Skrevet av Emne: Tema: Den store spillestil-tråden!  (Lest 180046 ganger)

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Leedsfan

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #630 på: Juli 20, 2019, 16:26:24 »
Kremt. Det verste jeg vet er å ikke holde seg til topic. Skal vi endre trådnavn til «Den store redigeringstråden»?

Flott at Asbjørn kommer med litt on topic her.

Jeg tror også vi kommer til å dominere kampene stort neste sesong. Men så var det alle disse skadene da...

auren


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Er ikke så lett å alltid holde seg til tema, det tror jeg de fleste av oss sliter med såfremt man ikke bare klipper og limer ting inn i de trådene de tilhører:)

Marcelo Bielsa: An Argentine in Yorkshire
BY JOEL SHOOTERJANUARY 9, 20190
 EFL Championship 2018/19: Marcelo Bielsa Leeds United Tactical Analysis Statistics

Leeds United are currently experiencing what feels like a revolution. The arrival of Marcelo Bielsa in the summer has helped drastically turn the club’s fortunes in the Championship around going into the second half of the season. The mythical Argentinian figure, hailed by ex-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino, is bringing a new sense of excitement to West Yorkshire.

The glory days of Leeds seem long past, but new hope has arrived thanks to Bielsa. The financial struggles United have been through over the last few years have been well publicised, with the club even dropping into League One on one occasion. To those of a certain age, this would be an unimaginable concept.

Last season saw the appointment of Danish manager Thomas Christiansen. After an early surge at the start of the season to the top of the table, results began to drop off. Christiansen was eventually sacked in February 2018 after a 4-1 defeat to Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City. They lay 10th in the table.

Then came the appointment of Paul Heckingbottom, something of a surprising appointment considering his Barnsley side were in the throes of a relegation battle. Results failed to pick up and Leeds failed to to rise any higher than 11th under his stewardship. They finished the season 13th, and the somewhat inevitable sack came.

In came Bielsa over summer, and the hype began over the man who is often deified as a father of modern football. There are, however, clouds of doubt over certain aspects of his approach. The apparent over-tiredness of his teams from the high-octane style that has ultimately stopped him winning more major trophies. Then there are the messy departures from Lazio and Lille.

It is hard to pinpoint where responsibility lies exactly for these past occurrences. So far, there has been little sign of such things happening with Leeds. It’s been a dream start for the Whites with Bielsa, and the club appear to be looking to make a long term success out of the Argentinian’s appointment.

The set-up
The hallmark formation that is so often associated with Marcelo Bielsa is a 3-3-1-3. It is implemented, somewhat indirectly, into his Leeds United side. As per the team sheet, they appear to line up in a 4-1-4-1, but throughout the game this amalgamates into the 3-3-1-3. Below, we can see the the 4-1-4-1 Leeds appear to set up in.

This formation ends up morphing into a 3-3-1-3. The holding midfielder – Kalvin Phillips, but more recently Adam Forshaw – drops in between the centre-backs while the full backs push on. One of the central midfielders, usually Mateusz Klich, operates as more of an all-action midfielder in the second line of three with the full backs.

The other operates as a number 10, although these positions do sometimes rotate. The number 10 was Samuel Saiz until he was frozen out of the team. Pablo Hernandez and sometimes Klich take up that role now. The transition between formations can be seen below.



The three-man back line operates as the base for the build up. Bielsa prefers his side to play out from the back. The number 10 looks for spaces between the lines, while the high full-backs (essentially wing-backs) and attacking wingers offer plenty of width in attack.

In defence, the 4-1-4-1 shape makes more of a return. The ferocious press does, though, see players push up to operate this, particularly the wingers when pressing the backline. Defensive stability is still offered by the deep midfielder sitting in front of the back four. The two central midfielders offer good cover in the middle of the park.

The press
Bielsa sides are revered for their highly intensive press. While it is often touted as a reason for Leeds’ current injury problems and previous end-of-season fatigue issues with Bielsa’s teams, it is working a treat for the Whites in the Championship. Their pressing of Nottingham Forest’s backline can be seen here below.



Centre forward Kemar Roofe leads the press on the man on the ball. Behind him, Pablo Hernandez (operating as the number 10 that game) has Forest’s deepest lying midfielder covered to break up the link to midfield. The wingers – Jack Harrison on the right and Ezgjan Alioski on the left – are in position to quickly close down any wide options for the Forest player in possession. On the halfway line, central midfielder Klich is marking another Forest player, further halting build-up.

In this instance, Leeds have shut down all available options for Forest. The man on the ball is being pressed. His wide options are being closed down, and his forward option is marked, as is his longer option in the centre circle. Indeed, Forest are forced into losing the ball just a few seconds later.

The main threat of Leeds press, however, is directly after they lose the ball. The ferocity in which they hunt down players in their attempts to retrieve it is remarkable. It is another key feature of Bielsa’s sides which makes them so formidable to face. It is a system that has helped them keep their opponent’s possession at an average of 38.5% so far this season.

It’s no surprise that a clip of seven United players racing back to stop a Wigan counter attack from a corner went viral. It is a vital part of the way Leeds play.

Defensive set-up
Leeds typically fall back on their 4-1-4-1 shape when defending. This is, however, liable to shift due to a focus on high intensity pressing to win the ball back. As can be seen in the figure below, left-back Barry Douglas has rushed out from his position to close down a Forest player after Forshaw has been bypassed in midfield.



This style of this defending helps United to restrict the opposition’s possession, and forces them into difficult situations. The aim – as is the case with intense pressing – is to win the ball back as quickly as possible. The intention is to start an attack from a potentially more dangerous position. Bielsa has instilled a hunger for the ball in his side.

The danger of course is that should the press be bypassed, Leeds leave themselves in a very vulnerable position. In regards to the image above, Douglas has left a large gap on the left wing that could easily be exploited.

Below, though, we can see that the ferocity of Douglas’s press is such that the Forest midfielder is forced to play the ball to the opposite flank, where right back Luke Ayling is able to retrieve it. This situation demonstrates the effectiveness of the system. If it does go wrong, however, there is a massive gap in the defence left.



Attacking set-up
Quick, on-the-floor football is what is often associated with Marcelo Bielsa, as well as a highly intensive press. At times this season, Leeds have displayed just that, exquisitely working quick chains of passes between players.

This can be seen in the image below. A neat interchange between Ayling and Hernandez precedes the latter playing a one-two with Saiz. The arrows show the movements of the players and the ball as Leeds work it into the area. Saiz’s shot is eventually blocked on the line.



United also play with substantial width too. High wingers and full-backs allow Leeds to stretch their opposition in attack. We can see below that right-back Ayling is pushing high past the winger Alioski. This either forces the opposition to spread across the pitch leaving more space, or pulls an opposition to one side which allows a switch of play.



In the above instance, the switch of play is utilised. This directly leads to Jack Harrison having space to cut in from the left wing and score for United. There is a multi-faceted nature to the Whites’ attack that sees them perform intricate passing play as well as stretching an opposition across the pitch.

Conclusion
Leeds are proving to be an exciting side in the Championship this season. The high tempo and frenetic style that Marcelo Bielsa has brought to the club is one that is never really seen in England’s second tier.

The focus is on attacking football and winning the ball back as quickly as possible to enable more dangerous starting points for attacks. They attack with quick passing but are also willing to spread or switch play when necessary.

United’s defence is mainly reliant on their aggressive press, which starts from the front. There is a dogged and driven determination to win the ball back as soon as it has been lost. Leeds players can often be seen swarming their opponents in an effort to retrieve the ball back as quickly as possible.

These are all key features of the Bielsa style, a mythical name that immediately pricks the ears of football geeks. His style has been successfully implemented at United, and there is every chance that they will achieve promotion this season. Should they do this, a Marcelo Bielsa side in the Premier League could prove to be very exciting.

If you love tactical analysis, then you’ll love the digital magazines from totalfootballanalysis.com – a guaranteed 100+ pages of pure tactical analysis covering topics from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and many, many more. Get your copy of the FIRST of two December issues for just ₤4.99 here, or the SECOND of the December issues with an annual membership right here.


https://totalfootballanalysis.com/head-coach-analysis/marcelo-bielsa-leeds-united-tactical-analysis-statistics
I scored 24 goals helping my side win promotion back to the Premier League aged just 22. Then in my first season in the top flight I had bagged an impressive 15 goals by the end of January. My form earned me an England call-up. Am I a £35m striker? No. I am Michael Ricketts, February 2002.

Blank_File

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #631 på: Juli 20, 2019, 16:43:36 »
Det er så sabla tungvint å redigere sitering på mobilen. Skikkelig drit. De to gangen i året jeg bruker det på PC så gjør jeg det. Men på mobilen gidder jeg rett og slett ikke.

Enig i det, men når man legger ut hele artikler med masse unødvendig tekst så kan det kanskje vente? Eller er det jeg som er vanskelig eller liker å få ting servert slik bare jeg vil det?
Jeg er blitt så vandt med å lese på den måten at jeg reagerer ikke på det lenger. Foretrekker selvsagt en redigert versjon blottet for bildetekst, lenker og reklamer.

Blank_File

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #632 på: Juli 20, 2019, 16:45:04 »
Sånn. Da er det slått fast. :)

Rod Christopher
@rodchristopher9

Saying it here & now: #lufc will score the most league goals this season. Don't worry about defence either. Bielsa's game is forward thinking. Fit, on the front foot & attacking at every opportunity. Of course we'll concede. But tell me a team who don't! We'll outscore opponents.
Er dette en likesinnet Asbjørn, eller er det en med noe tyngde eller bakgrunn?

Promotion 2010

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #633 på: Juli 20, 2019, 16:48:09 »
Kjør gjerne avstemning. Jeg stemmer for Promo.

Så du vil du fortsatt ha klipp og lim innleggene uten 60 sekunder med redigering?
Jeg foretrekker selvsagt at de er redigert, men setter pris på å få presentert såpass mye relevant stoff at jeg greier å scrolle.
Derimot blir jeg irritert over dere som for en hver pris skal ha metervis med sitering når det foregår diskusjoner. Da blir det scrolling, da.
Når det er sagt, føler jeg ikke for å blokkere noen meddebattanter. Tror jeg.

Ikke uenig i det med sitatene som blir meg i lange diskusjoner, er sikkert skyldig i det selv så jeg skal skjerpe meg med å ikke sitere unødvendig hvis det kan unngås.

Jeg syns det hadde vært greit å blokkere Promo da han ikke helt takler å bli skrevet til og så går han til angrep så det holder når man blir "konfrontert" med noe han ikke liker. Dessuten så husker jeg mest all den "cut&past'en" hans og det blir så mye av det, i hvert fall for meg som følger med litt ellers også. Blir veldig tunglest når han ikke redigerer noe som helst heller.
Til angrep så det holder? Nå syns jeg du er hårsår. Opplever hans tilsvar til deg som godt innafor.
Og når det gjelder det å "følge med litt ellers også", kan jeg legge til for egen del at vi nok er flere om beinet på det området. Du kan f eks spørre min nærmeste familie om de syns jeg følger litt med på Leeds. Da vil du få svar.

Hårsår, ikke det at jeg tar det så veldig hardt, men man trenger ikke å være hjernekirurg for å skjønne at Promo tar dette personlig. Synes jeg er på ballen, noen synes kanskje denne ballen er liten, men Promo er på meg!


Ha-ha... er ikke akkurat personlig dette, men du er til tider ufin mot flere som sier deg imot her på forumet.
Jeg ba deg sende meg en pm så andre slapp å høre på deg, men du avslo. Denne slengte du til meg da jeg ba deg utdype hva du hadde å utsette på innleggene mine i TOMA 2 -tråden:



Om du har sendt meg en serie meldinger på forumet der du prøver å oppdra meg, så har du ikke nådd frem! Send meg gjerne en pm og forklar hvor du vil hen!

WTF lissom, du heter ikke tilfeldigvis Rhino Thue?

Vil ikke noe annet enn at du kan lese igjennom alt du klipper og limer for å redigere det litt, er det for mye forlangt? Trenger vel ikke å sende deg PM om dette? Gidder du ikke å gjøre en liten redigeringsjobb så kan du jo bare drite i det og fortsette med det du driver med nå!

Ok, godt oppsummert! Da er det kun drittslenging og kallenavn. Ikke noe nytt!

God sommer!   :)
Det blir spennende å se hvordan du fortsetter med "cut and paste", god sommer til deg også! Husk solfaktor, på issen også:)


Sent fra min Mi A2 via Tapatalk


Jeg ber deg med dette om å oppføre deg litt mer voksent når du er på dette forumet.
Min første Leeds-kamp:
Strømsgodset vs Leeds, 19.september 1973

lojosang

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #634 på: Juli 20, 2019, 16:48:45 »
Leeds United training - attack v defence


Leeds United stepped up their final preparations for the second and last friendly of their Australia tour on Friday evening at Sydney Olympic Park.

Unlike Tuesday’s session at Perth’s HBF Park, where 3,500-plus fans attended, New South Wales Rugby League’s Centre of Excellence hosted a handful of media with the team.

LeedsLive went along to watch the session, which is the first time any media have been invited to watch the team train under Marcelo Bielsa’s supervision.

Here’s a few things we picked out from the session.

 Marcelo Bielsa shouts at the fourth official during the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia`
Marcelo Bielsa shouts at the fourth official during the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia(Image: John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Bielsa steals the show

Naturally, given how little we have seen of the head coach since May’s play-off agony, any opportunity to see the man at work is to be enjoyed.

The Argentine tends to speak very little, but takes a step back and watches absolutely everything he can. He seems to offer small bursts of direction from which assistants Diego Reyes and Diego Flores do the rest with the players.

Bielsa was pacing around the pitch while the players warmed up, including the goalkeepers. When it came to get down to business, he was nearby, stood in the middle of the various huddles, spoke and then moved away.

Leeds United's Australia tour
Perhaps most charming was the succinct, but warm encouragement he gave his players when they impressed him.

During one drill which tested how quickly they closed down an opponent, Stuart Dallas and Gaetano Berardi were audibly commended.

“Good, very good, Dallas!”

“Good, Bera!”

Stuart Dallas can be seen wearing a heads the ball bandage after the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia(Image: Will Russell/Getty Images)
It’s simple, but given how little he speaks and how much distance he keeps, those few words must mean so much to each player, given Bielsa’s stature in the sport.

Forshaw out

The only one of the 16 players not to be involved in training was Adam Forshaw, who is still struggling with the knock he took off Ashley Young on Wednesday.

The Victor Orta interview in full - every word Leeds United chief said in his rare sit-down

The Manchester United captain slid through Forshaw late in the match, wide on the touchline and he faces a late fitness test before Saturday’s game.

Dallas was fine and is in contention after his head injury.

Bielsa’s English may be better than we know

Forshaw was out on the pitch with his team-mates, but keeping them company in his trainers rather than knocking about in his boots.

I noticed he was out there because he was in conversation with Bielsa without a translator. It wasn’t a 30-minute chat over a coffee, but long enough for the Argentine to hold his own.

Adam Forshaw acknowledges supporters after a pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia(Image: Will Russell/Getty Images)
While his more complicated, lengthy instructions were bellowed in Spanish, he must know a fair amount of English after more than a year with the Whites.

Bamford applause sums up team spirit

A few little nuggets of how the team is bonding from the session, but the loudest was the appreciation Patrick Bamford received for one quality finish inside the box.

Stuart Dallas exclusive: Leeds United man on head injury, Anthony Martial and 24/7 tour life

The team had been split into three units: three crossers on the left, three crossers on the right and seven others in the middle either attacking or defending the balls as they came in.

Bamford ran onto one from the left and cracked it with minimal effort into the top corner with his left peg. Bielsa, stood in the goalmouth, loved it and his team-mates even applauded it, something they did not do for anyone else.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-training-bielsa-sydney-16616905.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Ser ikke ut som du tok det til deg det med klipp og lim! Kan du ikke bare legge ut linkene? Hvis du gidder å "klippe og lime" hele dagen så gidder du vel å rydde litt i det du klippe og limer? Er det virkelig for mye forlangt?


SKAL VI HA EN AVSTEMNING PÃ… HVA DU VIL HA PÃ… FORUMET SÃ… BARE SETT IGANG!


Dette er mitt bidrag, om du ikke liker det så skråll!



Jeg liker ikke dine eviglange ranter mot alle og enhver her inne som du ikke er enig i! De innleggene har sitater fra diskusjonene som er meterlange.

Ellers så er vel forøvrig dette innlegget betegnende på deg:


Det burde være litt takhøyde her inne, ellers blir det kjedelig. Det jeg lærte meg fort var at det er lett å komme unna med personangrep hvis man har noen smilys bak...

 ;)

Ser ut som jeg må fortsette å scrolle forbi alle klipp og lim innleggene dine. Du tar absolutt ikke ballen, du er jo kun ute etter mannen og det er nesten litt flaut å se en moderator lire av seg så mye rart når noen spør om du kan gjøre en liten jobb med alle de cut and paste innleggene dine, det er jo ikke få av de. Du klarer å finne tid til å redigere andre sine trådtitler, men å redigere dine egne uoversiktlige innlegg tar du deg ikke tid til.

Er det mulig å blokke deg, dvs slippe å se alle disse klipp og lim innleggene dine?
Ã…sså så ydmyk og konstruktiv i tonen du var også, da. Nei tenke seg til.

Sent fra min HUAWEI VNS-L31 via Tapatalk

- Leif Olav

Asbjørn

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #635 på: Juli 20, 2019, 16:52:39 »
Er dette en likesinnet Asbjørn, eller er det en med noe tyngde eller bakgrunn?
Tja. Han var tidligere trener et sted i Academy-systemet, tror han var Academyspiller også...


Google er jo til hjelp, forresten :D

the guy I asked was Rod Christopher who is not only an FA-qualified coach but he is also an ex-LUFC Community officer, under Ces Podd (1996-98). Rod got a job under Ces Podd at Elland Road, his boyhood club, and worked there at a time that included the departure of George Graham, the death of club legend Billy Bremner and the start of the David O’Leary era. He was mixing with Leeds luminaries such as Lee Bowyer, Eddie Gray, Lucas Radebe, Paul Hart, Jonathon Woodgate and Rod Wallace. Rod also managed the U12s ladies side at Thorp Arch and managed an U12s Academy shadow squad trip to Wales, an U12s Academy shadow squad that included Micah Richards, who is a 13-cap England player and is currently on loan at Italian side Fiorentina from English giants Manchester City. After his Leeds United adventure, Rod then went over to the dark side and joined up with Manchester United and Bobby Charlton’s Soccer Schools, enjoying two seasons of coaching around the UK with them.
Tell me - I've got to know
Tell me - Tell me before I go
Does that flame still burn, does that fire still glow
Or has it died out and melted like the snow
Tell me  Tell me

Dylan

Leedsfan

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #636 på: Juli 20, 2019, 17:01:13 »
Kjør gjerne avstemning. Jeg stemmer for Promo.

Så du vil du fortsatt ha klipp og lim innleggene uten 60 sekunder med redigering?
Jeg foretrekker selvsagt at de er redigert, men setter pris på å få presentert såpass mye relevant stoff at jeg greier å scrolle.
Derimot blir jeg irritert over dere som for en hver pris skal ha metervis med sitering når det foregår diskusjoner. Da blir det scrolling, da.
Når det er sagt, føler jeg ikke for å blokkere noen meddebattanter. Tror jeg.

Ikke uenig i det med sitatene som blir meg i lange diskusjoner, er sikkert skyldig i det selv så jeg skal skjerpe meg med å ikke sitere unødvendig hvis det kan unngås.

Jeg syns det hadde vært greit å blokkere Promo da han ikke helt takler å bli skrevet til og så går han til angrep så det holder når man blir "konfrontert" med noe han ikke liker. Dessuten så husker jeg mest all den "cut&past'en" hans og det blir så mye av det, i hvert fall for meg som følger med litt ellers også. Blir veldig tunglest når han ikke redigerer noe som helst heller.
Til angrep så det holder? Nå syns jeg du er hårsår. Opplever hans tilsvar til deg som godt innafor.
Og når det gjelder det å "følge med litt ellers også", kan jeg legge til for egen del at vi nok er flere om beinet på det området. Du kan f eks spørre min nærmeste familie om de syns jeg følger litt med på Leeds. Da vil du få svar.

Hårsår, ikke det at jeg tar det så veldig hardt, men man trenger ikke å være hjernekirurg for å skjønne at Promo tar dette personlig. Synes jeg er på ballen, noen synes kanskje denne ballen er liten, men Promo er på meg!


Ha-ha... er ikke akkurat personlig dette, men du er til tider ufin mot flere som sier deg imot her på forumet.
Jeg ba deg sende meg en pm så andre slapp å høre på deg, men du avslo. Denne slengte du til meg da jeg ba deg utdype hva du hadde å utsette på innleggene mine i TOMA 2 -tråden:



Om du har sendt meg en serie meldinger på forumet der du prøver å oppdra meg, så har du ikke nådd frem! Send meg gjerne en pm og forklar hvor du vil hen!

WTF lissom, du heter ikke tilfeldigvis Rhino Thue?

Vil ikke noe annet enn at du kan lese igjennom alt du klipper og limer for å redigere det litt, er det for mye forlangt? Trenger vel ikke å sende deg PM om dette? Gidder du ikke å gjøre en liten redigeringsjobb så kan du jo bare drite i det og fortsette med det du driver med nå!

Ok, godt oppsummert! Da er det kun drittslenging og kallenavn. Ikke noe nytt!

God sommer!   :)
Det blir spennende å se hvordan du fortsetter med "cut and paste", god sommer til deg også! Husk solfaktor, på issen også:)


Sent fra min Mi A2 via Tapatalk


Jeg ber deg med dette om å oppføre deg litt mer voksent når du er på dette forumet.


Rhino Thue henvisningen var jo til at alle piggene kom ut med engang jeg skrev det første innlegget om dine mange klipp og lim hvor du ikke redigerer noe som helst. For all del hvis du har lyst til å fortsette å legge ut disse ikke fullt så lettleste og uoversiktlige innleggene dine så må du jo bare fortsette med det. Du redigerte jo en av mine trådtitler for å få mer oversikt så da vet jeg at du har redigeringslyst til tider.

Da får jeg prøve å oppføre meg litt og så får du fortsette med cut and paste:)
I scored 24 goals helping my side win promotion back to the Premier League aged just 22. Then in my first season in the top flight I had bagged an impressive 15 goals by the end of January. My form earned me an England call-up. Am I a £35m striker? No. I am Michael Ricketts, February 2002.

Leedsfan

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #637 på: Juli 20, 2019, 17:02:13 »
Leeds United training - attack v defence


Leeds United stepped up their final preparations for the second and last friendly of their Australia tour on Friday evening at Sydney Olympic Park.

Unlike Tuesday’s session at Perth’s HBF Park, where 3,500-plus fans attended, New South Wales Rugby League’s Centre of Excellence hosted a handful of media with the team.

LeedsLive went along to watch the session, which is the first time any media have been invited to watch the team train under Marcelo Bielsa’s supervision.

Here’s a few things we picked out from the session.

 Marcelo Bielsa shouts at the fourth official during the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia`
Marcelo Bielsa shouts at the fourth official during the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia(Image: John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Bielsa steals the show

Naturally, given how little we have seen of the head coach since May’s play-off agony, any opportunity to see the man at work is to be enjoyed.

The Argentine tends to speak very little, but takes a step back and watches absolutely everything he can. He seems to offer small bursts of direction from which assistants Diego Reyes and Diego Flores do the rest with the players.

Bielsa was pacing around the pitch while the players warmed up, including the goalkeepers. When it came to get down to business, he was nearby, stood in the middle of the various huddles, spoke and then moved away.

Leeds United's Australia tour
Perhaps most charming was the succinct, but warm encouragement he gave his players when they impressed him.

During one drill which tested how quickly they closed down an opponent, Stuart Dallas and Gaetano Berardi were audibly commended.

“Good, very good, Dallas!”

“Good, Bera!”

Stuart Dallas can be seen wearing a heads the ball bandage after the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia(Image: Will Russell/Getty Images)
It’s simple, but given how little he speaks and how much distance he keeps, those few words must mean so much to each player, given Bielsa’s stature in the sport.

Forshaw out

The only one of the 16 players not to be involved in training was Adam Forshaw, who is still struggling with the knock he took off Ashley Young on Wednesday.

The Victor Orta interview in full - every word Leeds United chief said in his rare sit-down

The Manchester United captain slid through Forshaw late in the match, wide on the touchline and he faces a late fitness test before Saturday’s game.

Dallas was fine and is in contention after his head injury.

Bielsa’s English may be better than we know

Forshaw was out on the pitch with his team-mates, but keeping them company in his trainers rather than knocking about in his boots.

I noticed he was out there because he was in conversation with Bielsa without a translator. It wasn’t a 30-minute chat over a coffee, but long enough for the Argentine to hold his own.

Adam Forshaw acknowledges supporters after a pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Optus Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia(Image: Will Russell/Getty Images)
While his more complicated, lengthy instructions were bellowed in Spanish, he must know a fair amount of English after more than a year with the Whites.

Bamford applause sums up team spirit

A few little nuggets of how the team is bonding from the session, but the loudest was the appreciation Patrick Bamford received for one quality finish inside the box.

Stuart Dallas exclusive: Leeds United man on head injury, Anthony Martial and 24/7 tour life

The team had been split into three units: three crossers on the left, three crossers on the right and seven others in the middle either attacking or defending the balls as they came in.

Bamford ran onto one from the left and cracked it with minimal effort into the top corner with his left peg. Bielsa, stood in the goalmouth, loved it and his team-mates even applauded it, something they did not do for anyone else.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-training-bielsa-sydney-16616905.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Ser ikke ut som du tok det til deg det med klipp og lim! Kan du ikke bare legge ut linkene? Hvis du gidder å "klippe og lime" hele dagen så gidder du vel å rydde litt i det du klippe og limer? Er det virkelig for mye forlangt?


SKAL VI HA EN AVSTEMNING PÃ… HVA DU VIL HA PÃ… FORUMET SÃ… BARE SETT IGANG!


Dette er mitt bidrag, om du ikke liker det så skråll!



Jeg liker ikke dine eviglange ranter mot alle og enhver her inne som du ikke er enig i! De innleggene har sitater fra diskusjonene som er meterlange.

Ellers så er vel forøvrig dette innlegget betegnende på deg:


Det burde være litt takhøyde her inne, ellers blir det kjedelig. Det jeg lærte meg fort var at det er lett å komme unna med personangrep hvis man har noen smilys bak...

 ;)

Ser ut som jeg må fortsette å scrolle forbi alle klipp og lim innleggene dine. Du tar absolutt ikke ballen, du er jo kun ute etter mannen og det er nesten litt flaut å se en moderator lire av seg så mye rart når noen spør om du kan gjøre en liten jobb med alle de cut and paste innleggene dine, det er jo ikke få av de. Du klarer å finne tid til å redigere andre sine trådtitler, men å redigere dine egne uoversiktlige innlegg tar du deg ikke tid til.

Er det mulig å blokke deg, dvs slippe å se alle disse klipp og lim innleggene dine?
Ã…sså så ydmyk og konstruktiv i tonen du var også, da. Nei tenke seg til.

Sent fra min HUAWEI VNS-L31 via Tapatalk

Det innlegget var jo ganske konkret og lettforstått, jeg får ta det til meg og forbedre meg!
I scored 24 goals helping my side win promotion back to the Premier League aged just 22. Then in my first season in the top flight I had bagged an impressive 15 goals by the end of January. My form earned me an England call-up. Am I a £35m striker? No. I am Michael Ricketts, February 2002.

ibster

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #638 på: Juli 20, 2019, 18:26:49 »
Sånn. Da er det slått fast. :)

Rod Christopher
@rodchristopher9

Saying it here & now: #lufc will score the most league goals this season. Don't worry about defence either. Bielsa's game is forward thinking. Fit, on the front foot & attacking at every opportunity. Of course we'll concede. But tell me a team who don't! We'll outscore opponents.
Er dette en likesinnet Asbjørn, eller er det en med noe tyngde eller bakgrunn?

Støtter jo det 100%. Leeds blir det mestscorende laget på nivå to i England neste sesong. Vi «skulle» hatt ~20 mål bedre målforskjell forrige sesong dersom xG og xGA hadde vært «rettferdig».

Er mer bekymret bakover på banen.

Asbjørn

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #639 på: Juli 29, 2019, 09:20:09 »
Interessant twittertråd:

All Stats Aren't We
@AllStatsArentWe

Just a few thoughts about last night’s game versus Cagliari:

Last season, Leeds set up in a 4-1-4-1 that looked something like this:

Formations, though, are fluid things. The 4-1-4-1 was essentially Leeds’ defensive shape. In possession, they moved into a situational 3-3-1-3 like this:

Why do this? Well, Marcelo Bielsa operates by the principle of Positional Play (juego de posicion in Spanish). What this means is that he looks for his teams to use movement to manipulate space and gain dominance through this positional superiority.

One way Leeds use positional play is to work the ball into wide areas through intricate passing sequences, drawing in opposition players and isolating players on the far side of the pitch. When they isolate these players, they then cross the ball and attack the spaces between the

opposition defence.

In the case of the back four, you have five spaces to attack in between them. With the 3-3-1-3, you have the three forward players, the No. 10 and then the full back pushing forward all attacking these spaces like this:

(NB. there is fluidity here. In this example, the fullback (Ayling in this instance) could invert and Hernardez could work the ball wide.)

Against Cagliari, Bielsa set the team up in the 3-3-1-3 from the off (something confirmed by Adam Forshaw in his post-match interview).

Now, this might seem arbitrary: after all, I’ve just said that Leeds form a situational 3-3-1-3 in possession all the time. There are some important details to mention though.

Firstly, setting up in the 3-3-1-3 against Cagliari, Bielsa played three centre backs: Liam Cooper, Ben White and Gaetano Berardi. White is a ball playing centre back who is said to have impressed Bielsa which could explain this tweak in pre-season.

With three centre backs in place, there is no need for Kalvin Phillips to drop between the two centre backs in a 4-1-4-1 and so he can screen in front of them, adding more coverage. This has a knock-on effect and Klich can play in the 10 role rather than the 8.

As well as this, the three centre backs allow the full backs to become wing backs. On the left side of the midfield, Bielsa fielded Leif Davis - a full back - and allowed him to play as a fairly traditional wing back: overlapping with Costa or inverting and

carrying the ball inside.

On the right, though, he played Adam Forshaw - a central midfielder - who played a completely different role to Davis, coming inside to help Phillips in the build up as well as rotating with Mateusz Klich in the number 10 position.

Interestingly, this was the same sort of role that Arturo Vidal played (albeit on the opposite side) for Chile, balancing of the more traditional wing back Mauricio Isla on the right.

This, in turn, meant that Pablo Hernandez was able to keep playing the sort of insider forward role he played last season, operating down the right flank, helping out in defence when Forshaw inverted and cutting inside onto his left during attacks.

So where does this leave us? Well, if the 4-1-4-1 was used to transition into a 3-3-1-3 in possession, then the 4-1-4-1 indicates the defensive position of the team. Switching to a straight 3-3-1-3 means that Leeds are now no longer defending in a more traditional formation

(which might suit a manager moving into a new league which isn’t always tactically adventurous).

Why would Bielsa do that? There could be any number of reasons. We know it has been his preferred formation with certain teams. He might have been unhappy with the structure the

4-1-4-1 offered last season. He might feel as though it suits certain players more (Forshaw, for example). He might be responding to the problems that the end of last season threw up.

One thing is for certain though. We should expect to see the 3-3-1-3 more this season. Last pre-season, the final match (vs Las Palmas) gave us a good indication of how Bielsa was going to approach the campaign

The Cagliari game was the last game before next weekend’s Bristol City fixture. It would be weird that he was simply experimenting with a week to go. Watch this space.

https://twitter.com/AllStatsArentWe/status/1155548904353652736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
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stian

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #640 på: August 11, 2019, 19:46:22 »
Er det flere enn meg som sitter med en følelse av at vi hadde trengt litt mer variasjon i angrepsspillet? Mot Forest malte vi på med (mange gode innlegg), som Dawson fikk stanget ut gang etter gang.

Jeg skulle gjerne sett Bielsa gjøre flere sidebytter på kantene i løpet av kamper. I stedet for å alltid male på med innlegg, hadde det gitt mer variasjon å ha perioder med innoverkanter. 1) Det øker mulighetene for langskudd. 2) Det skaper uro for stopperne som må oftere ut å støte, noe som igjen skaper rom for stikkere gjennom. 3) Når vingen trekker inn skaper det mer tom for overlapp fra backen. Dette siste gjør vi mye av allerede, men uten at skudd fra vingen er et reellt alternativ ettersom de må skyte med feil fot.

Bielsa har naturligvis mye bedre greie på dette enn oss supportere, men jeg savner en litt mer variert verktøykasse for å kunne avgjøre flere av de enveiskjørte kampene.

NT

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #641 på: August 19, 2019, 18:51:02 »
Leeds analyserer jo sitt spill ned til minste detalj, men har noen fanget opp hvor langt de egentlig løper på en kamp ?  I sin tid figurerte vel Øyvind Leonardsen den som løp mest her hjemme og andre løpshester er vel dokumentert 12-13000 meter i kamp.  Noen som har sett hvordan våre ligger an i en slik sammenheng ?

Asbjørn

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #642 på: August 19, 2019, 19:33:20 »
Leeds analyserer jo sitt spill ned til minste detalj, men har noen fanget opp hvor langt de egentlig løper på en kamp ?  I sin tid figurerte vel Øyvind Leonardsen den som løp mest her hjemme og andre løpshester er vel dokumentert 12-13000 meter i kamp.  Noen som har sett hvordan våre ligger an i en slik sammenheng ?
Jeg stilte spørsmålet videre til Andrew Dalton @lufcstats og Chris Taylor @LUFCDATA, så får vi se :)

Denne siden dekker mye, men ikke antall meter løpt

https://no.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/7379/Stages/16389/PlayerStatistics/England-Championship-2018-2019


Edith:
Chris svarte kjapt:  No one outside the club has any access to distance tracking data unfortunately.
« Siste redigering: August 19, 2019, 19:41:14 av Asbjørn »
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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #643 på: August 19, 2019, 19:43:08 »
LUFCDATA
@LUFCDATA

Replying to
@LUFCDATA
Mateusz Klich (10) and Jack Harrison (9) have made more deep completions* than any other Championship players this season.

*Deep completions are forward passes that are played into an area and collected by a teammate 25 yards from the opposition goal. #LUFC
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NT

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #644 på: August 19, 2019, 19:57:46 »
Takk for tbm. Da får vi kjøre match i repeat da og ta det på skjønn.....:)

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #645 på: August 22, 2019, 15:03:57 »



Phil Hay
@PhilHay_
A graphic overview of how Leeds have protected Casilla and his penalty area in open play in the first four games of the season.
@TheAthleticUK

to clear up any confusion about the colours - black are successful opposition passes, yellow are unsuccessful opposition passes. Wigan were in hoof-ball mode (although they did have a man sent off).

https://twitter.com/PhilHay_/status/1164490314897383424?s=20
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asbfjell

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #646 på: August 22, 2019, 15:19:52 »



Phil Hay
@PhilHay_
A graphic overview of how Leeds have protected Casilla and his penalty area in open play in the first four games of the season.
@TheAthleticUK

to clear up any confusion about the colours - black are successful opposition passes, yellow are unsuccessful opposition passes. Wigan were in hoof-ball mode (although they did have a man sent off).

https://twitter.com/PhilHay_/status/1164490314897383424?s=20

Jeg var spesielt fornøyd med den ene gjenvinningen borte mot BC – vist med gule pila som ligger litt til høyre for midtsirkelen, omgitt av noen andre gule og svarte piler. Dere ser sikkert hvem jeg mener.

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #647 på: August 22, 2019, 15:25:53 »

Jeg var spesielt fornøyd med den ene gjenvinningen borte mot BC – vist med gule pila som ligger litt til høyre for midtsirkelen, omgitt av noen andre gule og svarte piler. Dere ser sikkert hvem jeg mener.

Hehe, du ser jo ikke skogen for bare trær. Eller kanskje motsatt, du ser bare en mengde svarte og gule piler.
Her forklarer Phil det essensielle, det vi ser av suksessfulle pasninger inn i Leeds' sekstenmeter:

The arrangement has stifled teams to the point where Kiko Casilla, Bielsa’s goalkeeper, is rarely in the line of fire at close-range. The pitch maps below show passes completed by Leeds’ opponents in their opening four league matches. Bristol City completed only four successful passes into Casilla’s box from open play and Wigan managed one. Brentford also stopped at one and Forest, who were visibly prepared to compete without the ball, failed to produce any. Casilla has been drawn into a solitary save by an effort inside his area over the course of 360 minutes.
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asbfjell

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #648 på: August 22, 2019, 15:33:32 »

Jeg var spesielt fornøyd med den ene gjenvinningen borte mot BC – vist med gule pila som ligger litt til høyre for midtsirkelen, omgitt av noen andre gule og svarte piler. Dere ser sikkert hvem jeg mener.

Hehe, du ser jo ikke skogen for bare trær. Eller kanskje motsatt, du ser bare en mengde svarte og gule piler.
Her forklarer Phil det essensielle, det vi ser av suksessfulle pasninger inn i Leeds' sekstenmeter:

The arrangement has stifled teams to the point where Kiko Casilla, Bielsa’s goalkeeper, is rarely in the line of fire at close-range. The pitch maps below show passes completed by Leeds’ opponents in their opening four league matches. Bristol City completed only four successful passes into Casilla’s box from open play and Wigan managed one. Brentford also stopped at one and Forest, who were visibly prepared to compete without the ball, failed to produce any. Casilla has been drawn into a solitary save by an effort inside his area over the course of 360 minutes.


Joda, fikk med meg det essensielle - og det var jo interessant nok. Kunne bare ikke dy meg. :P

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #649 på: August 22, 2019, 15:35:11 »

Joda, fikk med meg det essensielle - og det var jo interessant nok. Kunne bare ikke dy meg. :P

Hehe, joda :D


Og plutselig er Kiko en helt grei keeper å ha.

Hadde han ikke - igjen - flere pasninger enn noen på motstanderens lag. Det var noe sånt...
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stian

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #650 på: August 23, 2019, 08:55:55 »

Joda, fikk med meg det essensielle - og det var jo interessant nok. Kunne bare ikke dy meg. :P

Hehe, joda :D


Og plutselig er Kiko en helt grei keeper å ha.

Hadde han ikke - igjen - flere pasninger enn noen på motstanderens lag. Det var noe sånt...

What?? Finnes det statistikk som viser dette? Hvis det stemmer er det helt utrolig, særlig tatt i betraktning at vi ikke akkurat har en ultradefensiv spillestil.

auren

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #651 på: August 23, 2019, 09:10:20 »

Joda, fikk med meg det essensielle - og det var jo interessant nok. Kunne bare ikke dy meg. :P

Hehe, joda :D


Og plutselig er Kiko en helt grei keeper å ha.

Hadde han ikke - igjen - flere pasninger enn noen på motstanderens lag. Det var noe sånt...

What?? Finnes det statistikk som viser dette? Hvis det stemmer er det helt utrolig, særlig tatt i betraktning at vi ikke akkurat har en ultradefensiv spillestil.

Nei, men mye av vår possession går mellom stoppere og keeper. Ikke overrasket over at Kiko har mange ballberøringer med beina i løpet av en kamp.

auren
"Guardiola said: 'You know more about Barcelona than I do!'"
Marcelo Bielsa, 16.01.19, etter Spygate-foredraget sitt.

raggen

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #652 på: August 23, 2019, 09:19:40 »
ble faktisk overrasket over at han beholdt bamford på banen etter eddie og costa kom innpå og rett og slett lettet da Bielsa sa etter kampen at det kan være plasss til de begge to om kampbildet og situasjonen er rett. dette er meget gode nyheter da jeg føler ifjor da vi stanget mot slike motstandere så ble det bare byttet spiss mot spiss,mens her åpner han for 2 "spisser" og bare det at han ser og gjør slike ting er meget gledelig. har kritisert det taktiske før av bielsa men denne ganga traff han så definitivt med byttene
Forever Leeds United!!!!!!!!

stian

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #653 på: August 23, 2019, 10:27:26 »

Joda, fikk med meg det essensielle - og det var jo interessant nok. Kunne bare ikke dy meg. :P

Hehe, joda :D


Og plutselig er Kiko en helt grei keeper å ha.

Hadde han ikke - igjen - flere pasninger enn noen på motstanderens lag. Det var noe sånt...

What?? Finnes det statistikk som viser dette? Hvis det stemmer er det helt utrolig, særlig tatt i betraktning at vi ikke akkurat har en ultradefensiv spillestil.

Nei, men mye av vår possession går mellom stoppere og keeper. Ikke overrasket over at Kiko har mange ballberøringer med beina i løpet av en kamp.

auren

Han er sentral i frispillingen vår, men at han skal ha flere vellykkede pasninger enn den med flest pasninger hos motstanderen tilsier rimelig sterk dominans...

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #654 på: August 23, 2019, 10:39:20 »
[
Han er sentral i frispillingen vår, men at han skal ha flere vellykkede pasninger enn den med flest pasninger hos motstanderen tilsier rimelig sterk dominans...

Sky Bet
✔
@SkyBet


Leeds keeper Kiko Casilla completed more accurate passes (26) than any Brentford player (20).  #LUFC

Det er i alle fall andre gang denne sesongen dette har blitt rapportert :)
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leedslife

Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #655 på: August 23, 2019, 10:43:49 »
[
Han er sentral i frispillingen vår, men at han skal ha flere vellykkede pasninger enn den med flest pasninger hos motstanderen tilsier rimelig sterk dominans...

Sky Bet
✔
@SkyBet


Leeds keeper Kiko Casilla completed more accurate passes (26) than any Brentford player (20).  #LUFC

Det er i alle fall andre gang denne sesongen dette har blitt rapportert :)

Som du er inne på helt essensiell for spillerstilen vår.
Hadde ikke vært i nærheten av å kunne spille på oss press og spille oss ut av situasjoner med en saltstøtte i mål.
2 clean sheets også nå. Vil nok se noen lufteturer ila sesongen, men alt i alt en meget meget god keeper i vårt system.

Asbjørn

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #656 på: August 25, 2019, 17:22:06 »
AllStats prøver virkelig å forklare Bielsa-taktikken:

All Stats Aren't We
@AllStatsArentWe
A few thoughts on Leeds United’s 3-0 win over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium [thread]:

This was one of the most intriguing tactical showings that we’ve seen while Marcelo Bielsa has been in charge at the club: it was the first real indication of what the 3-5-2 that has been showcased late in games (against Salford City and Brentford)

might look like as a more robust tactic.

After anticipating that Stoke would line up in a 4-4-2 with a diamond, Nathan Jones only went and ripped up the form book, going with the same formation that he used to beat Leeds in one of his earliest games in charge at Stoke.

You’ve probably seen the picture…

Stoke looked like this:



Big changes of personnel came with the change of formation: big earners Joe Allen and Jack Butland were dropped and we saw big changes to the defence and midfield. Mark Duffy was brought in to play as the second striker behind Lee Gregory.

Why Nathan Jones shifted to this formation against Leeds is anybody’s guess. Perhaps he was thinking back to the high point of last season? Perhaps he knew that Leeds themselves would be going with a back three and, potentially, two strikers?

One thing is for certain: the back three allowed Stoke to attack through their wing backs—James McClean and Tom Edwards—without having to worry so much about giving up space in wide areas. Ironically enough, though, all of Leeds’ goals came from wide areas.

As you can see from SofaScore’s AttackMomentum feature (Stoke top, Leeds bottom), Leeds settled into the game slowly and allowed Stoke to push. Then, they turned the screw and barely allowed anything until they were 3-0 up:



When Stoke were in possession, they stayed narrow except for the wing backs who looked for space to attack. This shows up well in the average position maps:



No doubt they did this because they were anticipating Leeds forming a back three, pushing their full backs forward, and leaving spaces in behind for them to attack.

For the most part, though, Stoke were on the defensive. While they did hold a mid-block—a 3-5-2 when they did or a 5-3-2—because Leeds were passing through it so comfortably, they did start to fall into a more defensive low structure.

In these instances, they dropped Mark Duffy into the midfield and either one or both of their wing backs fell alongside the back three:







The really interesting thing about Saturday’s game, though, was the way that Leeds lined up.

As we said in our preview, Leeds were going to set up with a back three to counter Stoke’s striker partnership. In the end, though, the Potters played with a sort of retictulated partnership: Duffy dropping off out of possession and pushing forward in possession.

Leeds accounted for this by playing Kalvin Phillips as a centre back out of possession and as a central midfielder in possession.

As Bielsa himself said after the game:



Out of possession, Leeds formed a rough 3-5-2—a back three with Phillips in the middle, the full backs pushed up to become wing backs, Forshaw as a 6 and Klich and Hernandez as 8s in front of him. Harrison played as a second striker and Bamford as the number 9:



In defensive transition (Leeds moving from possession to out of possession), Phillips would drop in between the two centre backs and help defend long balls:



If, however, Leeds had successfully transitioned into a good structure, Phillips would sometimes push forward onto Duffy to allow Forshaw to mark Etebo and prevent Leeds becoming too deep:



As soon as Leeds were back in possession of the ball, Phillips would push up alongside Forshaw so that Leeds were playing a pair of 6s who were flanked by the wing backs (although the ball-side wing back would push high up the pitch):



At this point, Leeds were almost playing a 2-4-2-2 which, I’ll be honest, I’ve not seen any team play. But with four players in the middle—at least, when Phillips wasn’t dropping into the full back areas on either side to help build up—Leeds were able to compress Stoke

and allow their own wing backs space to attack.

Unsurprisingly, as we pointed out earlier, all of Leeds’ goals came from wide areas. The first, in particular, was particularly Bielsa-esque.

It involved a fourth-man run— Forshaw finding Klich finding Hernandez finding Dallas—which embodied the principles of overloading to isolate.

*video av 1-0 målet*

We should also note that Pablo Hernandez took up a much more central role—often playing to the left of Mateusz Klich. This shows up well in his pass map:



This set up also let us see what Harrison would look like as a second striker. Harrison took up a free position, sitting behind Patrick Bamford and roaming wide on both sides of the pitch.

As you can see, his three take ons in the game came from three different vertical zones:



Last season, we didn’t see much tactical ingenuity from Marcelo Bielsa. With his players still learning the system and principles of play, he set them up in a fairly basic 4-1-4-1 with a 3-4-3 in possession (or a 3-3-1-3 if you prefer).

This season, we’re seeing Bielsa tweak the system much more because he has the confidence that he can move his players around and the general principles will be adhered to.

Read his post-match comment again:



This tweakery—when it’s transmitted to the players—isn’t expressed in terms of formations but in terms of a divergence with the system: Pablo - take more central positions. Adam - attack less. Kalvin - drop deeper than usual.



Imponerende stykke arbeid!!!
Tell me - I've got to know
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Or has it died out and melted like the snow
Tell me  Tell me

Dylan

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #657 på: August 25, 2019, 19:20:38 »
Interessant lesing, Asbjørn. Skal ikke påberope meg samme detaljerte analytiske evner som de(n) som sto bak dette, men har lagt merke til følgende:
Vekslingen mellom tre og fire bak forvirrer tydeligvis motstanderen, og gir særlig Dallas mye rom fremover i perioder. Han er da også veldig flink til å kombinere med medspillerne, ofte på en touch.
Harrison har herjet på venstresida tidlig i sesongen, noe Stoke tydeligvis hadde lagt merke til, slik at han ikke fikk særlig til rom i går. Da tas det grep, som nevnt i kommentaren over.
Det aller mest imponerende er allikevel samspillet mellom våre midtbanespillere Klich, Kalvin, Forshaw og Pablo. I perioder går ballen mellom disse på en måte som kan se ut som om det er fjernstyrt. Helt utrolig. Og forsvarerne er ikke langt unna; Kiko inkludert her. I tillegg mener jeg å se at Bamford er svært presis i sine flikker og pasninger når han vinner ball feilvendt, noe som tyder på både god teknikk og ikke minst godt blikk. Assisten hans i går viste jo det.
Det er rett og slett utrolig moro å være Leeds-supporter om dagen.

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #658 på: September 12, 2019, 21:17:25 »
Leeds-Live (og LUFCDATA) leverer igjen!
Dette er langt (ta det gjerne etappevis), du er klokere etterpå. :)

DEL 1


Control, create and convert: A detailed look at Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United promotion masterplan


Twitter's @LUFCDATA takes a deep dive into the first month of Leeds United's season

By Chris Taylor (@LUFCDATA)  19:30, 12 SEP 2019


Rarely have international breaks treated Leeds fans better than this one. Still basking in the news of their beloved local hero Kalvin Phillips having signed a new five-year deal, club captain Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas also put pen to paper and signed new contracts this week.

All three players have been remarkably transformed under head coach Marcelo Bielsa, and the trio of new contracts reinforces the significant direction the club have chosen this season - continuity.

Phillips’ new deal, in particular, represents a fantastic coup for the club, especially having spent the entire summer fending off £20m plus bids from Aston Villa and other potential Premier League suitors.
Securing the future of Leeds’ local hero was the news the Elland Road masses had long since waited for, and could prove to be a necessary kickstart following their disappointing home defeat to Swansea before the international break

 
Such had been the club’s statistical dominance in the Championship this season, that there had been a tedious sense of inevitability in the Whites finding familiar ground by faltering at home to the Welsh side before the international break.

Leeds may have relinquished their early grip of first spot in the division following substitute Wayne Routledge’s late winner, but the Elland Road faithful have far too many positive signs to disintegrate any early optimism.


Leeds have produced a series of dominant performances against all six of their league opponents, and if xG were a fair indicator of the club’s authority, then they would have five more points and sit top of the division right about now. Something I will go into more detail about a bit later.

In reality, Leeds’ have collected 13 points from their opening six games, dropping the other five at home following late goals against Nottingham Forest and Swansea. The club’s recent home form gives reason for some concern having reaped just one win from the last seven matches at Elland Road, a run stretching back to the tail end of last season and that extraordinary defeat to Wigan.

It is a striking contrast to Leeds’ away form, having recorded four consecutive away wins at the start of a season for the first time since 1973. Redressing the balance of where future points are yielded quickly goes without saying.

So a consistency with results is needed, but an improvement to the style of football Leeds are playing certainly does not. It’s an exhilarating, electric, all-attacking brand of football that is designed to entertain the masses and enthrall the neutrals.

Leeds are arguably playing the best brand of football outside of the Premier League in England, and have adopted a playing style the club’s fans and hipsters alike adore across the world.
So where are Leeds excelling, where are we faltering, and what (if anything) is so different from last season’s close-but-no-cigar campaign?

Control
Leeds’ remarkable dominance at the start of this season can be contributed to the three ‘C’s - control, create and convert. The immense control Bielsa’s side have maintained throughout each of their opening six matches deserves highlighting.

Leeds have shown the same aggression and intensity as we have come to expect to see from them so far under Bielsa, but are giving the ball away less often, and are starving their opponents of possession to an even greater extent.

 
Leeds’ improvement in the first six matches to that made twelve months ago is worth pouring over. Two of the most significant metrics, points and goals may be down, but we have seen chances created increase by 33.9%, chances conceded down by 46.7%, possession up 7%, touches up 15.1%, ball recoveries up 15.4%, take-ons increase by 62.9%, successful passes are up 27.5%, final third passes up 9.4%, pass accuracy up 5%, shot attempts up 38% and our xG raised by a whopping 89.2%. Now these numbers are seriously quite something.

Increasing Leeds’ possession share from last season’s 60% average is no easy task in the Championship, a division awash with possession-driven managers, but Bielsa’s squad have enforced a 7% increase to 67%, only Fulham (68.3%) have managed a higher percentage share of the ball in the division.

Sceptics will no doubt argue that possession doesn’t win games, but Leeds have shown they intend to have possession with purpose. Scott Parker’s Fulham side may have enjoyed the highest share of the ball, but they are averaging 59 passes per chance created this season. Leeds have been much more creative with the ball, conjuring up a chance every 43 passes.

On the ball, Leeds are averaging 15.3 passes per minute of possession in 2019/20, an increase on 14.2 last season. Fulham may well have made the most passes per minute of possession (17.6), but the Cottagers are simply not as creative as Bielsa’s outfit.

Leeds’ increased possession share has had a dramatic impact on helping to tighten control on games by restricting opponents to having less of the ball and conceding fewer chances. Leeds’ control has evidently minimised the threat posed by opposing sides. So far, the club have conceded the fewest goals in the division (3), kept 3 league clean sheets and faced the fewest shots on-target (11) in the division.
Leeds have also allowed just 21 successful opposition passes to be into the penalty area, the lowest tally in the Championship. When a side is conceding just 3.5 successful passes per game into your penalty area, you know your defensive strategy is working effectively across the board.

 
Inspired by SofaScore’s superb Attack Momentum feature, I mocked up a Momentum chart (above) for Leeds’ first six league matches this season, in chronological order from left to right. Leeds (in white) have conceded minimal concessions and have controlled large periods of their matches.

Leeds’ opponents (in red) have created just 24 chances between them (average of 4 per game), with Bristol City enjoying the most dominant phase of play in the first match of the campaign. The white peaks on the graph help emphasise just how much dominance Leeds have enjoyed so far, and a deliberate trend that looks very much set to continue.

The Rosario-born head coach recently emphasised how his side were not conceding possession easily, something the numbers also support. Leeds’ first six opponents last season made 80 interceptions collectively, a number that has significantly dropped by 26.3% to 59 in Bielsa’s second season in charge.
At this stage last season, Leeds had conceded 45 opposition chances, a figure that has dropped by 47% to just 24 this campaign. Our expected goals against value (xGA) was 5.5 after six matches 12 months ago, that has also seen a sharp 38% drop to just 3.4. These are huge gains without the ball.

 
Bielsa reinforced the point that his side are no longer a team that gives possession away cheaply. When it comes to ball losses, Leeds lost 104.5 per 90 minutes last season, a number that has dramatically dropped to 95.8 per 90 this season.

All positive signs that Bielsa has tightened the reins and shortened the possibilities of dropping points. After an intense pre-season, the players also look F***er, sharper and leaner, with the vast majority of them now well versed in the gospel of Bielsista.

Two standout performers who have excelled early on are Kalvin Phillips and Ben White. The Leeds duo are excelling with their distribution, completing more successful passes than any other players aged under 24 in the Championship this season (Phillips 348, White 346).


The Jewel in Bielsa’s Crown

Kalvin Phillips has the adoration of the entire club fan base, a local lad who has been at the club since the age of 14 and has become £20m+ midfield enforcer. His enormous progression under the stewardship of the Argentine head coach has been the most impressive in the squad.

So much so, that Phillips is now widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in England outside of the Premier League, and a potential future England international.

This season he looks even more polished as part-deep lying defensive midfielder, part-third centre-back. He sets the pace and tone to Leeds’ possession, protecting the back line, patrolling midfield, turning over possession, and constantly recycling the ball with an ever meticulous array of passing. Yet we have barely scratched the surface of his true value and contribution to this side.

Phillips has made 403 total passes this season, more than any Championship midfielder in 2019/20. Fulham duo Alfie Mawson (573) and Tim Ream (540) are the only divisional players who have attempted more. Phillips is not only excellent with the ball, he is a supreme ball-winner who has won 28 tackles, more than any other Championship player this season.

 
Bielsa often entrusts Leeds’ number 23 to play a very specific role in matches, to man-mark an opposing number 10 and nullify their threat. Just ask Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish, who created just 1 opportunity and failed to make a single touch inside Leeds’ penalty area when the two sides met in April.
The 23-year-old has also made 49 ball recoveries, more than any other player at the club in 2019/20. Phillips’ rapid development He averaged just 32.5 passes per game in 2017/18 pre-Bielsa, compared with 67.4 this season. His pass accuracy has increased from 72.4% to 86.4%, long ball passes have gone up from 2.1 to 7.3 per game, and tackles won have risen from 2.6 to 4.7 per game.

He also made 10.4% of Leeds’ total passes last season, the largest share by any player at the club. He also made the most ball recoveries (321) and won the most tackles for Leeds last season.
Leeds have won 113 tackles this season, the 4th-highest figure in the division, a number that is understandably lower at 18.8 per game compared to the 19.6 made last season due to the club’s increased possession share.

The Emergence of Ben White
Leeds have enforced an increase on the 9.9 interceptions per game they made last season to 10.8 in the current campaign. The club were ranked 15th for this metric in 2018/19, but are now up to fourth with a total of 65.

Ben White, the club’s loan signing from Brighton, has been largely responsible for that having made a staggering 38% of them. The talented ball-playing centre-back has earned rave reviews following a series of imposing performances, and his stats are equally as impressive.
White has made 25 interceptions in six Championship appearances, the best tally in the division, and 9 more than any other Championship defender (who as it happens is fittingly the player he replaced in Pontus Jansson with 16).

 
The 21-year-old, who has yet to make a senior start for Brighton, has made a meteoric rise through the divisions following loan spells with Newport County in League Two and Peterborough in League One over the last two seasons.

This year, he has arguably been Leeds’ standout performer in the Championship. The young defender’s stellar form was recognised by being awarded the PFA Fans' Championship Player of the Month for August. The first of many if he maintains this form.

White’s style of play blends a mix of calmness and intelligence, and is one that fits perfectly within Bielsa’s expansive style of play. Reminiscent of a young Jonathan Woodgate, nothing seems to faze him. We have already been treated dummies, take-ons, perfectly weighted long forward passes into the final third, timely interceptions and crucial last-ditch blocks. A perfect defensive partner for club captain Liam Cooper.

 
The Leeds head coach expects nothing less than his centre-backs being exceptional distributors of the ball, something that comes naturally to White. The Dorset-born defender has completed 87.6% of his passes in the Championship this campaign, only Adam Forshaw (90.8%) has a higher percentage for the club by players having made more than three league starts.

The defender’s technical ability has enabled him to attempt 84 progressive passes this season, no Championship player under the age of 22 has managed more. White continues to excel in several metrics across the division. The talented centre-back has also made a total of 44 ball recoveries this season, only Kalvin Phillips has made more for Leeds (49).

 
White has also completed 346 successful passes, which is the most by any Championship player under 24, and he is also amongst the top 4 players in the division for most ball progressions (446).
Few envisaged him to be an automatic starter for Marcelo Bielsa’s promotion hopefuls, yet he has slotted in flawlessly into the first eleven and made that spot his own, and has already helped keep four clean sheets. Bielsa even turned to White when trailing 0-2 to Stoke at home in the Carabao Cup, coming on at half-time in place of Jamie Shackleton to shore up the defensive line. He ensured Leeds did not concede again that night.

 
Bielsa was at a loss to explain how he thought opposing managers would set up their teams to play his Leeds side by playing on the counter and exploiting individual mistakes. Such a negative strategy goes against every fibre of the managerial cult figure’s philosophy. The Argentine is a bold, revolutionary coach with an obsession for attacking football.

Arguably Leeds’ most impressive defensive performance this season came during their 1-0 victory over Brentford. The Bees failed to register a single shot from inside Leeds' penalty area, and completed just one pass into the penalty area. Thomas Frank’s side registered an xG of just 0.24, and failed to complete a successful cross from open play throughout the game.

Bielsa’s plan effectively neutralised a tough opponent for the duration of the entire game. Reducing a well regarded side with an attractive, attacking style of play to such a minimal offensive output is some achievement, and one that requires an enormous amount of planning, preparation and execution to achieve.

The former Chile manager’s match plan against Swansea did not provide the same outcome, but Leeds will not deviate from their style of play. Stuart Dallas said the same following Leeds’ first league defeat of the season: “We’re not going to change our way, we’re going to continue to play, continue to pass and move, we just couldn’t get that final touch.”

 
Leeds’ relentless high pressing of opponents certainly won’t change anytime soon. Wyscout’s Challenge Intensity metric can fairly depict how effective a team’s pressing can be, and combines duels, tackles and interceptions per minute of an opponent’s time in possession. Leeds have a Challenge Intensity value of 8.7 this season, only Barnsley (9.1) can better that. That is a slight reduction on the 9.3 made last season, which was the highest in the division, but a small decrease that is in line with the club’s increased possession share.

Tell me - I've got to know
Tell me - Tell me before I go
Does that flame still burn, does that fire still glow
Or has it died out and melted like the snow
Tell me  Tell me

Dylan

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Sv: Tema: Den store spillestil tråden!
« Svar #659 på: September 12, 2019, 21:19:16 »
DEL 2


Create
The Whites are the most creative side in the Championship, with Bielsa setting up his Leeds side to attack relentlessly, keeping the ball deep in the opposition half and creating a plethora of chances in the final third of the pitch. Leeds having constructed 79 chances (68 short, 11 long) in their opening six matches, 6 more than second-most West Brom (73).

 
Leeds also topped the creative metrics last season, with the club’s Spanish playmaker Pablo Hernandez producing a total of 122 chances created last season, more than any other player in the division. An extraordinary number that breaks down to 3.1 chances made per 90 minutes. Leeds fans can count themselves incredibly fortunate to have him in our ranks for another season.

In February, Bielsa described his playmaker has someone 'who makes the game more fluid. He has the skill to put the ball in the zone where it’s more difficult for the opponent to recover it. His calm and serenity help us a lot.'

Another player Leeds heavily rely upon for creative inspiration is Polish international midfielder Mateusz Klich. He has created 17 chances this season, only Reading’s John Swift has accumulated more (23). All 17 of those chances were created from open play (17), more than any other player in the division.
To say Klich plays an instrumental role in this Leeds side would be a criminal understatement.

He also brings out the best in Pablo Hernandez, and has conjured up 6 of his 17 chances for the former Valencia winger this season, more than any other player at the club.

The 29-year-old is an incredibly athletic, industrious midfielder who plays a leading role as the key link between Harrison, Forshaw, Hernandez and Bamford in the middle and final third of the pitch.

 
Klich’s energy, movement and work rate can often go unnoticed. His constant movements find pockets of space in which to receive the ball or to pressurise opponents. The former FC Twente midfielder ranks fourth in the Championship for expected assists with 2.07. Klich’s intelligence with the ball is a key ingredient in this side, having made 14 deep completion passes, only teammate Pablo Hernandez has accumulated more in the division (16).

 
The Polish international has an enviable record of having been directly involved in 20 goals in 54 appearances (league and play-offs) for Leeds. A splendid return for a player who scored 10 goals in a single campaign for the first time in his career last season.

There is no greater compliment from Bielsa than to have played Klich in every league match since his appointment. A remarkable contrast to being frozen out and sent on loan to FC Utrecht by Thomas Christiansen two years previously.

Leeds unsurprisingly top several creative and attacking metrics, including having attempted more passes in the final third (409) than any other side in the division, 69.7% of which were successful.
Last season, Pablo Hernandez completed the most successful final third passes in the division (835). Klich also ranked in the top five players for the same metric with 666 passes.

This campaign, Leeds will likely continue to share the workload of chance creation rather than predominantly relying upon Hernandez and Klich to supply with ammunition. Jack Harrison is the third-most creative player at the club this season with 9 chances, Gjanni Alioski, Kalvin Phillips and Stuart Dalllas are next with 6 each.

The club’s current full-backs, Gjanni Alioski and Stuart Dallas, have created 11 chances between them, are naturally expected to increase that tally as the season progresses given their advanced positioning and contribution in attacking phases. It was no coincidence that both Dallas and Alioski registered their names on the scoresheet in the same game against Stoke, with Bielsa keen to maximise the output of his wing-backs going forward.

Summer signing Helder Costa has already provided three assists across all competitions this season, despite being reduced to an impact in the first month of the season. He is a tantalising prospect for Leeds, and a player that opponents fear the worst coming up against him. You would expect to see his contribution rise substantially in the coming weeks and months given his immense quality in direct style of play in wide areas.

Leeds have created 14 big chances created, 3 more than any other Championship side. Opta define a big chance created as “a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one on one scenario or from very close range when the ball has a clear path to goal and there is low to moderate pressure on the shooter.”

Leeds also top the rankings for progressive passes in the Championship, racking up 579, 52 more than next placed Brentford. WyScout defines a progressive pass as “a pass that considerably moves the ball forward towards the opposition goal (30+ metres if it starts or finishes in own half, 15+ metres if the start and finishing points are in different paths, and 10+ metres in the opposition half).” A very specific metric, but a key one that helps us identify what types of passes the club are playing frequently. Bielsa’s side will regularly look to play fast, vertical passes between the lines to bypass their opponents.

 
Stuart Dallas and Liam Cooper signing their new deals at Leeds United (Image: Leeds United)
Stuart Dallas’s form has been inspiring since coming back into the side in February following a fractured foot injury. He will be relishing life at the club right now, and is a popular figure at the club who thoroughly deserves his new contract.

Liam Cooper was full of praise for best friend and teammate Dallas this week: “He amazes me and the boys. I don't think there's a position he can't play, I reckon he'd be decent in goal to be honest. He’d play with one leg if he had to, that's the type of player he is.‬”

Versatile Dallas has played an instrumental role at right wing-back for Leeds this season, and has made more progressive passes than any other Leeds player. He has made 90 in total, a figure only bettered by Fulham's Alfie Mawson (98). Unsurprisingly, Pablo Hernandez ranks fourth on the list with 85; Ben White ranks 13th (68) and Kalvin Phillips is 23rd-highest (57).

Leeds have also produced 51 smart passes this season, more than any other English second tier side. Wyscout defines a smart pass as “something more than a simple pass. There has to be some idea in the pass, something creative, when the player is cutting the lines and winning some advantage for his teammates with this pass, leading them in good position to attack. The pass should be between 2-3 opposite players.”

Pablo Hernandez has made 25 smart passes in the Championship this season, more than any other player in the division and accounts for 49% of Leeds’ total smart passes in 2019/20. Mateusz Klich is next on the list with 6 (joint-18th highest in the division). Hernandez also completed the most for this metric last season, producing 132 in total or 3.2 per game.

Bielsa’s Leeds also produce a high volume of through balls, and have executed 10.59 through balls per 90, more than any Championship rival, and a slight increase on their 9.2 per 90 last season.
A good indication of how well Leeds have probed defensive lines with passes are deep completions. These are passes that WyScout define as “forward passes that are played into an area and collected by a teammate 25 yards from the opposition goal.”

Leeds made 70 deep completions, only Brentford have managed more (76). The club’s leading creative duo, Pablo Hernandez and Mateusz Klich, are at the summit of the Championship charts for this metric with 16 and 14 respectively. Jack Harrison also makes it into the top five with 12 deep completions. Once again, reinforcing the belief that Leeds are creating a sufficient quality of chances as well as quantity.
Analysing Leeds’ creative output during our 2-0 win at Wigan, Leeds had an expected goals value of 4.03. To put that into context, that is the highest value in any Leeds match through Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure. By comparison, Wigan had an xG value of 0.39, which statistically defines Leeds’ win at the DW Stadium as our most dominant performance under El Loco.

 
The above chart is a visual representation of the expected goals values in the Championship this season. It places Leeds as the outright best attacking team with an xG rating of 12.3. Again, these are immensely encouraging numbers, with Leeds slightly underperforming against their xG by 2.3 goals.

Significantly, this is an 89.2% increase on Leeds’ xG rating of 6.5 after six matches last season. Defensively, Leeds can also boast a very low expected goals against value of just 3.4, the best defensive numerical value in the division by a considerable distance.

Leeds dominance in attacking phases can be broken down by which positions those phases have been created in. Leeds tend to centre their attacking play around their key conductor Pablo Hernandez, so the majority of the team’s positional attacks are made down the right channel (39%). 34% of Leeds attacks have come down the left flank, with 27% made centrally.

Hernandez has an enormous influence in Bielsa’s side, with most of Leeds’ attacking phases are centred around him. Pablo has adopted an incredibly interesting position for Leeds, predominantly placed on the right flank in theory, but a player who is free to successfully cut inside and create chances in and around the penalty area. That is where he is most effective.

His influence in this Leeds side can also be measured by the amount of space his movement and creativity creates for others. Opponents are often so focused on nullifying his creative output, that he often draws defenders out of position, creating pockets of space on the opposite flank and in central areas for which the likes of Jack Harrison and Mateusz Klich can operate in.

Hernandez and Klich are key cogs in pretty much all of Leeds’ attacking phases. Pablo was Leeds’ standout player last season, picking up the club’s Player of the Year award, despite his inexplicable exclusion from the Championship Team of the Year. Bielsa described him as “someone special in giving the last pass or the instruction of the ball.” Bielsa could not have described him any better.

The 34-year-old creative genius has executed 25 smart passes this season, 11 more than any other Championship player. He has also attempted the most through ball passes (23) in the league.

 
Leeds have so far proved extremely effective at creating a higher quality of chances created, and from various areas on the pitch. Not only are we executing a high volume of deliveries in half spaces around the penalty area, but there is an equal spread of passes played from left, central and right areas.
There is a high correlation of deliveries from both high inside the 18-yard box from the right flank, and deep passes inside the 18 yard box from the left flank. The vast majority of passes have been played into the central zone of the 18-yard box, which correlates with Leeds’ high proportion of central shots made within 12 yards of the opposition goal.

In terms of crosses, there is an exact even split of deliveries from the left and right flanks with 61 deliveries each. Bielsa’s side have attempted 122 crosses in total, a figure only West Brom have surpassed (130).
Leeds have created 18 chances from crosses this season, the third-highest tally in the Championship, although just 26.2% of Leeds’ total crosses have successfully found a teammate, only Reading (24.6) have a lower percentage share.

Leeds have also created 5 chances from corner set-pieces this season, the 10th-best return in the division. A surprisingly low number considering Bielsa’s side have been awarded 40 corners, the third-highest amount in the Championship, behind only Blackburn (46) and West Brom (45).

Leeds have three of the top six Championship players to have completed the most successful final third passes this season. Pablo Hernandez has completed 112 passes in the final third, the most by any Leeds player. Nothing new here, but it is interesting to see Adam Forshaw as the club’s second-highest contributor with (94).

 
The 27-year-old has been in magnificent form for the club this term. He was the F***est player in the squad when the players returned to begin pre-season training, and he has revelled in an integral central midfield role that sees him link defensive and attacking lines.

The former Brentford midfielder has completed an impressive 91% of his passes this season, the highest percentage by any Leeds player to have made more than three league starts. His work rate too has been exceptional. Against Stoke, he managed to make the most touches on the pitch (103), complete 81 of his 87 passes, make 8 ball recoveries, register 3 shots, win 2 tackles and create 2 chances. His all-round game right about now (with the exception of goals) is firmly on point.

If his range of passing has been a joy to watch, his shooting has been incredibly frustrating. We all want to see him to get on the scoresheet, yet Forshaw has yet to score despite having made over 50 competitive appearances for the club. He came mightily close to breaking his duck on four occasions already this season, but has managed just 6 of his 12 efforts on-target. Surely it is only a matter of time before a goalless run that stretches back to April 2016 comes to an end.

In the meantime, Forshaw is relishing playing under Bielsa, absorbing every bit of information to his benefit. He has nothing but praise for his revered head coach: “He's improved me as a player, definitely. He's making me feel like I would to like to be a manager. He's brought a lot of things to my game which I feel I could take into management one day. He's made me feel about the game differently.”
Convert

So we know Leeds are the most creative side in the division. The Whites have also attempted 106 shots, more than any side in the English second tier this season. So why aren’t they top of the Championship?

 
Leeds have significantly increased their efforts on goal thanks to the bountiful supply of chances from several key players. Bielsa’s side are averaging 17.7 shots per game, up from 17.2 average throughout the whole of 2018/19.

Leeds have attempted 40 of those shots from outside the box this season, only Cardiff have managed more (41), naturally the xG values and chances of scoring are reduced given that 38% of their total efforts are registered from some considerable distance.

Closer to goal, Leeds have registered the most shots from inside the six-yard box (12) in the division this season, and as a result have scored a divisional high 5 goals from the same area. We have seen a substantial increase in shot attempts from the six-yard box compared with last season, averaging 2 shots per 90 compared with 1.1 last season.

Perhaps Bielsa has taken a leaf out of Chris Wilder’s blueprint at Sheffield United last year. The Blades sealed promotion having registered the most efforts in the six-yard box (80) in 2018/19. No side scored more goals than Wilder’s side (25) from the same zone. Two words: Billy Sharp.

Leeds have scored 10 goals this campaign, which is the joint-fifth highest tally in the division. Five of those goals (50%) have been scored in the six-yard box, the most by any side in the division. A significant rise in close-range finishes when compared to the 27% of goals Leeds converted inside the six-yard box in 2018/19.

 
Tell me - I've got to know
Tell me - Tell me before I go
Does that flame still burn, does that fire still glow
Or has it died out and melted like the snow
Tell me  Tell me

Dylan