Marcelo Bielsa usually gets things right. The Argentine has done a superb job of turning the Whites from a side that came 13th last season into one whose lowest league position this season has been 4th, however, he doesn’t always get it right. Against Brentford yesterday he opted to rest Kalvin Phillips, and it proved costly as they lost 2-0.
Two changes for Leeds – Adam Forshaw replaces Kalvin Phillips. Liam Cooper is fit to start and plays in place of Gaetano Berardi. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) April 22, 2019
Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, Bielsa needs to be commended for his work at the Yorkshire club. However, if Elland Road is still a Championship ground at the end of the season then all of the hard work and graft put in by the Whites and Bielsa will have been for nothing, which makes calls like Bielsa’s to leave out Kalvin Phillips yesterday even more costly.
‘The Yorkshire Pirlo’, as Phillips has been referred to on a number of occasions this season, makes things tick for the club. His job in front of the defence is key to their style of play and at the age of just 23-years-old, he surely has a massive future. That future will be in the Premier League for sure, but whether it’s with Leeds United or another club is still up for debate.
You can read the Whites’ verdict on Phillips’ exclusion yesterday here:
Has KP lost a leg? If not I’d play him….
— Pete (@peterjs0007) April 22, 2019
Player of the year left on the bench, this is more ridiculous that taking him off last week.
— Ryan Leadbeater (@rleadbeater1993) April 22, 2019
What!! Phillips > Forshaw any day of the week.
— Ivan Taggart (@IvanTaggart) April 22, 2019
No Phillips??? That is a BIG call from the messiah.
— Stuart Payne (@StuartAPayne) April 22, 2019
We ain’t getting 3 points
— (@DaveyMedz) 22 April 2019
https://twitter.com/sveifors/status/1120345865745465350
It appears that Bielsa has a fiver on Norwich and Sheffield Utd getting automatic promotion.
— Martin Andrew Smith (@smith_mas) April 22, 2019
The Whites were not happy to see Phillips dropped and will just be hoping that he makes a swift return for Villa and Ipswich as they aim to salvage an automatic promotion spot.
