side heading into the Play-offs. Although Bielsa’s comments may seem a little bizarre right now it is important to remember he had just witnessed his sides automatic promotion hopes ended. Leeds will be quick to move on from these comments and Jansson will very much still be an important presence for the Whites as they refocus their attention on gaining promotion through the play-offs.