Marcelo Bielsa believes Luke Ayling and Adam Forshaw have been Leeds’ silver linings of defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool having stepped up, via quotes by Leeds Live.
The Whites conclude a fraught run of Premier League fixtures on Saturday when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road. Spurs mark the third-straight top-six opponent for the West Yorkshire side in a week. Seven-days that have already seen them concede 10 goals.
Bielsa has also had to face Liverpool and Manchester United with one arm effectively tied behind the Leeds boss’ back. Injuries have destroyed their second season back in the top-flight, and neither of Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips nor Liam Cooper is close to a return.
Cooper is one of three established centre-halves missing for Bielsa in recent weeks. He has also been without Diego Llorente or Robin Koch, and can call on Phillips or Pascal Struijk if fit. The latter of which started beside Ayling at Anfield following Llorente’s hamstring issue.
Bielsa hails Ayling and Forshaw as they ‘shone the most’ for Leeds this week
Leeds boss Bielsa likes how Ayling, a full-back, and Forshaw, who’s taken Phillips’ holding midfield role, performed against Manchester United and Liverpool, despite losing both. He has also shared why the Whites play stars out of position and rely on youth like Leo Hjelde.
“Leeds and their planification cannot have two players of a high level for every position,” he said. “So, in this case, we have five players at the top level and a sixth one, a young one.
“Those six players, at the same time, five were missing. So, that situation, I resolved it by putting Ayling as a centre-back and putting Forshaw as a defensive mid.
“In a game like the last one [at Liverpool], the players that shone the most were precisely those two. In the game against Manchester United, the same. Sometimes a resolution of the problems depends on those who are available.”
Bielsa will be in a more fortuitous position with his team selection when Leeds welcome Tottenham to Elland Road. Llorente and Koch are available to return on Saturday, which could allow Ayling and/or Forshaw to return to their natural positions after a tough week.
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