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Leeds United were brilliant last time out at Elland Road as they thumped fellow Championship promotion-chasers West Brom by a 4-0 scoreline. A Pablo Hernandez strike from range put the Whites ahead within 20 seconds, before a Patrick Bamford brace and a late Ezgjan Alioski goal secured the points.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side were dominant throughout, and produced a remarkably intense and relentlessly aggressive performance. The display fully justified the Argentine coach’s team selection, which may have raised a few eyebrows prior to kick-off.
Are fans being priced out of the Championship as well as the Premier League? The angry Bolton fan in the video below certainly believes so…
On the chalkboard
Bielsa’s selection may have surprised some as he made no changes from the team that slumped to a disappointing defeat against QPR in the previous match. In that game, the Whites looked sluggish and tired, and some rotation for the clash with the Baggies seemed like a wise idea.
However, the experienced manager elected to retain faith in the same XI, and his instincts were proved correct. However, he must still recognise the need to rest and rotate his side over the course of the remainder of the campaign.
Calling on reinforcements
His squad may not be exhausted yet, but Bielsa instructs his team to perform with such intensity that they could eventually burn out. As the run in approaches, with Leeds still in the thick of the title hunt, it is vital that this fatigue isn’t allowed to set in. Failure to effectively manage his squad to avoid this situation could lead to a catastrophic end to the Yorkshire club’s season.
Leeds don’t have a huge squad, but the likes of Jamie Shackleton, Gaetano Berardi, Leif Davis, Stuart Dallas and Izzy Brown can all be used to provide vital fresh legs to ensure that the club last the course and secure promotion.
