January fails are costing Bielsa again
STRAIGHT SETBACK WORRIES LEEDS MANAGER
NEW year, same old problem for Leeds.
Once more they have been hit by the January blues after sinking to a third straight defeat under Marcelo Bielsa.
So far 2021 has been one to forget for Bielsa’s side, who have conceded seven goals and failed to score in successive defeats to Tottenham, Crawley and now Brighton.
Twelve months ago they lost five out of six, including three in a row, and three out of four in the previous year.
Manager Bielsa, right, admits he is concerned by this latest slump – and this first-half display was the worst they have played in the league this season.
“To have lost three games without scoring is not something that can happen without making me worry,” said Bielsa. “They’re all different games – in the game against Tottenham, even though we lost, it wasn’t a bad performance.
“But in the cup and now this one, we didn’t defend well and we didn’t manage to attack well either. We defended below our capabilities and attacked below our possibilities – and those two factors generate worry.”
When Leeds have lost this season, they have been defeated in firefights with better teams or when counter-attacking sides have punished them on the break or from set-pieces. But there was no swashbuckle against Brighton, just buckle, as they folded.
They managed just two shots on target and Robert Sanchez was untroubled in the Seagulls’ goal.
Defensively they remain suspect and Neal Maupay’s 17th-minute winner was the 34th goal they have conceded in their 18 matches back in the Premier League.
Winger Jack Harrison, just about the only Leeds player to emerge with any credit, said: “We struggled to create chances and fair play to them, they played the game they wanted to play.
“Our style is usually attacking and creating as many chances as possible and we struggled to do that. They did their homework and studied how we play. It’s something we have to review.” The one positive for Leeds is that Bielsa pulled them out of last January’s nosedive to canter to the Championship title. Brighton scored from a fine passing move to record their first league win since November 21. Maupay’s simple finish was his seventh in the league and he is happy to carry the burden of being the Seagulls’ main forward. “It was a nice move from the team and an easy finish for me but as a striker you enjoy scoring any type of goal,” said the Frenchman. “When we work together like this, we know we’re a match for anyone in this league.” LEEDS (4-1-4-1): Casilla 6; Dallas 5, Ayling 6, Cooper 6, Alioski 6 (Hernandez 67 6); Struijk 5; Raphinha 6 (Poveda 76 5), Rodrigo 5 (Roberts 62 5), Klich 5, Harrison 7; Bamford 5.
BRIGHTON (3-4-3):
Sanchez 6; Webster 6, Dunk 7, Burn 6; Veltman 6, White 7, Gross 6, March 6; Maupay 7 (Propper 81 5), Mac Allister 7 (Bissouma 62 6), Trossard 7 (Tau 73 5). Goal: Maupay 17.