Marcelo Bielsa jokes about Leeds lineup for Wigan clash

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Marcelo Bielsa confirmed the Leeds United lineup for their upcoming Championship clash.

Marcelo Bielsa has jokingly confirmed to LUTV that he plans to name an unchanged side for Leeds’ clash with Wigan on Saturday, despite being told by a supporter that he would be better off not announcing his lineup in the press conference two days before a game.

Bielsa divided supporters last season – one of the few occasions where he did manage to attract some minor criticism from some of the Elland Road faithful – by regularly naming his team a couple of days before a game.

It appears that one fan reached out to Bielsa to suggest that he is handing the opposition an advantage by announcing the team. And the Leeds boss issued a brilliant response when asked by one reporter what the team news was heading into the game with the Latics.

“Now I cannot say the team two days before the game because one supporter said that with two days to go I am giving the advantage to the opponents, knowing the team. But between you and I, it’s going to be the same team,” he told LUTV.

It is not a surprise that Bielsa looks set to revert back to the team that faced both Bristol City and Nottingham Forest. The likes of Eddie Nketiah and Helder Costa did impress at Salford City in the Carabao Cup, but the players they are vying with for a spot in the side have done little wrong.

Admittedly, Patrick Bamford endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal against Forest while Nketiah scored in midweek. But the 25-year-old has impressed in a lot of the work that he has done in the wake of Kemar Roofe’s departure. Nketiah is putting pressure on, but it seems to be too soon for a change just now.

Costa meanwhile, is getting closer to securing a spot in the starting lineup. But it is difficult to know who he could replace. Jack Harrison may be the obvious candidate, but there is no question that the winger has looked lot a more dangerous at the start of his second spell at Elland Road.

Bielsa’s squad are starting to give him problems. But having spent the latter stages of last season filling his bench with under-23 prospects, they are problems that Bielsa is probably relishing having.