Paul Merson and Jeff Stelling clashed over Leeds United fans ‘clapping’ their team off after recent heavy defeats, as they told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports.
The former midfielder claimed that the Elland Road faithful need to be ‘stronger’ towards their team and used last week’s defeat to Manchester United as a prime example.
During this past week alone, Marcelo Bielsa’s side have suffered three straight defeats and they have conceded 14 goals along the way.
As a result, it now seems as though Bielsa may have taken charge of his last game for the club, which was a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham, with the Guardian reporting that Jesse Marsch is set to take charge.
Prior to yesterday’s match, Merson thinks Bielsa is ‘pulling the wool over people’s eyes’ and Leeds fans need to be more vocal about what they are seeing.
But the Yorkshire faithful were defended by Sky presenter Stelling, who questioned what good it would do the team if their fans started booing.
“The worrying thing for me is getting clapped off last Sunday,” said Merson. “You had just been beaten by their arch enemies, Manchester United. Their biggest game of the year. They let in four goals and they are getting clapped off.
“He (Bielsa) is pulling the wool over people’s eyes. He needs to change things. His squad is depleted, he has big players out, I know other teams have, but the way Leeds play. They are important players. He has to change it.
“I think the fans have to start getting stronger. Don’t start clapping your team off. If I got beat against Tottenham by four at Highbury, when I was playing, there is no way we are getting clapped off.”
Stelling responds: “What are you going to do? Boo them? It’s not going to help anybody, is it? They are trying to raise their team.”
Merson added: “Just go home. Go home. You don’t have to boo, just go home. I am not saying through shoes at them.”
The Sky presenter then asked: “So, were they wrong to be chanting Bielsa’s name when they were getting thumped at Liverpool?”
The former double-winner replied: “I don’t know, they have worked so hard to get into this league and, at the moment, it’s fizzling away. I love watching Leeds because I know it’s going to be goal after goal. But that’s worrying.”
Well, at half-time of Leeds’ defeat to Spurs, the fans made their voices clear and booed the team off.
It’s going very wrong for all of those in white and the biggest issue is that it’s going wrong at the wrong time.
Whatever happens with Bielsa, and it does seem as though his time is up, he will be fondly remembered by those at the club.
For nearly two decades, a club of Leeds United’s size rotted and struggled to get out of the lower leagues.
But along came Bielsa and turned those nightmares into dreams once more.
And, one thing is for sure, he has left the club in a far better place than when he first found it.
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