Leeds United have wizard weaving magic behind the scenes

Two things are well-known about Leeds United this season: they are running with a thinned-down squad, and they are dealing with an injury list that shows few signs of letting up.

Despite BOTH of those things, the Whites are currently sitting pretty at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table on 45 points. This is being put down to the Bielsa Effect™

To put that into perspective, United are a game shy of the halfway mark in the campaign and already have 75% of last season’s 60 point total. Added to the injury list and thinned-down squad is that fact that Marcelo Bielsa has done this with essentially the same personnel as last season.

Yes, Barry Douglas has played a big part in the change of fortunes. Yes, a new wave of youngsters have filled in admirably. Yet, the core of the side performing so well is last season’s set of under-performers.

However, one member of staff who is displaying a certain degree of wizardry and magic behind the scenes at Elland Road. That man is Rob Price.

Price is the club’s head of medicine, and what he is prescribing is definitely hitting the right spots at the West Yorkshire club. Price moved over to Elland Road from Leeds’ Yorkshire neighbours Hull City, joining the Whites in June this year.

Since his arrival, Price’s overseeing of player health and recuperation has produced remarkable results. Captain Liam Cooper is back in strenuous training just four-weeks after a knee operation.

He’s also brought Luke Ayling back into contention a month ahead of schedule, the popular defender being lined up for a start against Aston Villa tomorrow. Others, such as Izzy Brown, Gaetano Berardi and Tom Pearce are also being treated under his watchful eye.

One of the other Lazarus-esque curing of players came with getting £10 million star Patrick Bamford up and firing early. Bamford’s ahead-of-schedule return to action against Bolton last weekend was doubly celebrated with a goal, and a thank-you from the player for Price himself (below).

https://twitter.com/LUFC_Goals/status/1073978345900040192

Some say that Bielsa’s high-press, high-intensity game plan is bound to create player wear out and injury, such as is being seen in the mounting injury list. However, with Price at the helm, the Whites seem to be coping just fine.

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