Pundit blasts Bielsa for hanging Drameh out to dry after what he’s seen at Leeds
Gabby Agbonlahor has slammed Marcelo Bielsa for his treatment of Leeds United youngster Cody Drameh.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Aston Villa and England attacker claimed a “proper manager” would have ordered Raphinha to help him deal with the threat of Gabriel Martinelli in Leeds’ 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday (18 December).
The Arsenal winger ended up scoring Arsenal’s opening two goals as the Whites slumped to a third consecutive Premier League defeat.
Drameh, 20, was making his fourth appearance for Bielsa’s side and his first Premier League start.
“You’ve got a young lad at right-back on his full debut and he’s man-marking Martinelli who’s on hot form,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“It doesn’t make sense, it baffles me. Proper managers with proper coaching and tactical skills would have said ‘When Bukayo Saka and Martinelli get on the ball, we’re going to double up. Raphinha and Jack Harrison double up, let the ball go back to the defenders’.
“Try and frustrate Arsenal then you’ll get some space on the counter-attack for Raphinha, Harrison and Tyler Roberts to go into.
“It’s like Bielsa is the most stubborn coach in football. He would play against the prime Barcelona team from 2009 and go toe-to-toe, man-for-man. He’d have Kilch going man-for-man with 2009 Iniesta then they’d just get run around.”
Drameh moved to Leeds from Fulham last summer (2020) and was part of the successful Under-23s side last season.
The England youth international made 32 appearances for the Under-23s before making his senior bow.
In other news, Leeds United have been tipped to trigger a £10m release clause after a source reveals a transfer U-turn.