MARSCHING ON TO OBLIVION When I studied Change Management as a key part of my Masters Degree, there was a simple conclusion I came to. If your strategy wasn’t being implemented correctly, or the culture you were trying to create wasn’t taking hold, you had a decision to make. My paper on Change Management came down to this simple conclusion. If you can’t change the people, change the people. When Leeds hired Bielsa they hired his vision as to how a football club should be run, what it’s culture should look like and the type of football it should play and teach. It was a glorious example how “change management” can work when everyone buys into the new strategy. Those who couldn’t cope with the change at Leeds, and those who wouldn’t embrace it, were moved on as soon as possible. Those who stayed bought into the Bielsa vision and committed to it fully, no questions asked. Any new joiners were absolutely clear as to what they were walking in to, and they did so with gusto. That first game under Bielsa when Leeds destroyed promotion favourites Stoke showed what proper change can do. The players were transformed, Elland Road was stunned and English football looked on in fear and admiration. Bielsa had managed to implement his system in just six weeks, and the players had responded to his genius. THE BIG IMPROVEMENT When Leeds decided, still unfairly in my opinion, to sack Bielsa, the Board promised us a continuance of the Bielsa vision. The club believed the Bielsa way was the culture they wanted as their foundation to build upon, and in Marsch they were appointing the perfect person to take the club forward. Marsch was brought in to kick on and improve the team, to build on the foundations laid by Bielsa and to push the club to better things. He was held up as the next big thing, the person who had the work ethic to continue Bielsa’s work. Exciting, high energy football was promised, in other words Bielsa Ball with a few tweaks to improve defensively. Eleven months into the Marsch era and it’s clear that Leeds have gone backwards. There has been no improvement, the football is a mess and the players are still playing without any real clarity. It seems like Marsch Ball hasn’t fully been bought into by the squad, and that’s a worry. After the latest defeat at a very poor Villa, Marsch bemoaned the fact that his players were still playing with fear, incapable of coping in the big moments and lacking composure. He wanted them to be braver in how they employed his tactics and system. Marsch believes that if the players were fearless, his tactics would work. Big red flag right there. Marsch is basically saying that the players aren’t fully committed to his system just yet, and after eleven months in charge you have to ask why? Is it because Marsch can’t get his message across, or is it because the system simply isn’t effective in the Prem, regardless of the personnel? To help aid the narrow system Marsch favours, he’s brought in players he worked with before. This is common practice in business. When a new CEO comes in, he/she’s usually been brought in to help the company to change course. One of the first moves the new CEO makes is to bring in people they previously worked with, like a Finance Director or a Sales Director. They surround themselves with people who understand them, and who are able to assist them in implementing change. These people become the CEO’s voice, relaying his strategy and culture to the staff. Marsch has brought in his voices in the dressing room and on the pitch, but the change hasn’t happened. IT’S THE SYSTEM, STUPID The reason there hasn’t been any improvement under Marsch is down to one thing and one thing only, the narrow ball system simply doesn’t work. Marsch’s insistence to overload the middle and leave the flanks wide open is causing Leeds all manner of problems. Firstly, when in possession it’s hard for Leeds to find a forward pass with which to build an attack. Everything’s congested in front of the defenders, and the two DMs also see very few options in front of them. The result is a lot of sideways and backwards passes as players probe for openings that don’t come. Eventually a hopeful ball is knocked up the park only to see it come straight back. Secondly, out of possession becomes a nightmare very quickly. Opponents tend to find an easy out ball to the flanks, relieving any pressure Leeds were building and giving them the space to launch a fast counter attack if they are so inclined. This causes overloads against our full backs, and allows opponents to get extra runners from deep to get into the Leeds box. Spurs scored their winner because a midfielder had the space to run onto the ball late, space created from an overload out wide. It’s very hard to defend when your full backs have two runners exposing them, and then late runners are getting into the box for the cross or cut back. In fact, this was the cornerstone of Bielsa Ball, rapid counters out wide with late runs from deep. Marsch Ball has been shown up badly in the Prem, even a poor Cardiff team without nine regulars had it beat while they were brave enough to attack it. It seems to be a very naïve system, and it just isn’t working. To compound matters even further, Marsch made the ridiculous statement that “balls to the back post” were something new for him, and clearly “a tactic used in the Prem.” Really? IN SPITE OF HIM Leeds are where they are in the table right now not because of Marsch, but in spite of him. The sheer will and determination of the players have kept the team afloat thus far, not the tactics. For Marsch to claim after the Villa loss that the team was improving and his tactics were starting to work is either deluded or a smoke screen. His claim that the Villa game was the most complete performance since he’s been in charge is madness. Leeds were only in the game at Villa because Gnonto decided to buck Marsch’s system and go hunting out wide. It was this width that started to open up space for Leeds to play in. Gnonto’s speed and trickery caused mayhem in the Villa defence, and their midfield got sucked deeper as they tried to cope with his devastating runs. Gnonto basically showed Marsch how much more effective Leeds were playing with width. Let’s be clear about this, without the players improvising during games, the team would be bottom of the table right now. Gnontos’ decision to look for space out wide at Liverpool, and then finding the cross for the winner was the difference in that game. Gnontos’ decision to run 40 yards against Bournemouth to set up Cry for the winner was critical. That’s four points right there in spite of the system, not because of it. In fact, the win at Brentford on the final day last season was down to the players going prime Bielsa Ball and playing with Raphinha and Harrison as out and out wingers. They ignored Marsch’s tactics and went for it, driving the Leeds full backs forward on overlaps and pinning Brentford back with high tempo attacks out wide. Brentford struggled to cope, and let’s be clear about this, Thomas Frank desperately wanted to relegate Leeds that day. Leeds survived in spite of Marsch, not because of him. NOW WHAT? Two wins in seventeen games is a huge concern. It shows that the system is broken, and it needs changing. It doesn’t matter who plays, the system is too flawed to be effective. Changing the players isn’t the answer. Marsch and his coaching team surely must see what everyone else is seeing. Opposition managers know how to set up against narrow ball, and in most cases they don’t really have to change a lot. Get the ball to the full backs and build attacks down the Leeds flanks. Easy. Will Marsch admit that his system is doomed, or will he continue to drive the team to “perform better” and prove that his system can work, eventually? In the harsh world of the Prem you don’t have eleven months to implement your strategy. If it’s not working after three months it's never going to work. Two wins in seventeen games is the only stat that matters right now, and the Board have to take this poor run seriously. Leeds have a very talented pool of players, they’re just not being used properly. Ask yourself this question. How many other top managers do you see using the same system Marsch does? Now ask yourself why they don’t use it! The Leeds faithful were promised improvement under Marsch, exciting football and progress. None of this has materialised. Maybe it’s time for the Board to look at how they can get their vision back on track. Marsch is a positive thinker and has a good work ethic. I like this a lot, it's part of the Leeds culture the Board want at the club. His tactics are naive, and his dogged determination to stick with it when it's failing is the team's undoing. Maybe the answer is simple. If you can’t change the manager, change the manager.
Great post Billy I see Marsch may be in a position to be able to blag it shortly and say now that he has Sinisterra, Bamford, Summerville, Rutter all available things can turn around, also believe the board know they screwed up but backing him with big cash in hope….l
Great stuff Billy. Do you think Marsche can adapt his tactics though and become successful ? As it looks like we're soon going to be loaded with plenty of attacking talent then surely a similar approach to Forest where we block and then strike on the counter would yield better results. Or is Jesse not for changing and will continue to always want to pressurize the opponent in their own half ? Also interesting that during the Villa home fixture, when we had to sit back after the sending off, we actually looked half decent defensively.
Aston Villa’s defence was awful yet they mainly held out because they had time. They weren’t running back and forth between penalty areas, they had time to watch the game in front of them. They had time to make a decision and most of the time they’re all facing the right way. Our defence is always caught on the fast counter, they’re having to run towards their own goal, often being pulled out of position and with little to no time to make a decision. Most of their energy burst is used up in that lung busting sprint back
if Marsch tweaks his tic-tacs this team has the potential to fly ... the high press becomes a problem when it is bypassed too easily down our flanks ... not sure he will change, he seems hell-bent on proving to the world that his way is the right way ... such a shame, because Marsch has the potential to be a Prem manager, he's just letting his ego rule right now
An amazing post pal, but it's time to spice things up, and here are my thoughts as devils advocate. Bielsa deserves kudos and respect for what he achieved at Elland Road in his first few seasons, but I feel many fans continued to blindly follow him, even after the wheels well and truly came off. Fans are criticising Marsch for not changing his tactics, yet Bielsa's tactics and team selection were so transparent, he used to reveal the starting line up in his pre-match presser. We need to remember how stubborn and resistant to change Bielsa was; even after the Senior members of the squad tried to hold a secret meeting with him, begging him to change his ways. In order to 'kick on, and improve the team', Marsch needs to get rid of the Bielsa rejects, and have time to build his own squad. Every single one of Marsch's players has been a hit, bearing in mind their transfer fees). That's more than could be said about (JKA, Dan James, Kiko Casilla, Helda Costa, Barry Douglas and Junior Firpo). In fact, the only positive signings during his reign were Meslier and Rodrigo. The Argentine refused to kick on, following our maiden season back in the top flight after we finished 9th, and keep faith with his ageing squad, even though we only had one recognised striker on our books (Bamford), and look what happened to him. Fortunately for Leeds, Marsch has gotten more out of Rodrigo, than all his previous Managers in his career (in top flight football). How we didn't get more from the Villa game, I'll never know, but whilst the team is fighting tooth and nail for the cause, we need to stick with Marsch.
We didn’t get something from the Villa game because we can’t defend. Pretty simple, you let in two or more every game you tend to lose matches. Hope that helps
Ok, what do 3 out of the 4 Leeds defenders have in Common? They're all Bielsa's!!!! Bielsa's record last season Conceded 60 goals in 26 games Marsch's record. Conceded 33 goals in 18 games this season and 18 goals from his 12 games last season.
To add to that. We are consistently 'in' games. The goal difference shows that. Unfortunately we are on the wrong side of too many 50/50 games. Some of that is bad luck, some of it is the system we play which encourages this basketball end to end stuff and some of it is pure and simply individual errors in dangerous areas both up top and more importantly brain farts at the back. We've still lost too many games and ultimately it's a results based business. We've signed Wober who should help the troublesome left side defence. We've signed Rutter who has that X factor that can turn games. The emergence of Summerville and Gnonto as attacking threats with pace gives us a really exciting front line full of pace and power. This on top of Rodrigos form and the possible return of (imo) our best player Sinisterra. I hate to put the mockers on him but usually when Bamford gets a goal he goes on a run of goalscoring before resorting to missing again. Rumours are we are after a Klich upgrade which should pressure Adams and Roca. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. I'm full of optimism, especially if Wober turns out to be a success.
The worry for me, which showed as soon as Bamford came on, on Friday, when he plays, Rodrigo isn't the same player. Bamford should only be a sub from now on, Rodrigo is a better finisher, and with Rutter being able to hold the ball up well and a good link up player, he would probably suit, tucking in just behind Rod, 2 of Sinisterra, Summerville or Gnonto, either side of him
Ayling and Cooper were inherited by Bielsa, they are arguably the best of the bunch (Defenders) that we currently have and that’s thanks to being coached by Bielsa
The beauty of it is that Rodrigo, Rutter, Summerville, Sinisterra, Aaronson and Gnonto can all play as a playmaker in behind. You can even throw Joffy and Greenwood in there in case of emergency. Then you have Rodrigo, Rutter, Bamford all can play all out 9's backed up by Sinisterra and Gnonto. I'm so excited to watch our attacking plays now. Full of pace, trickery and power. We are a right handful....and that will win us games. I'm not going to argue about the defending and whose fault it ultimately is but if we can just tighten up a smidgeon at the back we will be a heck of a team. And a young team at that. If the 49ers can come in and commit to keeping some of these youngsters together then we are in for some cracking football over the next few years. This season is, and always was, about staying in this division.
We're bang in the middle of a transitional period after Bielsa. Alot of the new signings have worked. We still have alot of players to sell/release. The likes of Poveda, Roberts, Shackleton, McCallmont, James, Forshaw and eventually Cooper, Ayling, Joffy, Llorente, Struijk. This is the dangerous time for the club but if we get over this season it's game on if we get some cash in to the club.
Hardly World beaters. Cooper held his own in the top flight for one season, and isn't even a regular for Scotland. It was Bielsa that awarded Cooper, Ayling, Dallas etc new long term lucrative deals, two years past their sell by date
