Marcelo Bielsa Leeds
Can you explain just how your side’s performance level dropped off so much compared to the last games today?
Fundamentally, it was due to a certain sector on the pitch where we couldn’t prevent their three centre-backs from playing the ball out cleanly, nor could we overcome them.
In 93 minutes you haven’t tested the goalkeeper. Was that down to there being a disjointedness between the goalkeeper and the centre-forward? Or is it more complex than that?
Our game in attack was very weak. I always think that when we don’t attack well or defend well, it’s a collective problem. The passing from back to front wasn’t clean, nor could we win the ball back in their half, so we could find them a little bit more unorganised because they were very organised. Their three centre-backs protected the wide areas. They protected the backs of their two defensive midfielders and they always managed to bring the ball out when the goalkeeper didn’t go long.
No Kalvin Phillips and no Helder Costa today, can you explain why they were missing today?
Kalvin received a knock which created a hematoma behind his knee. And Helder had a knock in his spine and it left him out of the game. It was a knock that he received in the game against Manchester United which forced him off in that game.
Patrick Bamford had no real service today and struggled to get into the game – was there anything he could have done differently to affect that?
No, I think not. We had a problem in the creation prior to the ball reaching Patrick, where he had no influence and he could not receive the ball in positions where he can cause harm to the opponent. When we can’t overlap outwide and when we can’t give the pass from the centre from a closer distance, it is difficult for him to shine.
You spoke pressure being invaluable before the game – how do you keep the pressure on when the team have already made themselves safe so comfortably?
Not to be relegated wasn’t our target. It was one of the possibilities that we had to vanish. And after that every game is an obligation to compete at the maximum level.
Sorry, but we did not hear the answer regarding Kalvin Phillips and Helder Costa – do you mind repeating yourself?
Phillips received a knock in the posterior part of his knee. And Helder Costa received a very big knock in his back and this impeded him from playing the game today. The knock he received was in the game against Manchester United where he was substituted.
What did you make today of Robin Koch as the defensive midfielder? I know you’ve said many times he’s capable of playing there, but what did you think of his actual performance today, in obviously what was a difficult day for the whole team?
I think he played well. It was very difficult for anyone to shine according to how the collective play went. But I tell you, it’s very difficult to play well, but he didn’t play badly in a collective performance that was in the medium, it was not easy.
In terms of that performance today, how disappointed are you with the amount of chances that you conceded to Brighton? Danny Welbeck scored, but he could have had another two as well?
Our offensive game was weak today. I always hope the idea that we can compromise the opponent more by creating more danger.
You’ve come up against so many top managers during your long and distinguished managerial career, including some of the most famous managers in the world. What do you make of Graham Potter, he seems to be a manager who is really making waves within the managerial game and obviously within two matches this season he’s got the better of you? What do you think his strengths are?
The team that he manages has a lot of variants. They attack and defend in different manners. They are a team who manage the ball well and they recover the ball well, too.
What was the thought process behind substituting Aloiski off at half-time? Was it because of his performance in the first half or was it tactical to try and change things up?
I wanted to position natural winger on the right-hand side because in the first half we were able to get to that sector easily. And I thought that Dallas playing from a deeper position could create a little bit more.
Is it enough for your team to be recognised as great entertainers if you have nothing to show for it at the end of the season?
Every time that any professional football team plays they have the commitment to entertain their fans and any spectator who is watching. Any team has the obligation to entertain.
