Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds

[The Great Mass Debater 1,124]

I just discovered this happened.

That is a REALLY exciting appointment for them. Werent we very tenuously linked to him in our Premier League Quagliarealla chasing days?

This could be a transformative appointment for them and am pretty amazed they''ve managed to appoint him in the second tier. Like Benitez at Newcastle he must figure they have the potential.

Bielsa looks all set to attempt to establish his trademark 3331 formation.

Will be interesting to see how well Championship players adapt to a concept so alien to to English football and whether they''re good enough/smart enough to make it work. We''ve had a similar thing of course with Farke''s move to establish a German system in English football.

I''ve long admired Bielsa''s approach to football. As many are saying, it will me make or break for Leeds.

For a club that get through managers pretty quickly, Bielsa needs to be given the time to establish his philosophy.

Cant see Bielsa being an instant success as I think limited players will struggle to adapt to a new system, like that time Sam Allardyce tried to get West Ham playing a false 9 system, but if they give him time he could really transform them.

Many of the same arguments could be made for Farke, but

Bielsa has the CV whereas unfortunately for us, Farke, like Alex Neil is all potential.

From a purely football perspective, watching what he does at Leeds will be very interesting

[The Great Mass Debater 1,124]

This video illustrates Bielsa''s approach very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDRVk4qvDX0

Anyone who watched the video immediately think of Wes when describing the Enganche?

The demands of such a system seems beyond the level of footballer he is going to be working with for me, but he wouldnt have taken the job unless he thought he could be a success. He''s had a bit of a clear out.

Like Farke, he needs the right players to make his system work, its not something the players he inherits are likely to be able to adapt to.

Last season Farke could say we were in transition. This season he has no hiding place and only this season will we see whether Farke is a busted flush with an idealistic system completely unsuited and impractical to reality, or whether it wil bear fruit.

Leeds need to be patient with Bielsa and back him to the hilt as we have seemingly done with Farke

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,396]

Bielsa is obviously a pioneer of football tactics, the problem is he acts like an academic rather than a practioner - he doesn’t adjust his methods for the real world.

He has said he wants a squad of only 20 players and this is from a guy who tends to grind his teams into the ground through intensive training and play style. How he copes with a 46 game season will be interesting but ultimately probably not pretty for Leeds (if he is even around beyond 10 games that is).

Whether Bielsa has still got the magic is yet to be seen - he hasn’t delivered anything worthwhile on a pitch since 2013. I’d say he is more a great inspiration to other coaches than a great coach himself.

I know he is already causing problems for some players and winding people up (as is his way).

[Branston Pickle 4,026]

It''ll be interesting - if he lasts more than his predecessors; but imo is as likely to fail as it is to succeed. Kudos for Leeds doing something a bit different though.

[BobLoz3 590]

He''s a bit bonkers, by all accounts, apparently. I know that Guardiola and Pochettino, especially, hold him in high regard which is great praise in itself.On the latter, did you know that Bielsa apparently went to Poch''s parents house and asked to "look at the legs" of their then 13 year old son....while he was asleep!!? He took one look and signed him for Newell''s.A bizarre approach but... The rest is history...

[king canary 8,268]

Feels like it will either be an utter disaster or a roaring success without much middle ground.

[Just Dan 10]

I think this is what is making this years Championship so interesting, I really have no idea how it will go. Bielsa at Leeds, Lampard at Derby, Forest are splashing the cash, Stoke seem to be fancied, Middlesborough should be there again, Potter at Swansea and Darren Moore did well at WBA towards the end of the season. Transfer embargo''s are hanging over a number of clubs, Steve Bruce/Mendes tussle at Villa, McLaren at QPR, will Alex Neil have another good season at Preston.

And it all kicks off tomorrow night at Reading - Can''t wait!

[The Great Mass Debater 1,124]

For anyone at the game are Leeds playing with Bielsa''s trademark 3-3-1-3 formation? Whoscored has them with a more conventional 4-1-4-1. Never known how accurate this site is with formations.

I tried asking some Leeds fans, but turns out they''re all tw*ts

[Capt. Pants 4,727]

Doesn''t need a season of transition. Straight in there Boom!

[Van wink 2,994]

they looked good, pretty much the same core of players s last season