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We're in place...We’re in place at Thorp Arch, where it’s a busy press room here.
Bielsa is due up in ten minutes.
He's here....Right, let’s see what the Leeds head coach has to say....
Team news - will you look to make changes? Bamford, Phillips?This will be the starting line-up:
Casilla, Ayling, Jannson,, Cooper, Alioski, Phillips or Forshaw, Klich or Shackleton, Roofe, Harrison, Bamford,, Hernandez or Clarke.
Forshaw and Klich have a problem with the knee, Pablo with the groin.. They will not play.
On attacking strugglesMy answer to this question, I don’t have any problem answering again, the only thing when I repeat is that I feel it’s not very convenient for the listeners.
Regarding the offensive football, when we increase our efficient, our opportunities are bigger.
Our offensive play is very important and the inefficiency has an impact.
Regarding the offensive play that has been the basis of our team so far, I have two points of view on it.
The first thing is to neutralise the attempts that the opponent builds and on this aspect the team has always been efficient and regular. The second aspect has to do with mistakes we make playing out close to our goal and when we make them we make it easier for our opponent to build offensive action.
And on this aspect we have lacked consistency. Anyways, I don’t blame anyone for these kind of actions because when you put the ball from defence to attack by building the attack, it is indispensable if we want to attack well, when you go through this process you always have the possibility to make a mistake.
I never tell our players that they have to respect a certain style, but they cannot make mistakes. Our style includes a risk. The alternative path is ti use 50/50 balls but I think this is not convenient for us, it’s better to be faithful to our style.
Are teams changing their style to face Leeds?In order to play well and dominate the opponent we don’t rely on the changes that the opponent makes.
We only rely on our efficiency and the development of our style.
When we play well we can beat any model from the opponent. And when we don’t play well, any model we are playing against is hard for us.
You took responsibility for the defeat - but what have your players said to you about responsibility?I think that the last loss, when I make a decision, I take decisions that change the game, but when I see it was not the right decision, I cannot say it is the responsibility of the players.
In the last game we played we had some segments that would be worth looking at.
When you evaluate the facts, you can put aside the analysis.
The analysis has to analysis two aspects: What you produce in a game and what you get from the production.
In the last game if we were as efficient as the opponent we would have won the game.
If we hadn’t contributed in the goals the opponent scored we would have won the game by a large margin.
When we build our offensive play usually we don’t reply on the mistakes of the opponent. Because when we attack and when we attack well it’s not because the opponent made mistakes.
Usually we defend well and when we have to neutralise the opponent, usually we don’t have difficulties to do that.
And when we are too generous with the opponent when he attacks it’s difficult for us to prevent the opponent from building any chances.
In the last game the opponent had six chances to score and scored three goals.
And among the six chances to score they had we had a contribution that made it easier for the opponent to attack.
Apparently there is a space for criticism in this, but I don’t think so. I think when the style demands that when you move the ball from your keeper to the other box the possibility of losing the ball is inherent to this game., SO the player is faithful to the style the head coach proposes.
That’s why I can’t say the players are responsible..
There is an aspect where we’re growing. It’s the mental fact of accepting our own mistakes or not reaching what we’re looking for.
When we create mistakes, from a mental point of view our team feels it. And when we play 30 mins as we played the last game and we don’t score, it has a mental impact on our team.
So the mental response of our players regarding the ups and downs of the game, this is the responsibility of the head coach.
Take into account these facts.
The last game was one of the games we ran the most. We had the possession of the ball,clearly. We dominated the game, too. We created more chances to score than the opponent. The individual performance of the team was good enough.
So what kind of criticism could I make to the players? I can’t criticise anything.
And if I don’t have any basis to criticise the players, it’s normal that I take responsibility.
I spent so much time on some answers because I don’t want what I say to be put down the wrong way.
There is a habit that many head coaches around the world have, not only in England, but in countries where I understand what the head coaches say. There is a very common sentence. Usually they say they are responsibility for the negative cycle. If we don’t explain why, we enduce the listeners to reach the opposite conclusion of what we’re saying.
In realty, they say they;re responsible, but don’t convince the audience if they don’t say why, so the audience is invited to transfer it to the players.
I don’t have any doubt that your questions are always full of good questions. But the meaning of the question, as my answer was long, maybe we forget was to describe the responsibility of the players. Are they mature enough to do this? Honestly I think it’s my responsibility.
The last game had 3 segments. The first half hour, beautiful football and the last 15 minutes of the first half, the goal had an impact on our confidence. And at the beginning fo the second half I made changes and the team didn’t improve - they got worse, so my implication did not have the result I wanted. As the decision i took didn’t have the result, so I cam clearly responsible. Because the first half was good and I made changes and it became worse. So I’m doing self-criticism but with factual basis. But I like to be precise.
For me the first 25 mins of the second half were very important. Because in spite of not being able to build one chance to score we played in the opponents half and we didn’t conceded any counter attacks.
To sum up this moment, we knew how to play bad. To learn had to play bad means you can’t impose your style, but can prevent the opponent from building attacks. In the last 20 minutes, from my humble point of view we were getting the fruits from all our efforts we made in the first 25 mintues without having any chances to score.
And we played well again, created five chances to score and scored one goal and in the middle of this 20 mins, the opponent scored the third goal. But if you look at the last minutes of this game, the effort made by the team was moving. They kept running as if it was 0-0.
And they produced beautiful football, created chances and the team overcame the humiliation of losing 0-3 at home.
That’s why I wold like to make it clear, that the responsibility I am assuming is a true responsibility and I don’t think the players are responsible .
The day I assume the players are responsible, I wouldn’t tell you.
Is pressure starting to play a part in the season now?I don’t think so. Because we play all the games with the same style.
The games we are playing have two models.
It’s when we strengthen what we deserve or we don’t strengthen what we deserve.
For example you have a few games like the West Brom one. I am finding out the criteria I am using to analysis, are not overwhelming shared by others.
I don;t think that the feeling I have after the loss against Norwich everyone has. But I’m sure of one thing - I can defend my point of view and if you want to make analysis of football you have to analyse what you do and don’t deserve.
You don’t need to make any analysis if you base it on the result. The point is that when you are in a negative cycle, any analysis that you make is seen as a justification, not a true analysis. That’s why sometimes I’m ashamed to explain all these things. Because many listeners think he is looking for justifications. Because among human beings there is the dogma of winning at all costs.
It’s a lot easier to give importance to the win than to not take into consideration into analysis.
Does naming your XI in advance help the opposition?For me it’s not important all.
What are you expecting from Boro?
If I had to chose which was the hardest game we’ve played so far with frictions, the one that presented the most difficult physical challenges, I wold say it’s the one against MIddlesbrough. And I think this will be the trend on Saturday.
What will you change from that first fixture?Nothing has changed.
We were not surprised by the way Middlesbrough played in the first game. W knew they would play this kind of game and in the duel of styles, Boro win. Because they didn’t play better than us, they didn’t have the ball, but they had more chances to score than us.
They prevented us from playing and being faithful to their method they were able to create chances. It was one of the few games we deserved to lose, it was a draw.
QPR rearrangement means three games in a week - problem?No. You can’t find excuses. The idea when you have a game to play, you play it, you win it. Three games in six days is a difficulty to assume. Every game we run more. More than when we need. So far the games we lost, it’s not because we lacked courage or determination but the thing is you have elements that break conclusions. And the role of the media is to offer conclusions.
And if in this cycle we played the best game of the season, which was against Derby County, we have to take into account these details to evaluate the state of the team.
We can’t say that in this cycle we have this negative aspect and we have a game where the opposite happened.
How serious are the Forshaw, Klich, Pablo injuries?Not serious because they have the possibility to play.
But I never put a player who is n doubt on the pitch. I never push a player to play. I only put him in the team if he’s 100% available to play.
That's all from BIelsa - here's BamfordThe striker is here.
Bamford on his fitnessSays he’s not fully fit, just needs match sharpness which will come with playing.
On watching from the sidelinesSays he’s been just like a fan during his absence. But now he’s back, there’s a buzz again.
Reflection on last year's fixtureSays he enjoyed his time there. No bad word to say.
Marcelo showed a lot of faith in signing him.
On the style clashSays Boro play quite defensive. Their running is of a different style.
Will be a good game for the fans to watch.
How do you stay focused amid title talk?Says it’s a cliche to say take one game at a time, but it’s true.
Not getting carried away. About putting runs together and consistency will get Leeds up.
Where are Boro vulnerable?Tough one. Says Leeds need to focus the whole match.
It might come down to a moment of magic from one of the Leeds players.
They will be strong from a physical point of view.
Bamford wants to 'ride the wave'Says he didn’t expect to come on versus Norwich, but the game dictated that.
Really excited to be back in the first-team picture.
Talks about no players coming in during Janaury, but him, Izzy Brown and others returning and can give the side a lift.
On those big moments helping raise spirit
One of the worries when you’re out is how well you can come back - but once he was back in training ‘you’re like a kid again’
Has forgotten about the doubts.
On his previous play-off experienceSays everyone focuses on Christmas, but it’s between January and March that is key. It’s the team that can have consistency and mental toughness here that will go up.
What is the mental toughness like here?Every team goes through a tough patch, a few bad injuries or results. As a squad they are not doubting themselves, knew they would not go unbeaten all year.
Talks about the run after West Brom, they need to do that again.
When did you know you'd be involved vs NorwichWas told Leeds didn’t want to play with the U23s before training Wednesday, bit of a surprise, but got through that session well.
When the manager shows you that faith, it gives you confidence boost.
Good to get back into the heat of battle?Says he likes that side of the game, when asked about the afters versus Norwich.
You forget kids are watching on TV, it’s not setting a good example, so footballers need to remember that.
Does Bielsa's style suit how you play?Say no disrespect to English coaches, but he prefers foreign coaches, or those with that mentality.
Karl Robinson and Steve McClaren had different approaches, as did Aitor Karanka.
Says he likes to look at things differently, which may be why Bielsa was interested in signing him.
The next step is to get Leeds promoted, then he wants to show what he can do in the Premier League. Has more to offer there.
That's all from BamfordSome interesting stuff in there. A lot ot pick at, which we will do next.
