Leeds United are currently sticking by head coach Jesse Marsch despite an eight game winless run. That form has seen the Whites plummet into the relegation zone, after a bright start to the campaign.
The 3-0 win over Chelsea had Leeds United supporters believing this season would be a different one to the last. But, that feeling was short lived.
Leeds fans had the chance to have their questions about the Whites answered with LeedsLive’s Beren Cross. Joe Gelhardt's lack of first-team minutes, square pegs in round holes and Marsch's future dominated our Q&A.
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Here is the full transcript of every question and answer.
LeedsUnitedGreeceBloc2 said: Pochettino & Villas-Boas are still without a team. It's a good momentum to bring one of them in, as he will have time, due to the World Cup, to set up something better than what Jesse did. Save the season now that there is still time!!!
Beren Cross: "As much as many people would love to see heads coaches of that calibre arrive at Elland Road, I can't see them taking a position in the PL's bottom three. I can't seem them going anywhere without assurances on player investment or realistic trophy opportunities. Hard to see them taking the risk they have a relegation on their CV."
del65 said: "Go back the second-half against Arsenal, the team rattled them. Then team changes against Leicester and Fulham . Why would you change? I say do not fix if it is not broken. I am sorry to say but it will be a tight bottom 5 teams again this season."
BC: "There was a lot of surprise at Leicester because of the changes Marsch made to the team which had done so well against Arsenal. Feels like they completely lost all of the momentum they took out of that loss to the Gunners."
BMG said: "Hi Beren. If we give Jesse the benefit of the doubt, we could say that we should have beaten Arsenal and Southampton, and probably got draws from Palace and Fulham. Had we done so, we wouldn't be talking about this. Beating Arsenal (which we should have) alone might have been enough. But we didn't. That game was a good showing but no points. The last two games have been neither, which can't go on. Also, the lack of left-back and striker might not be his fault and might be remedied in January. But again he has to work with what he has. Even if it weren't for those factors, my question is whether his system is at fault? Bielsa ball certainly did work sometimes but there's little evidence to suggest that Marsch ball does. Chelsea perhaps and then perhaps Southampton and Arsenal, neither of which we won. Do you think his philosophy eg playing narrow is flawed or is it just that our players aren't good enough? If the latter then a couple of solid January signings might fix it. If the former then are his days numbered? I'd love to see him succeed but fear that if we don't at least beat Bournemouth and either get points or at least play well vs Liverpool and Spurs then he might be a goner.
BC: "Some really good points made here. Your first paragraph virtually sums up how I think the board are seeing this. They feel there has been enough in these draws and narrow losses to believe Marsch can rectify it. That Arsenal display was less than 10 days ago, for example. The lack of left-back and striker is certainly on the board rather than him, agreed. The tactics seem to be the crux of the matter. Are they working? The evidence would overwhelmingly suggest not. The lack of width is not working because the full-backs are not good enough to compensate for it. The spotlight is on the players now too. This group, including a few changes here and there, has not played consistently well since May 2021. Bielsa's first PL season is being shown as an immense achievement with the group he had."
Bobski14 said: "Is jessie in the last chance saloon, heavy defeat at Liverpool and surely he has to go?"
BC: "It felt that way on Sunday before the Fulham game and it looks like he's going to survive that too. So I would say yes, but I don't think the board can expect a Leeds win and then sack Marsch if they don't get that. If he's survived a home loss like Sunday's, my assumption is they've resolved to let him keep going until the WC because nothing huge can be expected to change in the next three matches."
Brianj64 said: "Hi Beren, why do you think he's not giving Gerhardt a run in the starting 11? His last two appearances have been 5 minutes cameos, he's got bags of ability, other teams trust young players, Saka at Arsenal is the same age and he's been playing in the league almost weekly. Misfiring Bamford or Moreno have to be axed and given sub appearances. Is Joseph too young to at least be given 15-20 minutes?"
BC: "It's a fair question and it's become one of the main sticking points for those of us trying to find solutions to the slide within the squad. Gelhardt seems to have slid down the agenda this season. With Rodrigo and Bamford 'fit' or pain-free at least, everyone's focus has been on playing one of them into form while the youngster waits on the sidelines. Sunday's consolation reminded us what Gelhardt can do with the ball at his feet, but does he have the stature to lead the line from the start in this system? You look at how he played away at Brentford this season and it didn't really work with him."
Chammy11 said: "Is it not time to start building a team around our best players and forget about nurturing has beens back into the team? Struijk is our best defender so play him at centre back even if it means a left back plays at left back ie. Firpo, who incidently is probably not as bad as you and most supporters think. Square pegs in round holes didn't work for Bielsa and it isn't the way forward for whoever is in charge. Rodrigo, like it or not is our best centre forward and at least has scored this year. Watching Bamford is almost cringeworthy, yes he shows well but his body language and confidence are at an all time low, we cannot afford to wait for him to score his 1/10 one on ones. The spine of any good team is important. Meslier, Koch rcb, Struijk lcb, Adams cm, Roca cm and Rodrigo striker, are the best players we have in the respective positions and should be automatic picks. The next 3 games should be used to find out if the likes of Firpo and Rodrigo are the ones. If not, we will have to invest in January.
BC: "I agree square pegs need to be used in square holes, but on the evidence we have in front of us, Struijk is a far more reliable left-back than Firpo. Players can change and their familiarity with a role changes the more they play in it. At some point Struijk will start to be that square peg in the square hole at left-back, even the edges are still not as squared off as you might hope.
"Based on the way Leeds played against Arsenal, I would have to say Bamford still makes the attack sing more in tune than Rodrigo manages. I think the best spine in this squad looks obvious, but as this stretch of poor form (beginning in August 2021) continues, it becomes harder to feel the general level of the footballers in the squad is good enough. More and more Bielsa's achievements in 20/21 look incredible."
Liz10 said: "Hi Beren, do you feel the board is at fault too? Surely Orta and Co are to blame too. We need a change at the top too."
BC: "Problems with form have to be taken as a collective. The club succeeds together and it struggles together. I am sure Radrizzani, Marathe, Kinnear and Orta are self-conscious enough to review how they have administered the club as a whole. Only they and Marsch will know what was said behind closed doors about the transfer window and whether they all really did know they were taking risks at left-back and striker.
"The unfair problem in football for managers is they are more easily expendable than any of the players or the owners. That is just the way it is and that's why Marsch's head is being called for by some fans. There were chants inside Elland Road for "sack the board" too, remember."
Pellegrino said: "Hi Beren. Judging by his body language on Sunday, I think Jesse already knows he'll be spending Christmas in the US. He'll see out the next three games and get moved on. The only thing that can save him is 7-9 points from the next 3 games, which is NOT going to happen, frankly."
BC: "Hard to disagree with your arguments. He looked a beaten man on Sunday, but he's only human and in that immediate aftermath it''s understandable, but you would hope he woke up on Monday morning refreshed and ready to go again. He will know the WC is an obvious time for clubs to act on their coaching situations. I agree on the points needed too. Six at an absolute minimum from the next nine might turn heads, but maybe even seven would be needed to recover from the position he's currently in."
Demonicus asked: "Hi Beren. I think they should act now, get someone in before the world cup, gives the new three free hits to settle in, then the world cup break to get some of there idea's across. What do you think?"
BC: "If I were in charge I would have acted after the Fulham loss and put Jackson or Maric (not that I think he'd take it) in place for as long as it took to get a replacement before using the World Cup break as an ideal time to reset. I'm not in charge though and I don't have the millions to hand it would need to sack Marsch and members of his staff.
"I am also not party to the conversations they have had behind the scenes about how they think this can improve and just why they are so firmly set on the long-term vision with him. He's an absolute gentleman with the media and seems to be a superb human being, but sadly it's not working on the pitch and there's only two matches in his 24-match tenure I can recall the team playing consistently good football under him. It's not working and I'm concerned about the Liverpool and Spurs games."
F_Wilson6 said: "Hi Beren, well where to start. Given as the club were speaking to/offered the job to Marsch a couple of weeks before Bielsa was sacked you’d think that would be the case. If so is there any sign of Orta scouting a possible replacement? Also judging on Kinnear’s latest pre match notes the club see the WC break as a possibility for a change, do you imagine no wins in the league between now and then and he’d be sent packing? And finally who would you personally choose to bring in as a replacement if you had the opportunity? Cheers."
BC: "Hello! No, there's no current suggestion Orta is lining somebody else up. Based on previous comments from him on player recruitment and their approach to Bielsa's replacement, Orta has an ongoing shortlist of head coaches he might like. The big difference here is Bielsa was on rolling one-year deals which kept Orta agile, while they have committed to a multi-year deal with Marsch which may have pushed the idea from his head.
"The noises remain supportive around Marsch. If anything, the lion's share of Orta's attention is on the January transfer window rather than a replacement head coach. Kinnear's notes were odd, but yes, the intimation did seem to set the WC as an obvious time to take stock, regardless of what happens in the matches between now and then. I find it hard to see Marsch surviving unless he takes a minimum of six or seven points from the next nine, such is the damage done thus far.
"The likes of Pochettino would be a dream appointment, if not realistic. I wish I was well-versed enough on the next big thing in Europe to dish out an intelligent, high-brow answer."
READ NEXT
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- 'Not a happy club right now' - National media verdict on Leeds United's defeat to Fulham
- What Angus Kinnear told Leeds United supporters outside Elland Road about Jesse Marsch's future
