The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 8th March) If Leeds lose Bielsa, they will be relegated next year - Pundit

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Monday 8th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


If Leeds lose Bielsa, they will be relegated next year - Pundit

Soccer pundit Dean Windass believes the difference between Bielsa staying and going would be Europe, if Bielsa stays, or relegation if he leaves. Speaking recently, the former cod head, Blade, Wendie, Smoggo, Bradford, Oldham (whi have just sacked Harry Kewell) and practically every other lower league rival to the Whites said as follows:-

"If Leeds lose Bielsa, Leeds will get relegated next year. If Leeds keep Bielsa and he brings in the players he wants to bring in, no disrespect to Leeds United, he’s got six or seven Championship players in that football team that are absolutely unbelievable because of the manager".

“I think if Leeds keep Bielsa and he brings four or five quality players, Leeds United could be in the top-four next year.” “I wouldn’t like to be the next Leeds manager if Bielsa say"s he isn’t staying, because the Leeds United fans absolutely love him. I think the key will be him, it’s not about if he’s going to get the sack, it’s if he will walk away".

Is Bielsa THAT important to the Whites?



Rodrigo and Phillips back for Hammers test

Rodrigo and Kalvin Phillips have both travelled with the Leeds squad for tonight's crunch game at the London Stadium. The duo have been missing from first team action for six and four games respectively.

Rodrigo completed 45 minutes of the U23's game at Wolves last Friday scoring a hat trick. Unfortunately, the referee wrongly chalked the third goal off claiming the entire ball had not crossed the goal line. Replay's conclusively show it did!

Bielsa has been keeping tight lipped over Phillips return. The 25yo played no part in Leeds 23's win last week, but due his his high fitness would not have a problem starting where he left off.

The news comes as welcome relief for Leeds fans hoping Bielsa's team will break their London hoodoo which has blighted their progression for over three years.

The Whites will be without Pascal Struijk. The former Ajax youngster limped off against Villa, ruling himself out of action for several weeks.

With a Leeds team including Llorente, Phillips and Rodrigo, what difference will that have in the Premiership?

[Irish Ian]

Morning.

Wind - Ass the clue is in the name.

Rod maybe get 30 minutes tonight. KP could start I reckon.

[danhirons]

Tbh wouldn't surprise me. A lot of teams go through second season syndrome and without the right manager after bielsa the wheels could really fall off. Depends a bit who we sign this summer as well

[danhirons]

I'd be surprised if KP started tonight. Rodrigo perhaps

[HarryofOz]

Great to have Phillips and Rodrigo back. Two quality footballers.

[The Subhuman]

If Struijk is out Kalvin will almost certainly start ..

[Ellandback1]

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Based on the the praise Bielsa has received in making Leeds greater than the sum of it's parts I'd probably agree if someone new wasn't able to bring in a significant amount of players.
Think he will stay.
Phillips to start hopefully.

[HarryofOz]

If his mum sees tha picture she'll be calling him up to scold him for walking so close to the platform edge.

[Ragstar]

All of a sudden the squad looks much more balanced....hopefully kp and Rod start tonight

[Clacton White]

I think Leeds need another season of Bielsa .Relegation or not without, don't know .I would imagine he would have recommendations on us successor, hopefully. His name though will bring 2nd 3 more needed quality players for next season . I think even without Bielsa the squad will have a bit too much quality to go down, or at least 3 poorer sides .

[Sara]

I don't think he'll leave, and when he does I'm sure we'll appoint another top coach. Radz and co have not come this far to blow it now. The club have far too much ambition and potential. I don't think the Bielsa coached players who have improved so radically would regress over night either.

[Fridge]

If Bielsa did leave, I think we would be closer to relegation next year than we have been this year.

Having said that, I would hope that the club’s longer term plan will allow us to build even after he leaves.

Either way, the season after Bielsa leaves will be a nervy one, at least at the beginning.

[Leeds1000]

I have to admit i'm not a fan of these 1 year will he, won't he contracts. I get that Bielsa in his honest way, wants to be judged on a season basis but a bit of stability would be good. It may be that he see's complacency in stability who knows.

I'm sure the club would do their upmost to replace Marcello with quality, but it would be some task wouldn't it. A change of coach comes with differing methods, different staff, different psychology. All the top teams seem to falter somewhat when they have a jolt at the helm and i think we could be the same? In all honesty tho i really do believe AR will do everything to persuade Marcello to stay. When Radrizzani talks about needing 3 years in the PL just for stability, letting Bielsa go would seriously unbalance the club. It would be a huge risk.

It would be great to have Phillips available. He is such a important player to the balance of the side. Marcello has surprised me with Llorente starting so soon after injury, so lets hope he does the same with KP.

Sad news about Struijk but he can be proud of his contribution at the heart of our defence. He will have that bit between his teeth now.

[mothbanquet]

Really? If Bielsa goes then we'll just drop out of the league? Even if we bring in another good manager who has the proven benefit of Bielsa-trained players - a whole squad, a whole academy of them, no less?

Pundits once again proving they're better at soundbites than analysis.

[mothbanquet]

I don't think the Bielsa coached players who have improved so radically would regress over night either.

Exactly. You only had to look at the impact of Dimitri Payet on West Ham or Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal to see what impact a single Bielsa player can have and we've whole senior and youth squads who've worked under him for nearly 3 seasons now.

[Irish Ian]

Raph checking his phone to see if his agent has got back to him yet.

[1964white]

All of a sudden the squad looks much more balanced....hopefully kp and Rod start tonight

It certainly looks a more balanced team

Welcome to MOT Ragstar.

[1964white]

I don't think he'll leave, and when he does I'm sure we'll appoint another top coach. Radz and co have not come this far to blow it now. The club have far too much ambition and potential. I don't think the Bielsa coached players who have improved so radically would regress over night either.

I agree Sara

[lufcconnor]

I know that Bielsa has been a bit erratic when leaving clubs in the past, but this is different. He clearly loves Leeds, and we love him. I think he will stay until he feels the job is done, and we are a solid Premiership team. When that will be, I am not sure. There is no doubt in my mind that he will have a say in who comes next, and he should have a key role in the transition period as well. I do think he'd be a presence in the 'background' for a period of time to ensure things go smoothly.

I don't think we'd go down if he left, but we wouldn't do as well.