Jesse Marsch press conference RECAP: Leeds United head coach offers positive Bamford update

I like having a team that's very flexible. Like we've played a lot of 4231 so far, we started 4222 and now it's looks sometimes more like 4231. I would like to have more flexibility with formations and players in position, so that we can have also flexibility in how we play with the ball and how we play against the ball. We haven't been able to build that in enough because we're still getting through principles and ideas of how to play the way we want to play, in a relegation fight where we have to fight for every point. So it stumps the project, in certain ways, because we have to focus so heavily on results, which I never like to do. But in the process, we found a way to continue to try to transform into what we will become and also being very pragmatic to get results.

On the day, we made such big mistakes in the six three match we hadm that it was really hard to evaluate what was good, what was bad on the day. The ways that we thought we could hurt them, we were able to find some chances and some goals, and the ways that we knew they could punish us - they did effectively. We made such big mistakes in that game, I mean really, really bad mistakes. Their play in wide areas is what punished us the most and big switches, so you have to try to close the space on one side of the field, but know that the ball can quickly go to the other side, and that  they can punish you over there. 

So I think the game was about what I expected other than the amount of mistakes we made. 

I think I'm going to be pragmatic but aggressive. And we are going to be pragmatically aggressive. I think if you analyse them, they overload wide areas and they're so good at crossing situations. Even though they don't have much height up the field, they score almost every goal from wide areas. So we have to manage that.

We have to understand what that means, and then what options they create and movements they create, and how to try to limit those. And then when we win balls - how to try to be effective to catch them on the counter. And then in possession, to still be confident and try to unbalance them. For me, that's why I say they're the best team in the world. It's the quality they have, but also the way the manager teaches them to play the game. It's such a high level, such a high level.

I haven't had chances to see Stuart in the six. I've gone back and watched him sometimes in that position to think about 'okay, in the future, how can we still use him there?' because I know that that is probably even his preferred spot. His national team coach was here a couple of weeks ago, and he said that he is used more as a wingback, in a three.

His intelligence and his flexibility are an incredible strength. And when you see him playing the six, I think he's also very effective, and even in the way that I'm trying to convert the team into playing, I think he can still be very, very good there.

I think he's also done a good job on the outside the fullback position. I'm just trying to think about each player.

I know that Dan's not normally a striker, Robin's not normally a six, Stuart's not normally a left back, but where we are and how we've gotten results - the roles have fit together in a way to help us still be effective in matches. Now each match is a little different. And so we have to think about what that means for the next coming match phase, but I know that Stuart has the ability to play the six and we will consider that moving forward as well.

I don't think so. I think we're all very clear that this is a team that can pile on the goals. I think we're focused on just being clear and being up for the challenge.

In some ways you can say there's nothing to lose, right? We're expected to lose this game every time. I don't believe that, but I can see why that's the expectation in some ways. Our job is to strategically understand - we know what they want the game to look like and then what we want the game to look like - and to see if we can find ways to still tilt the bar a little bit throughout the game to gain advantages in the ways that we want to gain advantages. Big challenge again, but we'll see if we can be clear on the day.

We had a contest in training, because I asked the team if anyone had a long throw, and I've done this before and they all said 'no'. And I said 'someone in here does'. And I said 'and my money's on Raphinha' - and he did. So yeah, I mean, it was dangerous. We'll probably use it more in the future. And we don't have to throw coach like Liverpool or some other places, but we will try to see if we can be dangerous in those moments.

It's about first, the mentality of understanding that every moment, every second of the game is important - because if we're not ready or not totally connected, in one moment, they're good enough to exploit that and be very dangerous.

Now, our ability to be dangerous in moments will obviously affect how aggressive they can be. I was at the Man City, Liverpool game and Man City started out great, with lots of really good moments and they were aggressive in pushing forward. And then Liverpool was dangerous and was able to get a goal and then Man City had to be a little bit more cautious. Obviously we're not Liverpool, but if we can find moments like Real Madrid - to still be dangerous and make a goal or at least put a little bit of fear in our ability to counter and to be effective with the ball- that will affect how aggressive they are so that's really important.

And then the tactical plan that the players are very clear on - we had a long video session today, we will have another one tomorrow. And they are very clear with exactly what the tactical plan is, and how to execute it on the day under a pressure situation - and I don't mean pressure of the result. I mean the quality of the opponent and the intelligence of the opponent is so good, that it forces them to have to be ready to run, but also ready to think. It's a challenge at the highest level. We'll make sure that we will do everything we can to be up for it.

Tyler will be out for the year. So Tyler, Adam and Crysencio now are done for the season. Patrick will not be ready. But I suspect and can probably expect that he will be on the pitch next week. So let's see. We have to again, be cautious, but we're all optimistic about Patrick at this point.

In general, I can only say that I've been happy with everybody and their commitment to be here. It's a unique situation that we have with our group and in our team. We have a lot of talent too, and certainly when you talk about Raphinha and Kalvin that they're two big players for us. I think Illan's potential moving forward is huge. And the best thing that I think I've seen from him in the last weeks is more and more confidence, more and more stable. Even though I talked about how he didn't train at all before the Watford match, and then he came into the match and was almost flawless. I think that was a big moment in Illan's career to know that in big games, you need goalkeepers that are ready no matter what the circumstances are. And so, like I've said already publicly, I'm not the best goalkeeper coach, but I understand the mentality of what the goalkeeper position requires. And so that's been a big focus of my work with Illan and I think he's responded great and played really well. So yeah, in the end, the answer is yes. Let's keep him.

I think it's looking at every game - what does it require? And I've even spoken to Dan multiple times and I know this is not his desired position or his best position. But even if I look at the game, we weren't always so dangerous in the first 60 minutes but neither was Palace. We've controlled them a bit more and it's a lot of the times because of Dan's ability against the ball and in pressing situations and making it difficult on the opponent, and being a threat to get in behind - it means that we are able to control what they are doing at moments better. And when we took Dan out, the game got pushed a little bit more to our defensive end, and we had to hang on for the last stages of the match. So I'm still trying to figure out how to use Dan in more wide positions and then yeah, do we put Joffy up there more? Do we put Rodrigo up there more? Do we put Sam Greenwood up there more? I'm just trying every day in training, to evaluate where we're at and then think about tactically what we need in order to fight the best for points.