MB'S PRESS CONFERENCES

Leeds United news here, transfer rumours, club affairs, players, fans, etc.
Specific match discussions should go in the category below.
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Re: MB'S PRESS CONFERENCES

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Bielsa's here - unfortunate not to have taken something?

I don’t want to underestimate the victory of the opponent. If we analyse the game we can’t be satisfied, but we are disappointed about the result.

If the opinion is we deserved to draw I had a different opinion on it. What happened today happened many times in past games.

To explain it again after such an important loss at home with our fans and our first half hour was very good.

We conceded the last 10 minutes of the first half. We have less quality in the second half, but we dominated them and had the feeling we were dangerous.

The chances we had to score were built by ourselves without receiving the help of the luck or a contribution from the opponent.

We had three chances to score more than the opponent, but they scored the goal and after having undergone so many situations like today’s I don’t feel I have the right to explain how unfair the result is.

How long will Casilla be banned?

I don’t know. Usually I don’t express an opinion on the behaviour of the referees. This action should have been judged and taken into account with the help Kiko gave. For a player to get a red card means he is the only one who can solve a problem. We’ll see if he was the last one behind or not. I don’t think we are to include the referee in the evaluation of the game.

How significant does this result feel?

Nobody can say it’s a crucial result because there are still 24 points at stake. We can’t say this result is crucial. At the same time, we can’t deny the importance of this game. It was important. We lost it, but it’s not crucial.

Pontus Jansson's injury?

I don’t know.
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Re: MB'S PRESS CONFERENCES

Post by D4LEEDS »

The result today was crucial as Norwich will now almost certainly top the league. I believe we are better than SU so still a lot to play for obviously
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Re: MB'S PRESS CONFERENCES

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A change of translator for Bielsa...

Bielsa's usual translator Salim Lamrani is away so the job today falls to Carlos Corberan, the club's first-team and Under-23s coach. A real jack of all trades...

Big defeat last time - any concerns after dropping out of the top two?

Every game is going to be key from this moment.

How have the players reacted since the match?

The focus was preparing the game.

Goalkeeper sent off - solution?

We have full confidence in the participation of the ‘keeper. Of course after the evolution we are going towards this evolution after the game.

Good to play for NI?

Very positive.

Injuries - Roofe?

Roofe is not going to be fit for Millwall, but he will be ready for the next game after that.

Jansson and Forshaw?

Both players are ready for Millwall.

Racism - your experiences?

It’s like any type of discrimination to anyone, it’s very sad for the people.

Noticed an improvement in recent years?

Now other people are seeing these facts it is more evident.

Carlos and the under-23s - how proud and pleased?

I am very happy about it, for the players, for Carlos especially because he worked to develop these players.

Klich - what suits your play from him?

The merits are now too please about the improvement in the side. Mateusz from last year continued in the club. Victor Orta selected him to be in the squad. Klich worked hard to be a part of the squad,. The previous week before the season started he was insisting trying to move out of the club because he didn’t have space in the team.

This moment the club sold Ronaldo and Forshaw was injured. Baker was with us. Klich was the fourth option for Bielsa and became the first option. With time he was a very good player. He plays in a more difficult position in football. You have to do a lot of things. A mixed midfielder, sometimes right, sometimes left, he has to close down and attack close. He has to know how to attack and defend in the middle.

Not many players can do this, Klich can. He’s in Poland’s team. He is doing everything here now because Victor brought him here. He won his own space in the squad. In the pre-season I used Klich as a centre-back, I didn’t have the right interpretation about Klich.

With this example we are watching a lot of what we do generally for everyone.

Millwall style?

Difficult to face. They have very clear styles. They came from two important games. It’s going to be a hard game, they will use counter-attacks.

Klich wanted to leave?

Yes.

Forshaw was the best player in pre-season. Ronaldo was a talented young player in the club. Baker was the new solution for this position. In this moment we played against Las Palmas, Klich played, then I was thinking Klich was the best. Before that, I thought about moving Klich out because he would be fourth choice.

To have one player as a fourth option in one position is not the best thing because then you are keeping the player and he will not play. Unbelievable his behaviour on the pitch. When something is positive I sometimes say it is better than it is, but there are few players like Klich making so many things in the right way. A lot of players attack and defend like him, make movements like him, they can play both sides too, more in the middle or sides, of all these we have a lot of players, but bind them in the same player is so difficult.

Peacock-Farrell reaction since being dropped?

We can see the improvement in the player. You can win confidence during training. He feel he is going to play the game with success.

Bielsa on wanting a response

"Another thing we have to show against Millwall is we have to show a response.

"We lost in front of our fans, we need to respond. It is something very important. If we analyse only the result then we wouldn't talk about football.

"We have to talk about what we produced and the merits. The analysis of the last game, we could take many positives but we cannot forget about the result."

Bielsa on analysing the Sheffield United defeat

"We have to keep our supporters with us and close to us. We have to try to avoid the part of the game that we cannot control, some analysis we are doing maybe you cannot do it.

"But how we build our options and how the opponent does it. In the last game we created double the chances. 70% of the time we had the ball, it is something very important.

"But if you start to analyse how we helped them create chances and you can see they needed those mistakes."

What impact has Casilla made?

Another thing we have to solve in goal is the effect of the last loss of the team. We lose playing here at home against the two teams in front of us. It’s very important. Something I have said a lot of times, if we analyse only the result we shouldn’t talk about football.

If we talk about football we have to talk about what we produce and the merits, so the analysis of the last game, in producing things it merits a lot. You can say it was very positive. After we cannot forget about the result. For us, the support of the fans is key, but we have to deserve this support, we have to earn it. In the first half of last game the fans made the team feel together with them.

When we starting conceding efforts in the second half, the fans have a memory linking with the difficulty they are suffering from the last few years with the team. We can understand this. The fans showed these doubts from these memories. We felt that in the second half.

We depend a lot on the support of the fans. We have the responsibility to have this feeling with us. I hope in the next game we have the same atmosphere of the previous game. When we went to the pitch and felt the support in the first 35 minutes we created a good five chances.

The team built these chances because they were brilliant for the fans watching. The link between the team and the fans increased our chances. Sometimes, when we have doubts the supporters are feeling this. This is what we have to avoid.

We have to take care and control every detail. We have to keep our fans with us, close to us. We have to avoid the parts we cannot control. Some analysis you cannot do, but how we build our options, and how the opponent build options, in the last game we created double the chances of the opponent.

Seventy per cent of the time we had the ball. This is important. If you analyse how many collaborations the opponent gave us and what we gave them, you can see the opponent needed our help. Our chances didn’t depend on the opponent team.

Do you need to remind the players of all these good things?

It’s important they don’t feel disappointed in one game like that one. What you can criticise is this disappointed feeling. Knowing we have 24 points to play for is positive. We didn’t lose any of our optimism. Our obligation is to play well to win the games. Try to do the things we can in football.

Before the games you can have one feeling and another after.

Any psychological advantage for Blades?

Always I feel uncomfortable looking at the table to analyse others. I am making this analysis, but I don’t want to take merit away from the other team. At the end, they came to Elland Road and won an important game. It’s difficult to think their win gives them an advantage. The thing which creates an optimistic feeling for me is every game we leave forgetting the next games we are going to play. Before any game we have to ask if we are in good conditions to win the game, then you find this answer while watching. The last message was a positive one from the team. Maybe the first 35 minutes against Sheff Utd were the best this year.

Considering what we produced and the quality of the opposition, this was good.

Cooper and Phillips made the EFL team of the year this week

Bielsa: "It's something they deserve. I would not like a different type of player to what we have here."


This is to make analysis, but at the end we lost the game. We have to change the reality of losing at home. We have scored the second most goals and double the chances of every other team in the league. We have had 250 chances to score, the others have been half of this. Top teams score one in three chances, poor teams one goal in five chances, but in the lower part they created 100 chances. We created 250, so the offensive play is the best we have and if we improve our efficiency or had more luck, maybe we have 10 points or more, but this is making analysis.

The real thing is the results. To correct, to improve we have to make this analysis. This evaluation with you is what we are telling the team.

Gary Lineker thinks winger Jack Clarke could play for England. What does Bielsa think?

Bielsa: "Imagine the future. In something like football, at the end it's typical that something totally different happens to what people think. No-one has the link to know what is going to happen."

Bielsa ends with a tribute to Louis van Gaal

"I'll take advantage of this to say something about Louis van Gaal because he finished his career as a coach. All the people who learned from him and my desire is to say thank you to van Gaal about what he learned from him and for all the things that he showed to us."
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Re: MB'S PRESS CONFERENCES

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Team news - Alioski and Roofe?

Roofe is okay. He couldn’t play with the under-23s because this week they didn’t play, but he’s going to be in the squad for the next game. Same with Alioski. Douglas is not going to be with us because of the injury. We say sorry because we are not going to have him with us. We appreciate he was a very brave player in the last game. He had a serious injury, but carried on playing. That is something we will not forget about his behaviour.

Why was Alioski subbed?

Alioski had played two games in the international break. His physical performance, distance covered and attacks and recoveries, was the same as always, but he was not quite as powerful in his speed. For Alioski to have this level is an advantage for us. It was the reason why we changed the player, at the same time, he was seeing a clear improvement in Douglas.

Douglas can give us a solution the team needs.

Bamford - had to encourage him this week?

We have done normal work with him. Bamford is a very serious player to take responsibility in all areas. He has a very strong mind. It’s true it was not his best game last time, but his level of motivation is as it was.

Birmingham at ER - different approach this time?

Birmingham, after they beat us, they started a good, long period. They showed a high level with this team. With good strikers, good wingers and they are very solid in defence. In the first game I didn’t feel all these skills.

After they showed these skills in a long period with us. The fact they beat us is not the only reason for respecting them. We respect them a lot too, because of what they have done all season.

Phillips hooked last time - is that on your mind for this time?

No. We are playing the game in a very different time period. The change was a thing at that one time. I am not thinking about different or similar decisions this time.

Top-two - who are the contenders?

Football teaches us imagining what will happen is very difficult. One of the things of football is the unpredictable aspect. Imagining the future is not easy.

West Brom still in there?

I consider all mathematical possibilities. We cannot predict.

Izzy Brown

Brown had a small injury. He has recovered and will be in contention this weekend.

All over

That’s it from Bielsa.
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How important is it emotionally stay even - and will there be more twists and turns?

The illusions to be in first or second position is a very high motivation because it’s the aim of one year of work.

And in the last part of the season we want to solve this equation.

And our motivation is high.

Quick turn around - any changes? Will Pablo be fit? Is Roofe ready to start?

There are possibilities that Pablo cannot play the game.

Roofe will go in his position if Pablo cannot play.

You play first - opportunity to pressure Blades?

In all the games we are going to play from now until the end they are all must win matches.

Preston expectations?

It’s a different team inside the Championship because they play with a different style. The players they are using are different to what they used before.

Pablo's problem?

He received a hit in the last minute of the previous game, he’s evolution today is positive. We are not going to take any risks if he can make it worse in the match.

Roofe ready to make an impact?

He missed a lot of time away. The minutes in the previous game were minutes with very little space on the pitch.

He has to play to improve his performance. We cannot verify his level in training. He has done a very high work to arrive to the game in very good condition.

You have to put this effort and work into the games. Roofe is a player very focused to come back into the team in his best condition.

Ryan Edmondson - first-team chances?

He’s a very young player. Roofe, Bamford, Tyler Roberts are in his position at the moment. There’s a big difference in experience between these three and Ryan, but he has made a good improvement from the beginning of the season until today.

How much tension and nerves do you feel?

I cannot talk about our team. I never watch the team become overcome by nerves. This team know how to live in difficult moments. They cope well with difficult moments.

As much mental as physical now?

The mind aspect is as important as the physical aspect. A strong mind is needed for a strong physical effort. It’s possible the team needs a strong mind to show their physical abilities. A strong mind means you can use your physical ability.

Impressed with their mental ability?

Sometimes the evidence talks about the team. We can verify my conclusions. You can ensure a strong mind with the capability of the team to manage adversity. You can make sure of this aspect too.
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Re: MB'S PRESS CONFERENCES

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He's here - how good was that?

The first half was the best moment to make an evaluation. Difficult, but we imposed ourselves.

We played against one team who I like how they play. I like their style, their coach and their players. They know their lines. We overcame the opponent with a lot of effort in the first half. The physical tempo was very high.

In the second half we solved this more easily. All the players played at a high level.

Bamford's overall performance assessment?

He adapted very well to one difficult game. He didn’t play well against Millwall. Against Birmingham he increased his performance. Birmingham he had three chances. This is positive for strikers. he improved his previous performance today in the game with two goals and a lot of work.

Relief overriding emotion tonight?

We have to wait until tomorrow.

Will you watch Blades?

He doesn’t know because he’s only interested with the result.

How impressed with players' mental state?

For a long time we are playing better. Maybe the QPR game we didn’t show our level. After this game we showed a positive performance. Birmingham we went down in performance, especially in the last 30 minutes.

The team played like we had all season.

Can't plan for a red card - moments like that help Leeds?

Playing with an extra player is always an important advantage. For two things - to create the advantage in the result and keep it with the passing of minutes. It’s wrong if you think you are playing with an extra man for 45 minutes.

In the first half, 11 v 11, we made a difference in the game.

Would you have won 11 v 11?

In the first half we deserved to win the game because we created four or five chances and they only created one or two. The red card came because they tried to deny a clear chance for Leeds. It’s very difficult to say what would have happened if we changed the conditions.

If we analyse 11 v 11 we were the better team and had the chance to make better opportunities too.

For me, it’s important to play 40 minutes with an extra player. I don’t want to say we won the game because we had an extra man. We had the first half to make this evaluation. We were better in the first half.

How important to go into the final games with fully-fit strikers?

To have all the strikers at a good level, we need to recover Roofe. We need to get him back as soon as possible
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Headache who to pick - no injuries

These types of situations are easy to solve.

Jordan Stevens - how has he impressed you?

The games with the under-23s are always a reference for him. In a previous press conference I was talking about three levels of importance: Championship, games in training and under-23s.

For the players not involved with us who have no minutes in the Championship I am very focused on them in training and with the under-23s.

What's his skillset?

He has all the necessary skills to play on the side in attack. Good quality and speed too.

Wednesday - how different under Bruce to Luhukay?

From the change of the coach they create a more stable shape and XI. They had good results. They use less players. They give a style of play in their games. The positive results are what they deserved.

Did you watch Blades?

I didn’t watch it.

Wednesday - one of the best performances of the season - how similar on Saturday?

More than the opponent, without watching the previous games, we have to win the five games left. When you have less points to win the league because there are few games left, the gap for mistakes is reduced. In football, every game anything can happen. The game of Norwich yesterday is a summary of this.

Does the timing of kick-offs make a difference?

Any of the results of our opponents make us play free or more difficult. With any result they get we have to win the games. For us, to play the games with the obligation to win is nothing new for us.

Is that why you're high in the league - because you always play to win?

You can do different interpretations of this. When one team is trying to speculate during the game and have good success, but when you try to take control... Must try to speculate more.

It means when you play to keep the result. The typical advice is to speculate more. When one team is winning by one goal and concede, they are drawing. You can say to them they should try to go for the second goal.

Always, everyone will claim the things that didn’t help them win.
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Re: MB'S PRESS CONFERENCES

Post by alioskifan »

Bielsa at first struggled the name a single Leeds United player!

they call Bielsa El Loco, but he is obsessive rather than unhinged!
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Congratulations, Marcelo. Congratulations, Carlos [Corberan], once again. Where does that rank in terms of performance this season? Was that one of the best?

We did a good game today because we defended well and attacked well too. We created 10 chances to score the goal, but we could only score one goal. When you are winning with only one goal of difference you have to be focused on the game until the end because they created one chance in the last minute of the game, so you have to be worried, be focused until the end of the game.

Was it particularly pleasing because you had to do it with the loss of your captain so close to kick-off as well?

It was an uncomfortable situation to lose [Liam] Cooper today, but [Gaetano] Berardi adapted to the game very fast. He is one player you can trust, he’s a stable player. I am very happy for him because he deserved this situation, being an important player for the team.

Marcelo, you’ll know the scores, you’ll know the table now. You’re three points clear with four games to go. Do you think this was crucial today, to win?

Twelve points to play yet and we only have three points difference with them. Then we have to make analysis of this difference, thinking about what the numbers say.

Finally from me, Liam Cooper, was it a serious injury?

We don’t think so. He feels a pain in a strange muscle, in a muscle players don’t normally suffer injuries, but with this pain he couldn’t play the game. I highly value the fact Cooper did everything he could to play the game and at the same it’s important to have the experience to say he couldn’t play the game.

Sheffield Wednesday have two very good strikers in Steven Fletcher and Gary Hooper, how pleased were you with the way your defence stopped them seeing much of the ball today?

The work in defence today was a good job, good work. We didn’t suffer a lot of danger from them. We were reacting well to all of the different skills of the strikers the opponent has: number 20, number 19, number 14, number 45, 17 too. We gave a positive answer to all the situations.

How comfortable do you feel, then, with the league table? Does it feel significant, the three-point gap now or do you still feel it’s too tight?

It’s not a big difference, of course.

How pleased are you for Jack Harrison, Marcelo, to get an important goal today?

I am happy for him because Jack Harrison is a player who deserves the goal because he always tries to be close to the goal, making moments to score, but usually he’s not scoring. I’m happy about the fact he has scored the goal today.

Kemar Roofe and Adam Forshaw looked very good off the bench today, are you considering maybe bringing them into the side some time soon?

Berardi, Roofe, Dallas and Forshaw played very naturally, they didn’t change the style of the game or the type of the game the team were doing today.

Marcelo, you had so many chances before scoring, did you always feel the goal was going to come? Were you confident you would get the goal?

We need to create a lot of chances to score the goal. For me, it’s important to create danger close to the opponent’s goal. Then my objective is to increase the level of efficiency because it’s something that helps us to win the games.
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He's here - team news?

We want to play with the same team because Cooper is not going to have a chance to come back. It’s very difficult for him to be ready.

Pivotal run-in over Easter?

It’s a game we are going to play until the end of the season. Mathematical possibilities for all of them. For sure, in the next two games there are going to be differences.

Wilder said only three points - spoken to players about the big prize or just the next game?

Each game is going to be independent of the next games.

Title ambitions? Norwich slipped

Our objective is to be focused for the three points in each game. After every game we have to adapt to the new reality. It’s three points.

Wigan opinion - resurgent

I agree with your analysis. This is a team with possibilities for how they play is better than their league position. This situation has been repeated in the Championship. It’s something produced every week. Teams at the top are playing worse positions, but after you don’t see this difference.

Message to players pre-Wigan?

The message is the same we are sharing with you now. Your questions create conclusions. Conclusion is the difficulty in each game does not have a link with the league positions. Difference mathematically between the teams is not easy to solve in the next games. We need to be focused on the next game and not the other games or league positions. Don’t be focused on the future games.

Cooper out?

I cannot say he is definitely out, but his chances are slim. Difficult to create a conclusion. Information I give has to be accurate. In this case, it’s not easy to have precision in the answer. I say Cooper is not going to play, but it may not be like this.

How would you describe the team's spirit?

We are like an expectation. It’s a spirit of kindness(?) Spirit of responsibility around the importance of each point.

Hard to be calm among the excitement?

True it’s difficult. I have to say with a lot of precision. When the atmosphere close to you is excited it’s more difficult to be calm in yourself. You need to have both feelings. To have the right value of both are difficult to balance. Need to have a link with amateur spirit, you have a link with the fans, at the same time, no footballers are not fans. At the same time, as pros, they need balance and calm.

How has Leeds experience developed you?

This question is a question I will answer when all the games are finished because if you know the answer, I will go to some common places. I prefer to give a better answer, more clear when we finish the season. Everyone knows the results will have an influence on our emotions and opinions. We are talking about personal conclusions. Who is in charge of public works to give any type of conclusion we have to attend to what the fans are thinking.

Football is stylish enough to warrant PL football?

All the teams play with different styles in all the leagues. I am watching teams in the Champ play the same and different to us. In the PL, teams like City play the same as us and others who don’t play the same as us.

Response from Blades expected?

During the season all the teams are living similar situations. All with some injuries, with some positive and negative results. During the season all teams suffer injuries and losing players. At the end, you have the table.

Wigan, played well against Norwich?

They played a game where they tried to own the game with ambitions and it was a positive game.

Thoughts on Bogusz?

He's a very young player. He has played a few games only. You need to use some analysis. But analysis you cannot do in some moments. He had a good performance in the last game.

Les Reed died - MOT writer - your opinion on his song and his motto?

I never can be asking for anything to the fans. The function of one thing is to give to the fans and provoke of them the reaction they have. Their positive reaction to the song. If their reactions are positive we have to go with it and if negative we have to change it. I realise how important the fans are in our actions. Sometimes, you cannot say, but it’s important for them to help our difficult moments pass. It’s important to communicate we need their support. A lot of coaches are asking for the supporters. It’s something very typical. Usually, the players demand the support more. A lot of coaches demand the support too. The fans have a high influence on our capability.
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