, Leeds United boss Bielsa not phased by Boro switching tactics

Leeds United boss Bielsa not phased by Boro switching tactics

Less tiki-taka than hit-hoof-hope; that was Leeds United before the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa and the germination of a style of play at the West Yorkshire club – at last, some would say. From the style brought in by Bielsa, United are unrecognisable and play the same way too. They dominate teams and Bielsa has said that this won’t change for the trip to Middlesbrough tomorrow.

In words carried by Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post, Bielsa says that Leeds United will not be phased at all by Boro’s ability to switch up their playing style as it’s nothing that they haven’t faced before. In total, Smyth reports that Bielsa has noted six formations deployed by ex-Leeds player Jonathan Woodgate in his first season in charge at the Riverside.

However, that is not going to be off-putting to the Whites says the legendary Argentinian coach who will be looking to steer his side to a third, successive win and one that maintains a five-point buffer between themselves and the chasing play-off pack. On the fact that they will cope with whatever Middlesbrough throw at them, Bielsa says:

“There are teams that always play with the same shape and others that change a lot. They manage six different shapes and manage them very well. But we are also working together for 12 months and in these 12 months we have faced all the different possible shapes so we are ready to adapt to the different shapes.”

That much is true, Leeds United using Bielsa’s system of play have proved that they are adaptable and able to do so ‘on the fly’ so-to-speak. The Argentinian usually deploys a 4-1-4-1 formation but his micro-managing and tweaking helps to give his side that ability to switch and adapt to any opposition style of play.

It will be an interesting trip up the A1 to Teesside for the Whites and fans are unlikely to see the same brand of exhilarating play from their side that tore Boro apart in a 4-0 drubbing at Elland Road earlier in the season. However, rest assured, Leeds will be both ready and up for this return fixture.

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