Leeds Will Need Patience for Marsch’s Plan to Work
By Glenn Brewer
Jesse Marsch is running a marathon at Leeds, not a sprint.
Last week at this time, Jesse Marsch was being pushed out the door by the Leeds supporters. This week, the squad is preparing for a match against Bournemouth where they go for their second win in a row.
The results have not been coming for Marsch and company since the break for the Queen’s death.
The performances have been mixed, but for the most part, the stats state that the attacking game is creating enough scoring chances. Unfortunately for Leeds, they have a striker still trying to get fit from a year-long injury and an inconsistent player in Rodrigo.
A near surprise against Arsenal at Elland Road would have brought Marsch some breathing room, but they left without any points.
A follow-up of two poor performances against Fulham and Leicester City caused the chants for Marsch’s sacking to be louder by the minute.
Patience
It has been a difficult task for the American manager to win over the supporters after replacing a club legend in Marcelo Bielsa.
It is all part of the business, and everyone involved wants the same thing….to win!
Marsch took on a team that was thin and designed for Bielsa ball. Not to mention, the pressure of a relegation battle without a transfer window.
As expected Marsch struggled to implement his ideas and tactics with the group. There was just no time to fail from a disconnect of teaching to the players.
Against all odds, Marsch and Leeds stayed up in the Premier League. A task that is quite comparable to the difficulty of being promoted from the Championship.
Both Bielsa and Marsch had different types of pressure when taking the position at Leeds. Due to the circumstances, Marsch did not and still has not had the time to properly build his team and philosophy.
One transfer window will not solve every problem on the squad for Marsch and have the proper skill set for his tactics.
Even if he were to be sacked, a new manager would need to start all over and need two transfer windows to have a team reflecting his style. So why not let Marsch fully see this through?
It is evident that this team is not ready to compete for the top of the table but can certainly play in the league consistently. The expectations must be realistic and see a plan through without sacking the manager before the half-way point of the campaign.
Losing two of the best players in Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha is also something to consider in the status of the manager.
Marsch was able to bring in some players that fit his style and that were familiar to him. That was inevitable and a big step towards putting the plan into motion.
Losing the two caliber players they did was unfortunate but necessary. It is yet another large adjustment for a manager, which should come with some leniency.
Time will tell how everything plays out with Marsch at Leeds, but the team and Marsch have shown positive signs.
This group can beat any team, as they have beaten Chelsea and Liverpool.
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It is time to let Marsch and his staff work and develop this squad properly. Management decisions will need to be made for the good of the club and not just to avoid sacking.