Demanding Bielsa’s not happy
FRUSTRATED Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa called for improvement from his promotion-chasing side, despite welcome derby bragging rights with victory over Huddersfield.
Goals from Ezgjan Alioski and Pablo Hernandez did the trick as Biela’s battling team leapfrogged rivals West Brom at the summit with a workmanlike victory.
But Argentine Bielsa still believes there is room for improvement from his team, despite extending his unbeaten run to nine matches.
“We defended set-pieces badly, but our first goal from Alioski made it easier for us to develop the play,” reflected Bielsa.
“In the first half we should have created more chances, but we had some opportunities and we couldn’t end them very well.
“We could have scored more goals, but we could have conceded a goal as well. We strugthey gled with our last pass when we arrived in good positions, but it’s good to have chances rather than not.
“The second half was different, but we had problems in both halves with set-pieces.”
Leeds keeper Kiko Casilla was nearly to blame for gifting the hosts the lead just before the break, but captain Luke Ayling spared his blushes.
Former Real Madrid ace Casilla inexplicably raced off his line to clear Kamil Grabara’s hopeful punt forward and the ball fell loose for Karlan Grant.
Town’s leading scorer saw his powerful left-foot shot superbly headed over his own crossbar by Ayling.
Leeds came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders after the restart and took the lead after only five minutes.
Alioski rifled into the bottom right corner to the delight of the visiting supporters behind the goal.
And it could have easily been 2-0 if striker Patrick Bamford had not headed wide and Hernandez not rifled agonisingly wide of the right post.
Casilla denied Elias Kachunga an equaliser shortly after the hour mark with a wonderful close-range save.
Hernandez bagged Leeds’ second goal to kill off the contest, heading home unmarked at the back post from Jack Harrison’s inch-perfect delivery.
Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley, who had been livid with his players after were hammered 5-2 by Bristol City, was much more impressed with their application this time.
“We did well in the first half and played with energy and purpose, we disrupted their rhythm,” reflected Cowley.
“They scored with their first shot on target, but we’ll always be critical when we concede goals.
“We then chased the game and that left us open, which is always going to happen against a team as good as Leeds.
“We tried to hurt them in the spaces behind the defence and I thought we showed good penetration at times.
“It’s been one of my toughest weeks in football, but we did at least cause them some problems.”