So Much for the Bielsa Burnout

[John in Louisiana]

Seems to me that, instead of burning our team out, Bielsa's fitness regimen has had the effect of running other teams into the ground.

Since the middle of March, Leeds have won five, drawn three (against Chelsea, Man United, and Liverpool) and lost only once (the stinker v. Brighton). In those nine games we've conceded only seven times and more than once in a game only once.

That's eighteen points out of a possible twenty-seven during a stretch where we've played five of the top seven teams in the league. Over a full season that would be 76 points.

And for those who say we can't play defense, seven goals in nine games means only 28 over thirty-six.

I am very much looking forward to next season.

[The Subhuman]

Puts us third in the form table of 8 games and we could finish top if we win out, Final 10 game mini table, 2 games to play and we're point behind City.

[SG90]

The whole "Bielsa burnout" myth comes from Bilbao losing two cup finals, one to one of the all time great sides, the other to Sevilla who love the Europa League. You could see Burnley were huffing and puffing the final 15 mins or so, our fitness levels are so far ahead of everyone else in the league.

[LUFC_BOS]

SG90, beat me to the punch , we did run Burnley ragged until we decided to take the foot off the pedal after our 4th goal. Same could be said of Spurs as well , they started on fire but they also could not keep up.

Our fitness is amazing especially for the EPL. Only thing that irks me are the two we lost to Brighton this year, we were not at the races for some unknown reason.

[YorkshireSquare]

Bielsa burnout is very real

Lots of teams burnout after they have played us!

[SG90]

Bielsa burnout is very real

Lots of teams burnout after they have played us!

Look at Chelski under Fwank. Played at our intensity for one match, then struggled for a month afterwards.

[Orange Box]

Looking at it from another perspective it must have a positive effect on our player recruitment. Any so called superstar who doesn’t want to give full effort will shy away from signing for us, (and good riddance that’s a bullet well dodged I say) which means those who are keen to join will know full well what is expected from them and are prepared to give their all.

[Smudge3920]

Looking at it from another perspective it must have a positive effect on our player recruitment. Any so called superstar who doesn’t want to give full effort will shy away from signing for us, (and good riddance that’s a bullet well dodged I say) which means those who are keen to join will know full well what is expected from them and are prepared to give their all.

A very important point OB... and to really empahasise, Citeh who played with 11 men for 90 against our 11 for 45 and 10 for 45 only out ran us by 200 metres... it boggles the mind.

[weasel]

The myth has all been hyped up based on 2 seasons of football - with those who spout the nonsense ignoring Bielsa's Newells side who won a couple of titles (the reason given for ignoring it being that it wasn't seasons that compared in length to European seasons).

The first team to suffer 'burnout' was Bilbao - people seeming to think that as they lost 2 cup finals they suffered burnout - conveniently ignoring the fact that if you make it to a final you generally don't end up playing Dog & Duck Reserves in the final. So they lost to 2 extremely good teams in the finals after playing a horrendously long season due to the amount of cup games - the players probably playing 60 matches that season when they were probably only used to playing 40. Reaching those finals in itself was a massive overachievement and they presumably weren't suffering from a burnout a couple of weeks before the finals when they were winning semi-finals.

The second was the sleeping giant Marseille who surprised everyone by topping the table early on in the season but then fell away a bit in the second half of the season. The fact they had been nowhere near competing for the title in previous years is conveniently forgotten and it is hardly like no other teams have started a season well before falling away a bit when they are no longer the surprise package.

Obviously Leeds suffered burnout in Bielsa's 1st season simply by the fact we lost a few games at the end of the season. People conveniently don't use any recorded stats which show we were still running etc at the same levels of intensity and complete overlook us being the better side v the in form Villa and then comfortably beating Derby in the play-offs first leg. A mental burnout with some of the players not a physical burnout.

[YorkshireSquare]

Look at Chelski under Fwank. Played at our intensity for one match, then struggled for a month afterwards.

Phillip Cocu tried to replicate Bielsa's training methods at Derby and burned the squad oout before the season started!

[YorkshireSquare]

Looking at it from another perspective it must have a positive effect on our player recruitment. Any so called superstar who doesn’t want to give full effort will shy away from signing for us, (and good riddance that’s a bullet well dodged I say) which means those who are keen to join will know full well what is expected from them and are prepared to give their all.

The four signings we have made appear like decent people as well as good players. Prepared to put the work in going forward and defending, play for the team, dont moan and whinge, just get on with it.

Still feel like Michael Cuisance turned up and they thought 'This guy is a knob' and used the foot thing as an excuse.

[Leeds1000]

It is a myth because we know Marcelo doesn't like to rotate much.

[weasel]

Still feel like Michael Cuisance turned up and they thought 'This guy is a knob' and used the foot thing as an excuse.

I got that feeling too that we decided to pull the plug after Bielsa met MC and we couldn't say it was cos he came across as a kn*b. Certainly appears that the injury didn't hamper him at Marseille. Probably a bit like JKA a player with great potential that hasn't fulfilled it and then you find out that it is all down to the player's attitude. There was also the bit about the Lewandoski incident in training and at first you think it is Lewandowski throwing his weight around etc but then you wonder if it was more a case of Lewandowksi was simply the first one that did it but that a few Bayern players were in the queue.

[1964white]

Just a complete myth.