Sky Sports pundit Danny Higginbotham has rubbished suggestions that Leeds United will blow our promotion hopes given on going tiredness and fatigue claims from some corners of the media.
As we head into this weekend’s clash with Bristol City at Ashton Gate, the battle for the top of the Championship table is still wide open with Norwich City, and below us Sheffield United, and our heavy 4-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion last weekend probably rules them out now baring a major wobble from all three sides.
Speaking to SSN’s Match Centre (7/3 – 10.50am), Higginbotham slammed the suggestions of our Achilles heel, and pointed to our dominance of the ball in games as proof that players naturally get good rest periods across the 90 minutes anyway.
“I think from Leeds’ perspective, when Bielsa came it was bright, it was new, it was brilliant – it’s still the same as far as I’m concerned. I think a lot of people questioned whether they would tire in the second half of the season. Bielsa has been winter champion in France but then fell away, in South America the leagues that he’s won have been very short seasons. The way I look at it, because they dominate possession, they have plenty of breaks within the games so I don’t buy into that. They’re dealing with injuries at the moment, they’re dealing well with them. How I love the way that Leeds play.”
It’s a very valid point by the pundit in fairness, and something that’s often missed when discussing manager Marcelo Bielsa’s preferred all action, all energy style. Chasing the game and winning the ball back yes, but we don’t do that for 90 minutes when controlling 70 odd percent of the ball and whilst we do break with pace, again there are slower buildup moments as well.
The West Bromwich Albion game should’ve really answered fatigue criticisms as they reared their head again after the Queens Park Rangers disappointment.