Ex-manager suggests where Bielsa has gone wrong at Leeds after ‘damaging’ latest blow
Alex McLeish has suggested Marcelo Bielsa needs be more pragmatic for certain games at Leeds United after the 7-0 thrashing against Manchester City.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Scotland manager insisted the Whites were far too open against Pep Guardiola’s men.
As quoted by the Athletic on Wednesday (15 December), Bielsa took responsibility for Tuesday’s defeat and admitted: “What I proposed was not good enough”.
He confessed there was “nothing positive” to take away from the performance.
McLeish admitted the manager was right to take responsibility, suggesting he left his side too open with his tactics.
McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “It’s quite damaging for Leeds. Bielsa, he likes his players to express themselves.
“Sometimes, if you’re not at the level of the other team, you have to use a tactic that’s different.
“I think everyone who says I’m not going to go open, too open against Man City deserves respect. Watching the game, it looked like they were too open and City were brilliant. They were a massive level above Leeds.
“Say he had gone for a more defensive aspect of the game and they lost 2-0 or 3-0. He would still have gotten slaughtered. They would say he was too defensive and they deserved what they got.
“What you don’t want is a 7-0 drubbing, especially for the confidence of your team. It’s demoralising.
“I think sometimes you have to possibly just adjust your approach to a game.
“I’m not criticising a great manager like Bielsa. I’ve got to say in this one, I really feel Leeds should have been more cautious.”
The loss to City was the joint-heaviest defeat in Leeds’ history.
The Whites currently sit 16th in the Premier League table.
In other news, pundit fears Leeds United have made £12million transfer blunder.