Leeds United have been flying high in the Championship for much of the season but lost their top-spot to Norwich at the weekend, and Marcelo Bielsa’s career-long record of faltering at the final hurdle has alerted The Times’ Tony Cascarino to the potential of the Whites repeating Fulham’s failures.
Fulham stormed the Championship last season after a poor start to the campaign, and ended the year in the Play-Off final against Aston Villa and deservedly won their place in the Premier League.
A lot of money was then spent improving the Cottagers’ roster to reduce the risk of going straight back down, but the London outfit have struggled regardless.
Leeds’ current poor run of form and Bielsa’s record of his side capitulating at some point of the season has now raised doubt in the mind of Cascarino over their chances of cutting it in the top-flight, like Fulham.
The former Chelsea and Aston Villa striker wrote in his column for The Times on Monday: “I like the way that Marcelo Bielsa plays but if Leeds United are promoted to the Premier League, they are going to be like Fulham this year — they would be ripped to pieces.
“Bielsa’s game is very adventurous but it comes with risks, as Norwich City showed on Saturday. If you get good footballers on the ball, who can pass it, you are in trouble.
“The style is fantastic — it is great to watch and it puts lesser sides under immense pressure — but, unless they change a few things, Leeds would be smashed to pieces by top teams.”