Marcelo Bielsa ‘leaves Leeds’ just hours after Tottenham loss with top replacement eyed | Football | Sport
Marcelo Bielsa has apparently left Leeds United just hours after his side were thumped 4-0 at home by Tottenham. The Argentine had been widely tipped to depart Elland Road as the Whites fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Bielsa arrived in Yorkshire in 2018 and led his side to the Championship play-off semi-finals in his first season in charge.
But Leeds were beaten over two legs by Derby County and Bielsa had to contend with a second season in England’s second tier.
Bielsa soon delivered a recipe for success and Leeds stormed to the Championship title in the 2019/20 season as they finished 10 points ahead of runners-up West Bromwich Albion.
And the side carried their good form into the Premier League as they secured a top-half finish last season.
Leeds were expected to kick-on during this campaign under a boss who took charge of Argentina for six years and Chile for three-and-a-half years.
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Their defeat to Spurs came just days after they were humbled 6-0 by Liverpool. Earlier this month they were defeated 4-2 by Manchester United after a 3-0 reverse against Everton.
And in December they were embarrassed by Manchester City, who beat them 7-0, before Arsenal won 4-1 at Elland Road.
Leeds have now conceded 60 Premier League goals this season and have the worst defensive record in the top flight.
And it was clearly felt that Bielsa wouldn’t be able to rectify the side’s long list of issues.
“Obviously it’s not just this game but a succession of results,” Bielsa said after Saturday’s defeat.
“And against these type of results there’s no way of not feeling badly. I can’t deny that we’re not getting what we used to get.
“Clearly I have to think about what I’m proposing – it’s not that they don’t want to do it, they’re just not managing to do it.
“And sincerely I say it with total honesty, it’s not the lack of decision, decisiveness or implication.
“When the process doesn’t give the expected results it’s natural that the one who’s taking it forward starts to lose confidence, so it’s a consequence that’s expected.”
