BIELSA FAN-TASY
THIS barnstorming win was for the fans said Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa, even if they were not here to celebrate on a day when Elland Road welcomed back top-flight football after such a long absence. “I hope we can win a lot of games for the fans,” he said. “I was pleased the most with the last 25 minutes of the game where we defended well and still attacked.
‘‘But before that I was worried about our defending and we will have to identify the errors.
“What is important is to continue to do the things that have made us successful in the first place. Winning is always important at any time of the season.”
Helder Costa put Leeds ahead but Aleksandar Mitrovic levelled with a penalty after Robin Koch had fouled Joe Bryan.
Then Leeds took the lead again after Bryan fouled
Patrick Bamford to allow
Mateusz Klich to score from the spot – with Bamford and
Costa putting Bielsa’s boys 4-1 up.
Bobby Decordova
Reid’s low drive and
Mitrovic’s second goal of the day for the
Cottagers set up a dramatic finale, but Leeds weathered the late storm.
It was an afternoon when Bamford (right) put down a marker that he won’t go quietly following the arrival of record £27million Rodrigo.
Rodrigo was handed his first start when Pablo Hernandez pulled up with an injury in the warm-up. The Brazilian-born Spaniard lasted only 45 minutes, while Bamford scored his second goal in successive games and provided a wonderful assist for Costa.
“Rodrigo’s removal was tactical,” added Bielsa.
Fulham looked demoralised at times but they never stopped fighting.
Their boss Scott Parker said: “It was an entertaining game and we played our part in that. But you shouldn’t have to score four or five goals to win a game. Despite that we showed character at 4-1 because the floodgates could have opened.”