https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/09/24/murderball-explained-keys-marcelo-bielsas-tactical-revolution/'Murderball' explained: The keys to Marcelo Bielsa's tactical revolution at Leeds
Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds have caught the eye in the Premier League so far, what are the principles that underpin their footballing philosophy?
ByMike McGrath24 September 2020 • 8:27am
Two Premier League matches into the season yielding 14 goals, Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds have been the team to watch this season. What's behind their tactics and who are the key players charged with enacting it?
Perpetual Motion
When Marcelo Bielsa steps away from his office onto the practice pitches at Leeds' Thorp Arch training ground, it is time for his patented drill of an 11-a-side match with the ball constantly in play for 45 minutes - 'murderball', as it has become known in this corner of west Yorkshire.
Their victory against Fulham was the first real glimpse of Bielsa imposing his style on a match, having met the 'Heavy Metal' football of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool on the opening weekend of the season. Bielsa’s team has constant movement and takes risks, which has resulted in seven-goal thrillers in consecutive weekends.
Pep Guardiola reveres Bielsa but the Argentinian is nothing like the tiki-taka possession of the Manchester City manager. Bielsa’s team is actually very direct, with the ball moving swiftly into midfield or sometimes from centre-back to centre-forward - Robin Koch’s 50-yard pass to Patrick Bamford was an example against Fulham.
Leeds’ attacking relies on forward players making runs beyond their marker and their playmakers taking risks to find them with difficult passes. Helder Costa’s decisive goal at the weekend saw Illan Meslier’s pass to the left wing and a flick on set Bamford away to provide the assist. Kalvin Phillips and Mateusz Klich regularly ignored easy options to move their team forward but it meant they could lose the ball in dangerous areas.
When the opposition has the ball Leeds' 4-1-4-1 system can resemble a 5-2-3. Jack Harrison drops back from midfield into a wing-back position and gives his team five defenders in the back-line, with Phillips and Klich sitting in front. It gives them good protection when they are out of possession.
It means Harrison, on loan from Manchester City for a third season, has a lung-bursting shift every time he takes to the field. Bielsa once remarked that Harrison plays as a "full-back, a midfielder and a winger”, and that is no exaggeration: he is expected to contribute as much going forward as in defence.
Other forwards are constantly moving and pressing opposition when they try to play out from the back. Bamford was their most effective forward against Fulham although he had to be substituted after 70 minutes after his constant running.
One of England’s debutants this month has the most important functional role in Bielsa’s team, and admits the Argentine has been a huge influence in shaping how he plays.
"I felt like I could have played anywhere in midfield, but he knew what position was best for me and he knew where he wanted me to play," he has said. "He makes us train 100 per cent every day. He makes us watch videos on games, goes back and tells us what we've done wrong and what we've done right - mostly focusing on the stuff we've done wrong!"
Phillips has earned the nickname 'the Yorkshire Pirlo', and for good reason because his passing from defensive midfield takes risks and he is always keen to go forward more than sideways or backwards. With one 40-yard pass Leeds can go from defence to attack.
Off the ball, he instinctively drops back when his defenders move upfield. On one occasion against Fulham last Saturday, Liam Cooper followed Aleksandar Mitrovic into a deep position and Phillips was found in the centre-back role. Similarly, Ayling often carries the ball and can pop up in central midfield as an “inverted full-back”, knowing he has Phillips covering.
Bielsa admitted he was worried about the seven goals conceded in their first two Premier League games and his squad still looks like it would welcome a centre-back which, following the arrival of Robin Koch, they are also close to landing Diego Llorente from Real Sociedad, who is having a medical ahead of a £20m move and could solve their defensive issues.
He also wants a central midfielder and Rodrigo De Paul from Udinese has not proved a straightforward deal. Pablo Hernandez will add quality when he returns from injury. He ruled himself out of the Fulham win after taking a knock to the groin in the warm-up.
Illan Meslier has impressed team-mates with his quality since arriving a year ago but he could benefit from genuine competition. In attack, Bielsa could balance his forwards with a right-footer.
