Chelsea and Pulisic add to Jesse Marsch's woes at Leeds United
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, May 12, 2022
A 3-0 loss to Chelsea in which Leeds United achieved red-card notoriety moved the American coach Jesse Marsch's team closer to EPL relegation.
Leeds United became the first English Premier League team since Hull in September 2016 to have players receive first-half red cards in two straight games.
Daniel James' 24th-minute ejection was sandwiched by Mason Mount's fourth-minute goal and Christian Pulisic's sharp 18-yard left-footed strike in the 55th minute. Romelu Lukaku scored the third in the 85th minute to seal Leeds' third-straight loss on Wednesday and extend its unbeaten run to four games.
With two games left in the season — against ninth-place Brighton and 13th-place Brentford — Leeds sits in the relegation zone at 18th place. The 17th-place Burnley is tied on points with Leeds but has a game in hand and an insurmountable goal-difference advantage. Everton, in 16th place, is two points ahead of Leeds, and also has a game in hand and a much better goal difference. (Norwich City and Watford are already doomed.)
In Leeds United's previous loss, 2-1, at Arsenal, Luke Ayling was ejected in the 27th minute after scored twice within 10 minutes of kickoff.
"Two tackles in the last two games that are a little bit crossing the line and hurting the team," Marsch said. "I'm not going to blame or finger-point any of our players, they've given everything they can, but we have to stay within boundaries in not jeopardizing ourselves."
The disciplinary record of Leeds United prompted the headline "Jesse Marsch has made Leeds the dirtiest team in the league — and for what?" for an article in The Telegraph by Thom Gibbs that cited Leeds leading the league in yellow cards (97) and fouls (440). Newcastle is second in yellows with 79 and Watford fouls second-most at 429. The EPL team median for yellows and fouls is 59 and 359.
Marsch has guided Leeds to a 3-5-2 (W-L-T) record since replacing Marcelo Bielsa on March 1 when Leeds was in 16th place, two points above the relegation zone with 5-13-8 record.
Referring to Leeds' scoreless tie two weeks ago with Crystal Palace, Gibbs wrote, "There was a clear plan: disrupt a dangerous team and defend stubbornly."
For third-place Chelsea, which has two more games, Wednesday's win put it within in a point of clinching a spot in next season's UEFA Champions League.
Pulisic's goal was his sixth in 21 appearances for the Blues this season.
Beautiful team goal.
Bob,watch how poor the Leeds defense was on Pulisic's goal. Although they were a man down, Leeds didn't even attempted to make an effort towards Pulisic. You can tell the Leeds team is so down psychologically but, I think, they are preparing for their fate a division lowere next season.
The problem with Leeds is that they have been playing, TURBO+ ball the last few years, and now it has run out of gas. The team has to rebuilt and play a more creative style of soccer, which means Jesse will be gone for he represents turbo style ball.....l
Check this out although it is in dutch...It's about Cruyff, a new video of many things not shown before. Ships enjoyed it. Note at 5min20sec, the outside of the leftfoot chip spin pass....
(3) Johan Cruijff: The Unknown, uniek beeld van Nederlands grootste voetballer ooit | Johan Cruijff 75 - YouTube
Frank, I was curious about what you would say about this. I cannot decide if Jesse is exporting the MLS thug style of play to Europe or if he is a poor imitation (win at all costs) of Jose Mourinho for bottom tier clubs. I think the comparison in the 2nd explanation flatters Jesse too much. I don't think of him as a "turbo" coach, but your comment has me thinking about it.
Bob, you're right, i'm not a fan of Jesse style of coaching. Since I place Turbo soccer as the lowest style, this is where Jesse fits in.
Granted,Bielsa was the one that introduced Turbo style to Leeds, but that is because he had nothing to work with or able to buy. So, without creative, the next best thing to do and the only thing to do is to run this team into the ground for the short term...If anything, Jesse who does not add anything to do the, ESPECIALLY, creativity, was perhaps the only choice to have as coach.
but I don't see him hanging around if the board decides to find a good investor....
Even if JM avoids relegation I don't see him still at Leeds come August.
R2, that's how I feel....Look at whom Norwich hired as a replacement coach. The same will happen to Leeds, hiring some unknown English coach.