Marcelo Bielsa 13 STEPS TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE PDF
When assessing the tactical model of Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2019/20 season, it makes sense that we first have to understand the structures that were used.
There is an argument, of course, that formations in and of themselves do not matter.
This is predicated on the belief that players’ positions can be relatively fluid and based around other important reference points; the position of the ball, the position of the opposition and the position of your team-mates, for example.
The truth, I believe, sits somewhere in the middle. We cannot fully discount the importance of positional structures and team shape.
Although at the same time, a coach like Bielsa has very specific tactical concepts both in and out of possession that can see players occupy different positions on the pitch depending on the factors that I have listed above.
As you, the reader, progress through this book you will find that each chapter concentrates on these concepts one at a time before giving specific examples using key players from the season as case studies from a tactical perspective.
For most of his coaching career, Bielsa has been known for having a very specific tactical style of play.
When he coached the Chilean national side, for example, they became known for playing an extremely aggressive 3-3-1-3 system which they rarely deviated from.
While coaching in club football, however, Bielsa has shown a degree of tactical flexibility that belies his reputation as a coach who relies on one system above all.
At Athletic Bilbao we began to see a willingness to morph into a more structured 4-1-4-1 system although the 3-3-1-3 was also still used.
More recently, at Marseille, there were matches in which the tactical structure was primarily a 4-2-3-1 with a double pivot occupying the midfield zone.
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