Expert issues ‘vicious’ Leeds United claim after latest Marcelo Bielsa remarks
Leeds United became stuck in a “vicious” cycle of injuries in 2021-22 because of Marcelo Bielsa’s failure to adapt.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Leeds suffered with injuries to key players such as Kalvin Phillips, Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford throughout 2021-22.
They ensured Premier League survival on the final day in May, two months after Marsch replaced Bielsa in the dugout.
Marsch told talkSPORT in April that his players were “over-trained” under his Argentine predecessor’s reign.
As quoted by iNews last Thursday (23 June), Bielsa defended his Leeds record and insisted his squad maintained the “highest rates” even when results didn’t go their way
But Dinnery claims there is some truth in Marsch’s stance.
“He has come out and said that injuries cost him his job but in reality, it was ultimately results that did that,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“But you have to factor in injuries to key players in key positions with the likes of Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling, Kalvin Phillips.
“All the data we have indicates that if you can’t maintain the nucleus of your side, you are going to struggle. It’s not rocket science.
“Where Bielsa fell down is in his failure to adapt and change the focus of your team. It often felt he was putting square pegs in round holes in terms of that high-intensity plan A of training and playing when he didn’t have the personnel to do that.
“That creates a vicious cycle where players are picking up injuries and you then risk other players in positions that are putting different physical demands on them. In turn, they are suffering setbacks.
“You had players coming in who were on the fringes of the first-team squad who weren’t up to the intensity of the Premier League. It was no surprise that cycle carried on growing and growing.
“Yes, the injuries had a massive, massive impact. But ultimately, he’s the guy that makes the decisions about formations, styles and who that starting XI is. So, it’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario.
“But when you don’t have that depth, it’s always going to hurt you.”
Bielsa is reportedly on the verge of re-joining Athletic Bilbao.
The 66-year-old managed the Basque side between 2011 and 2013.
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