Do Leeds have any bottle?
BIELSA’S SIDE SUFFER ‘LACK OF CONFIDENCE’
MARCELO BIELSA admitted his Leeds side are dogged by a sense of doubt after they lost top spot in the Championship.
Bogey man Garry Monk maintained his unbeaten record against Bielsa (below) in their fourth managerial meeting as Wednesday pulled off a smash-and-grab raid. The visiting fans chanted “Leeds are falling apart’’ again – a harsh reminder of their habit of blowing promotion. On-loan Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy struck in the 87th minute and substitute Atdhe Nuhiu added another in stoppage time. Leeds have won once from their last six league games. Boss Bielsa said: “It’s true, we have seen this situation before. We have to learn, if we have some weak points in our performance, that we transform a low performance into a result. If we
get what we’re looking for, it’s like a sense of doubt around the team. When things go well, everyone is positive, but when they don’t, everyone is afraid.
“We lost two goals in the last few minutes. This has happened a lot of times and we thought we had learned.’’
Leeds squandered a string of chances but Bielsa refused to blame defeat on a lack of firepower after Eddie Nketiah’s return to Arsenal from his Elland Road loan spell.
Bielsa said: “Even if we didn’t play a brilliant match in attack, we have an average of 10 chances per match, but we have to try to avoid conceding goals as well.
“Nketiah is no longer with us and there’s an empty space, but this situation is not linked with the result here.’’
Monk did the double over Bielsa’s Leeds last season when in charge of Birmingham, and the Whites drew 0-0 at Hillsborough this term.
But the former Leeds boss said: “Every single game I’ve had against Leeds has been hugely difficult. I think it’s unfair to say it’s against a particular team.
“You will have better results against some clubs – that’s just how it works. What we have done in games against them is perform very well.
“It’s a fantastic win. We have to be delighted and give huge credit to the players. We played with real courage and heart.’’
As on his two previous returns, Monk was met with abuse from the home fans, who are resentful of him quitting the club in May 2017 and joining Middlesbrough.
These sides faced top-flight opposition in the FA Cup third round, Wednesday winning 1-0 away to Brighton and Leeds losing by the same scoreline at Arsenal.
But Wednesday were quickly deflated when it emerged leading 12-goal scorer Steven Fletcher would be out for up to 10 weeks with a knee injury.
Sam Winnall deputised but it was Murphy who had the visidon’t tors’ first chance on 15 minutes. Owls skipper Barry Bannan released Adam Reach on the left and the wide man found Murphy at the far post – but he fluffed it.
Leeds should have punished that missed chance three minutes later when Jack Harrison was on the end of Kalvin Phillips’ free-kick. The on-loan Manchester City winger only had keeper
Cameron Dawson to beat, but was just wide.
Patrick Bamford’s header was then ruled out for offside before Harrison threatened again, cutting in on to his right foot to hit a piledriver that Dawson saved at full stretch.
Harrison and Bamford wasted headed chances and Leeds were made to pay.
Stuart Dallas lost possession and Nuhiu set up Murphy to hammer past keeper Kiko Casilla, who should have done better.
Then Nuhiu turned in Reach’s left-wing ball with a first-time finish.