Dean Ashton has claimed that Jesse Marsch ‘deserves more credit’ for what he is doing at Leeds United after replacing Marcelo Bielsa, as he told talkSPORT.
The former Premier League striker shared that he understands ‘how passionate Leeds are with Bielsa’, but he thinks Marsch should be given more praise for what he has contended with since he replaced the Argentine in the Elland Road dugout.
The American joined a team that was on their knees, leaking goals for fun, injuries across the shop and heading back down to the Championship.
But, on the last day of the 2021/22 season, Marsch did enough to seal the club’s fate and then lost key men, Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips during the 2022 summer transfer window.
It’s not easy for any team to lose two players who were perhaps the first two names on their teamsheet, never mind a team that was struggling.
Despite that, Marsch has remained positive, kept Leeds ticking, was backed at the start of the window and was allowed to bring in his own players.
Putting all of that into account, Ashton thinks Marsch should be talked about a lot more, despite the fans having such an affection for Bielsa.
“I know how passionate Leeds fans are with Marcelo Bielsa,” said Ashton. “But with what Marsch has had to contend with. The passion he showed at the end of last season when they survived.
“He’s lost Raphinha and Phillips, his two best players. The injuries are still there. Bamford has barely kicked a football again. Dallas is out, who is one of their talisman. Firpo and Cooper, again, he has had injury problems.
“Yet he has still managed to put a side out, albeit he has been given license to sign players he knows, which I think is so important and for him I think it feels key to how he wants his team to play and his own identity.
“Then I was looking at how they are stacking up in the Premier League so far, yes, you can say it’s only a handful of games, but fifth for average possession. Then they are second for possession won in the final third, so it’s not like they have lost that bite, energy or fitness levels. Seventh for XG. And the goal difference is zero.
“All of us neutrals are thinking ‘if I get a Leeds game, it’s quality’ because it’s going to be entertaining one way or another. So, I think he deserves quite a bit of credit because a lot of people still think ‘it was Bielsa all along and what he created’, but I think Marsch deserves credit.”
A BIT OF EVERYTHING FROM LEEDS
It has been a steady start to the new Premier League season for Leeds, one on hand they have produced some outstanding results and performances – their 3-0 home win against Chelsea.
But their recent 5-2 defeat at Brentford meant that they have had to slam the breaks down because that was the Leeds that struggled last term.
Despite that, they still sit in the top ten and if you offered every Whites supporter that after six matches, then they would have happily accepted it.
Especially if you bear in mind that many were expecting the Yorkshire outfit to really struggle because they have lost Raphinha and Phillips.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
