Leeds fans have been left frustrated by Marcelo Bielsa ahead of their Saturday clash with Rotherham in the Championship. The Whites will be travelling to the New York Stadium to take on struggling Rotherham, however, Bielsa has confirmed that Kalvin Phillips will start in the back four ahead of the young Finnish defender, Aapo Halme.
Casilla starts on Saturday, Kalvin Phillips will play at centre-back in place of Pontus Jansson. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 24, 2019
Bielsa is well aware of the fact that their opposition on Saturday will be going at them with a long-ball game, winning second balls and trying to be a threat from set-pieces, yet he’s still opted against throwing in Aapo Halme, the club’s six foot five inch centre-half who would provide them a massive edge as they prepare to face the Championship strugglers with their brute force style of play.
Instead of Halme, it will be Kalvin Phillips. That means that someone else will have to be used in place Phillips in the club’s holding midfield role, and there is no one at the club who Bielsa has at his disposal capable of playing that role as well as Phillips. For that reason, the Whites just cannot understand Bielsa’s thinking, however, the Argentine always does things for a reason, and they trust him enough to go and get three points.
You can read the Whites’ thoughts on Bielsa’s selection here:
https://twitter.com/SupremeJansson/status/1088426252803981312
— george (@georgewlufc) January 24, 2019
Halme needs to start. And Phillips in CDM
— 💙💛 (@eatonc01) January 24, 2019
Shame would of liking Halme in there & push Phillips up,or put Ayling in at centre back and play Shackleton at Rightback #imo #lufc but Bielsa knows best #mot
— paul kelly (@paulie_lufc) January 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/ronaallleeds/status/1088426307057274880
Why doesn’t he start Halme so Phillips can plah CDM?
— James (@J_4710) 24 January 2019
https://twitter.com/LeeTate764/status/1088441029538336769
https://twitter.com/lukerhodes2912/status/1088428717439926272
The Whites would feel a lot more confident going into this one with Halme at the back and Phillips in front of the back four, but Bielsa definitely knows best.
