Darren Fletcher hails 'underrated' Leeds United star 'perfect' for Marcelo Bielsa
DARREN Fletcher has hailed the tactical versatility of Leeds United's Stuart Dallas who the former Scotland international has labelled as "perfect" for Marcelo Bielsa and an "underrated player throughout the league."
Northern Ireland international Dallas has been used in a variety of different roles throughout his five years at Leeds and the 29-year-old moved from his most recently deployed position of left back into midfield for Sunday's Yorkshire derby at Sheffield United.
The switch came with Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa shifting to a back three to combat the home side's two-man strike force and Dallas subsequently excelled as Leeds recorded a 1-0 victory with former Manchester United, West Brom and Stoke City midfielder Fletcher left hugely impressed.
Assessing Bielsa's tactics and in particular the display of Dallas on Match Of The Day 2, Fletcher said: "We talk about how great they are and how man for man they are and how much movement they have got but the basic starts from whatever opposition the formation plays.
"He (Bielsa) always likes to outnumber their centre forwards.
“We know Sheffield United have two strikers so that means a tactical switch and it's easily done because (Luke) Ayling, the normal right back, drops in beside the centre backs and Dallas drops into midfield from the left back position and then the midfielders are all man for man.
“You think when a left back drops into midfield he is going to be a defensive midfielder but he was anything but. He was everywhere and his performance was fantastic.
“He was the most influential player on the pitch and tactically he was perfect.
"He won tackles, he was a goal threat, he was everywhere, man for man and it was an unbelievable man of the match performance. He played like a normal midfielder and credit to him.
"To be tactically that versatile is perfect for somebody like Bielsa because not only does he do it in preparation for games, they are constantly changing throughout the games off the back of other teams' formations.
"I can't speak highly enough of his performances. He's an underrated player throughout the league, but not by Leeds fans.”
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Thank you Laura Collins