Speaking on the Goalmouth podcast, posted on the Leeds United YouTube channel, Luke Ayling has claimed that Raphinha is perfect for Marcelo Bielsa because of his immense workrate.
The Brazilian is a contender for Leeds United’s Player of the Season this term, and Ayling didn’t have enough good things to say about him.
The right-back says that it’s a testament to his quality that he managed to break into Bielsa’s squad not long after signing in the summer.
“Obviously you can see the quality that he’s got, but for a player to come in and play for this boss straight away, usually it’ll take him three or four months to pick them, he likes players to come in and train a lot before to get them up to the fitness and get them into his style of play,” Ayling said.
“From the first day you saw the quality that he had and it’s the workrate that goes with it, if you see him misplace a pass, he runs 100 miles per hour to win it back, and that’s what our boss looks for, and if he didn’t do that side of it he wouldn’t play, and that’s being serious, because there’s been some talented players that just don’t play because they don’t do that side of it.”
Ayling is spot on here.
Some very talented players have taken a long time to adjust to Bielsa’s style, but Raphinha hasn’t had that problem.
Of course, the most famous example of a player struggling to adjust would have to be Jean-Kevin Augustin who had a torrid time after joining Leeds last January, but while the Frenchman couldn’t adjust, Raphinha has taken to life at Elland Road like a duck to water.
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