Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes there's no exact moment which resulted in the club's relegation to the Championship. The ex-England international says a combination of problems lead to dismal conclusion.
The Whites had the worst defensive record in the top flight, conceding 78 goals an average of just over two goals a game. Jesse Marsch was shown the boot in February with Javi Gracia tasked with masterminding a great escape, only to be replaced by Sam Allardyce with four games to go.
"I don’t think there’s a particular moment," Robinson told MOT Leeds News. "There’s a combination of things.
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“There’s a lot of people that have to shoulder the burden. It starts from the top and runs all the way down to the pitch. You look back at the Bielsa era – people do with rose-tinted glasses – rightly so.
“They were everyone’s second favourite team and a great watch. But people seem to forget what it was like at the end.
“They were struggling to stay in the Premier League. Changes had to be made. He’s rightly held in high esteem because of what he did. A lot of fans would want to see that in the Championship.
“The initial problem – when Bielsa went – was the attacking system. Recruitment for a manager is just as important. He had a squad of players who suited the way he played.
“To then appoint a manager who plays a very narrow system with defensive midfield players, with a squad that’s geared to be playing expansively. It was one of Jesse Marsch’s faults. He couldn’t identify the squad of players he had.
“The win over Liverpool at Anfield and the Bournemouth victories kept him in a job. If he had gone before Christmas and a change was made, there could have been a different outcome.
“You question why Victor Orta and Marsch were allowed to spend so much in January and then leave immediately when the window closes.”
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