MB Pre Newcastle
Bielsa's here - how satisfying to get back to back wins under such adversity?
The difficulties can sometimes be interpreted as obstacles, but sometimes it's a situation to fortify the strength of the group. Up until now in the season we have been constantly challenged. We tried to improve the quality of our responses in the face of adversity.
Postponement rule abused by come clubs?
I don't think so, but it's not important what I think because the important thing is to trust those who administer the rules because there are rules that define whether a game can or cannot be suspended. The conditions you have to demonstrate for them to be suspended. Because I trust in those who administer those decisions. I trust all the games that were suspended met the criteria for them to be suspended. The question is not do the clubs take advantage, but the question is if those who evaluate do it good or bad. For a club to take advantage there has to be an evaluation that was mistaken because the rules have to be sufficiently clear.
Any players back?
Forshaw and Firpo have muscular injuries and Bamford has a new injury at the bottom of his foot. He has overcome his muscular issues, but now he has an issue at the bottom of his foot
Hamstring for Firpo and Forshaw?
Yes.
Pushing for cup weekend date with Villa?
I don't have the capacity to pick when the games are rearranged. They are not decisions I make.
Preferable for sooner rather than later?
Whatever the authorities say. Coaches don't have the opportunity to decide when games are played. That does allow for speculation.
Aaronson - what do you know about him? Why suitable?
I prefer to speak about a player when it's not a hypothetical possibility and when they are our player.
How different are Newcastle now?
With respect to the players they have brought in, they are positions that are very specific. The right-back and a centre forward. A centre forward who comes to replace the player they normally play in that position. Both classic centre forwards. Even if they have different features they both play as CFs. The same as their RB. Plays at different heights down the right side. Those two signings from my point of view, difficult to interpret their coach, not convenient, do not alter the way they play. The individualities enrich a squad.
Injuries - worst spell in your career?
Not with so many players. What is very intriguing or not so much how many injuries, but that players are injured all play in similar positions. In some way we have always found solutions. It's likely for this game we are going to count on Roberts, with Gelhardt and Rodrigo Moreno [?]. The players out of the squad in that position are going to be Patrick and Greenwood. Progressively we have been resolving the situation. The same with the absence of Cooper, Koch, Llorente, Pascal. Resolved with Ayling and Koch as a DM when healthy. Forshaw is a DM. Also true all the clubs have problems with counting on all their players.
Relegation battle
We have to see how many points are in play. See what games the other teams have. After seeing the succession of results in each team, positive or negative, so after half of the season has past, to discard any evolution in each team is not convenient, especially in a league so difficult.
Best you have seen Raphinha play right now?
No, he has had many games where he has shone. He has had many actions where he has unbalanced in a lot of games. To say this was his best game in a Leeds shirt I don't have it so clear. He is a player easy to remember his goals, his assists, dribbles and good performances
Howe
He has found a system. A habitual group of players. An XI which repeats itself regularly. He has evened the team out in all of their games. Close to their opponents. This all talks positively about the job he is doing
Importance of your relationship with Orta?
More than my opinion, there is evidence of the growth of Leeds United since Victor Orta has been here. The teams are produced through the individualities, in that sense, he has picked well. He has found adequate players. They adapt to the way of playing for Leeds, the majority of them are young, and the players that have arrived are usually worth more after being here. That means he picked players with a margin of growth with the potential to be better. He's a person who knows the market very well for young players in different countries. He has picked young players who are very good, just to name Pascal, Gelhardt, Hjelde. All of these things don't need me to describe them. I am describing things you can see in reality
Archie Gray experience?
What’s happened to him has been premature. I don’t think it’s good for a player of his age to occupy this space. If I could have avoided it I would have done it. The players we have to put them in positions where they can assume the possibilities that arise. Obviously, Gray is not prepared for the PL. The reality took him to be there deservedly. Every time I form a group from the squad I pick the best of those available. Of course, he’s a player full of virtues. In spite of being so young, he can compete. Clearly, his process has been altered to get to a player of being elite. He has the resources to achieve it, he will achieve it, he is very, very strong mentally. He has the conditions to play in any sector of the [piotch. Very, very intelligent player. I ignore what his life is usually. Given how he behaves, I can see his education is well
Anyone back besides Llorente?
Llorente and probably Tyler Roberts and Gelhardt. We maintain the presence of Rodrigo, who played 30 minutes last week.
What does it say for you to give eight teenagers debuts? A record
What you are saying is poorly described.
We have asked for games to be suspended when the rules gave us the chance to have those games suspended. We have not asked to suspend games when we haven't had the reality for that to happen. It's not that I'm rejecting your praise, the total opposite. I like to be valued. In this case, your evaluation does not match up with the reality, but is true we had used younger players to integrate our teams To have young players part of the formation every weekend has its value because the group has completed its integration with young players who are in development. If the club had decided not to count on them, the club should have signed four, five, six players older with a bigger background. It also corresponds to say, to value the work we have done, the real important thing is to manage to create PL players. Pascal is a PL player. His background is identical to those players you are making reference to. That is a triumph of the work of the youth teams because he is a player who has converted himself into a PL player where he started in the immediate team below the first team. So, what I think should be judged, what's going to be seen as a contribution by the club, is how many of the players with the team have converted themselves into habitualt players in the first team. For example, Gelhardt and Hjelde are one or two options in their roles for many years that would mean they have converted themselves into PL players, but that's still in development
Importance of fans standing by you through difficult spell?
Very important. There's a phrase that says a club needs to be loved to win, not they are loved because they won. All of the teams are loved because they won. Very important to be loved to be able to win. That demands loyalty and unconditionality throughout the games. From that sense, the fans of Leeds showed massive generosity.
Many great days under your leadership, Sunday falls into that special category - have you seen a brightness in your players this week?
The next game is always the next thing on our minds. But it is true that a victory like that always improves the mood. To prepare a game with a tranquillity of a victory is better than doing it without. But the most important thing is always the next game. To have won the last game doesnt' give you any guarantees in the next one and to lose the next one is to take away some of the shine of the previous victory so we always try to lean on what happened beforehand but always looking forward to the next.
In the coming international break you will only lose Raphinha - how big an opportunity will that be for you and your players to prepare for the final stretch of the season?
The players who have rest at mid-season makes the percentage of injuries a lot less so the rest is the path and preparation in the life of a footballer, and I have the feeling that the high dosage of rest is the most important thing at this stage of the season.
The difficulties can sometimes be interpreted as obstacles, but sometimes it's a situation to fortify the strength of the group. Up until now in the season we have been constantly challenged. We tried to improve the quality of our responses in the face of adversity.
Postponement rule abused by come clubs?
I don't think so, but it's not important what I think because the important thing is to trust those who administer the rules because there are rules that define whether a game can or cannot be suspended. The conditions you have to demonstrate for them to be suspended. Because I trust in those who administer those decisions. I trust all the games that were suspended met the criteria for them to be suspended. The question is not do the clubs take advantage, but the question is if those who evaluate do it good or bad. For a club to take advantage there has to be an evaluation that was mistaken because the rules have to be sufficiently clear.
Any players back?
Forshaw and Firpo have muscular injuries and Bamford has a new injury at the bottom of his foot. He has overcome his muscular issues, but now he has an issue at the bottom of his foot
Hamstring for Firpo and Forshaw?
Yes.
Pushing for cup weekend date with Villa?
I don't have the capacity to pick when the games are rearranged. They are not decisions I make.
Preferable for sooner rather than later?
Whatever the authorities say. Coaches don't have the opportunity to decide when games are played. That does allow for speculation.
Aaronson - what do you know about him? Why suitable?
I prefer to speak about a player when it's not a hypothetical possibility and when they are our player.
How different are Newcastle now?
With respect to the players they have brought in, they are positions that are very specific. The right-back and a centre forward. A centre forward who comes to replace the player they normally play in that position. Both classic centre forwards. Even if they have different features they both play as CFs. The same as their RB. Plays at different heights down the right side. Those two signings from my point of view, difficult to interpret their coach, not convenient, do not alter the way they play. The individualities enrich a squad.
Injuries - worst spell in your career?
Not with so many players. What is very intriguing or not so much how many injuries, but that players are injured all play in similar positions. In some way we have always found solutions. It's likely for this game we are going to count on Roberts, with Gelhardt and Rodrigo Moreno [?]. The players out of the squad in that position are going to be Patrick and Greenwood. Progressively we have been resolving the situation. The same with the absence of Cooper, Koch, Llorente, Pascal. Resolved with Ayling and Koch as a DM when healthy. Forshaw is a DM. Also true all the clubs have problems with counting on all their players.
Relegation battle
We have to see how many points are in play. See what games the other teams have. After seeing the succession of results in each team, positive or negative, so after half of the season has past, to discard any evolution in each team is not convenient, especially in a league so difficult.
Best you have seen Raphinha play right now?
No, he has had many games where he has shone. He has had many actions where he has unbalanced in a lot of games. To say this was his best game in a Leeds shirt I don't have it so clear. He is a player easy to remember his goals, his assists, dribbles and good performances
Howe
He has found a system. A habitual group of players. An XI which repeats itself regularly. He has evened the team out in all of their games. Close to their opponents. This all talks positively about the job he is doing
Importance of your relationship with Orta?
More than my opinion, there is evidence of the growth of Leeds United since Victor Orta has been here. The teams are produced through the individualities, in that sense, he has picked well. He has found adequate players. They adapt to the way of playing for Leeds, the majority of them are young, and the players that have arrived are usually worth more after being here. That means he picked players with a margin of growth with the potential to be better. He's a person who knows the market very well for young players in different countries. He has picked young players who are very good, just to name Pascal, Gelhardt, Hjelde. All of these things don't need me to describe them. I am describing things you can see in reality
Archie Gray experience?
What’s happened to him has been premature. I don’t think it’s good for a player of his age to occupy this space. If I could have avoided it I would have done it. The players we have to put them in positions where they can assume the possibilities that arise. Obviously, Gray is not prepared for the PL. The reality took him to be there deservedly. Every time I form a group from the squad I pick the best of those available. Of course, he’s a player full of virtues. In spite of being so young, he can compete. Clearly, his process has been altered to get to a player of being elite. He has the resources to achieve it, he will achieve it, he is very, very strong mentally. He has the conditions to play in any sector of the [piotch. Very, very intelligent player. I ignore what his life is usually. Given how he behaves, I can see his education is well
Anyone back besides Llorente?
Llorente and probably Tyler Roberts and Gelhardt. We maintain the presence of Rodrigo, who played 30 minutes last week.
What does it say for you to give eight teenagers debuts? A record
What you are saying is poorly described.
We have asked for games to be suspended when the rules gave us the chance to have those games suspended. We have not asked to suspend games when we haven't had the reality for that to happen. It's not that I'm rejecting your praise, the total opposite. I like to be valued. In this case, your evaluation does not match up with the reality, but is true we had used younger players to integrate our teams To have young players part of the formation every weekend has its value because the group has completed its integration with young players who are in development. If the club had decided not to count on them, the club should have signed four, five, six players older with a bigger background. It also corresponds to say, to value the work we have done, the real important thing is to manage to create PL players. Pascal is a PL player. His background is identical to those players you are making reference to. That is a triumph of the work of the youth teams because he is a player who has converted himself into a PL player where he started in the immediate team below the first team. So, what I think should be judged, what's going to be seen as a contribution by the club, is how many of the players with the team have converted themselves into habitualt players in the first team. For example, Gelhardt and Hjelde are one or two options in their roles for many years that would mean they have converted themselves into PL players, but that's still in development
Importance of fans standing by you through difficult spell?
Very important. There's a phrase that says a club needs to be loved to win, not they are loved because they won. All of the teams are loved because they won. Very important to be loved to be able to win. That demands loyalty and unconditionality throughout the games. From that sense, the fans of Leeds showed massive generosity.
Many great days under your leadership, Sunday falls into that special category - have you seen a brightness in your players this week?
The next game is always the next thing on our minds. But it is true that a victory like that always improves the mood. To prepare a game with a tranquillity of a victory is better than doing it without. But the most important thing is always the next game. To have won the last game doesnt' give you any guarantees in the next one and to lose the next one is to take away some of the shine of the previous victory so we always try to lean on what happened beforehand but always looking forward to the next.
In the coming international break you will only lose Raphinha - how big an opportunity will that be for you and your players to prepare for the final stretch of the season?
The players who have rest at mid-season makes the percentage of injuries a lot less so the rest is the path and preparation in the life of a footballer, and I have the feeling that the high dosage of rest is the most important thing at this stage of the season.