Sport
Leeds United could be the story of the season
Sky Sports’ Kelly Cates summed up the Leeds United game at Anfield perfectly with one seemingly flippant comment. Turning to Graeme Souness, one of two pundits on the coverage, she remarked that their story was even bigger than Liverpool’s. The Reds’ first league title in 30 years had been marked with mass celebrations and numerous documentaries but Cates wasn’t wrong. Leeds’ return to the top flight has become the focus.
The fact that it has been 16 years since one of England’s proudest clubs fell out of the Premier League was huge in itself but the fascination with Leeds United really comes from how far they fell before they could rise again. Financial hardship turned into administration and the Championship turned into League One. Yet perhaps an extra layer of intrigue is down to the way they have been promoted back to what they would call their rightful place or, more specifically, who guided them there.
Marcelo Bielsa is a head scratcher of a football manager. Unorthodox in the extreme in a positive and, sometimes, negative way. His footballing philosophy and reputation meant that when Leeds appointed him in 2018, nobody could quite believe it. That he had left two of his previous three jobs in no time at all due to disagreements with his superiors suggested he could be a ticking time bomb. His reign could have gone one of two ways but was guaranteed to be box office from the start.
There have been ups and downs. Spygate caught the headlines and stoked the fires of rivalry with Derby County in his first season, which ended with playoff semi-final heartache against the Rams. There has also been evidence of the infamous ‘Bielsa burnout’ at times.
The Argentine is known as ‘El Loco’ (the crazy man) because of his eccentricities but he is also a footballing genius who believes strongly in his principles and works everyone to the bone to implement them. Titles come and go, in his mind, but the approach is gospel.
Leeds have bought into Bielsa; the supporters worship him, painting murals and naming streets after him in the city centre. Bielsa has also bought into Leeds, living in a modest flat in nearby Wetherby and mingling with the public.
The game at Liverpool was always going to catch the eye because it was filled with historic references and nostalgia, not to mention the champions of the top two divisions were clashing. Bielsa against Jurgen Klopp also meant an open encounter was guaranteed; it was the ultimate clash of possession versus counter-attacking styles and both teams love to press high with incredible intensity.
What occurred was arguably the greatest opening day match of any Premier League season, ending 4-3 to Liverpool. Bielsa’s mark was made, though. If anyone had any doubts about Leeds’ prospects over the next few months, they won’t anymore. It’ll be difficult to contain them and one man in particular will stand out.
Kalvin Phillips has gone from strength to strength under Bielsa and is the embodiment of what makes his coaching so great. A first England cap last week was just the beginning. Bielsa has developed the 24-year-old into the perfect modern day holding midfielder, who can recycle possession with ease and find the right pass regardless of range. His preference was to go from box to box but the adaptation has appeared seamless. It is he who allows Leeds United to play so adventurously but the beauty of the system is that Leeds’ willingness to take risks allows Phillips the extra space he needs.
Liverpool were always likely to focus on themselves and, subsequently, afford Phillips room that other teams may not. The fact that their defence was pinned back by the visiting forwards meant he could dictate the play. Bielsa has shunned the opportunity to overhaul his squad, instead preferring to work with the tools he’s got.
The signings of Rodrigo Moreno and Robin Koch were not cheap but neither will they be joined by another £100million worth of talent. Leeds will, in typical fashion under this manager, break the mould set forth by most pundits every season. They will survive without spending huge amounts of money or changing their attacking philosophy.
Sheffield United have already shown the possibilities of sticking to your principles, although there won’t be nearly as much surprise if Leeds United emulate their push for the top ten and potentially even Europe this season. Both targets may just be a little unattainable in the end but Bielsa will try, as he always does.
No matter the opponent, the way to stop Leeds will be to match their bravery. Shutting down Phillips is going to be crucial, because his midfield partners will spread themselves up the pitch to minimise congestion in the middle and keep opponents occupied. Given that, as they showed at Anfield, Leeds’ attackers can pin defenders back, it is easy for Phillips to receive the ball in space.
Most teams will be focussed on closing this supply line, unlike Liverpool, but Phillips’ speed of thought is what attracted Bielsa to his position change to begin with. If teams push up the field to cut him off, he will be able to find the space left in behind.
Bielsa’s Leeds have their problems at times but he has brought everything the fans wished for to the club since his arrival. Phillips has shown that his approach can organically change the culture of a club if he is given the right conditions and, having signed on for another year, it looks like an extension to a very happy marriage.
Leeds United are a Premier League club again, a relief to even the neutrals who felt lost without them over the past decade and a half. This time they won’t be going anywhere for a while.
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