‘Kamikaze-like defending’ but an ‘incredible motivator’: tactical insight into new Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch

New Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch is an ‘incredible motivator’ but his teams’ defending can often be described as a bit ‘kamikaze’.
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Leeds United back Jesse Marsch to take Whites to the next level

That is the verdict of Austrian football expert Anna Konovalova on the man brought in to succeed Marcelo Bielsa and keep Leeds United in the Premier League.

In January 2015, Marsch joined Red Bull’s global network as head coach of its New York franchise, leaving to become Ralf Rangnick’s RB Leipzig assistant in 2018, then Red Bull Salzburg coach after one season, winning consecutive doubles before rejoining Leipzig in the summer.

New Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch (Picture: LUFC)New Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch (Picture: LUFC)
New Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch (Picture: LUFC)
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It was the first real failure of his coaching career, cut short in December after nine defeats in 21 games.

The Red Bull teams play an energetic high-pressing style similar to Marcelo Bielsa’s, and Marsch will be expected to develop the young players Leeds have been buying.

Here, Austrian football expert Konovalova tells Leeds supporters what to expect from Marcelo Bielsa’s successor.

“He plays counter-attacking football with very intense pressing and counter-pressing,” explains Konovalova.

Head coach Jesse Marsch of RB Leipzig gestures prior to the UEFA Champions League group A match between RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain at Red Bull Arena on November 3. (Picture: Boris Streubel/Getty Images)Head coach Jesse Marsch of RB Leipzig gestures prior to the UEFA Champions League group A match between RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain at Red Bull Arena on November 3. (Picture: Boris Streubel/Getty Images)
Head coach Jesse Marsch of RB Leipzig gestures prior to the UEFA Champions League group A match between RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain at Red Bull Arena on November 3. (Picture: Boris Streubel/Getty Images)
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“His main focus is to get the ball back as quickly as possible and advance it mainly through the centre – ideally reaching the penalty area in five seconds or so.

“He works really well with youngsters and knows how to get the best out of them. He’s an incredible motivator – some dressing-room speeches went viral.

“Defensive organisation is his weakest point. His teams seem uncoordinated and disorganised at the back, often unable to stop efficient breaks and looking clueless defending set-pieces.

“Brief outings in European competitions were brave, but reckless and kamikaze-like at times. They weren’t enough to prepare him for such a difficult task as RB Leipzig, submerged in internal chaos. Were the lessons learned? We’ll have to see.

Motivator: Jesse Marsch, headcoach of RB Leipzig reacts at the final whistle after the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund (Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)Motivator: Jesse Marsch, headcoach of RB Leipzig reacts at the final whistle after the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund (Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Motivator: Jesse Marsch, headcoach of RB Leipzig reacts at the final whistle after the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund (Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
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“But he works well with bright attacking talents and his football leads to lots of goals scored.”

Assistants Diego Reyes, Pablo Quiroga and Luis Ouvina, plus fitness coach Benoit Delaval, left with Bielsa, and Konovalova says Marsch will need the strong backroom he lacked in Germany.

“At Salzburg he won everything at domestic level and everyone seemed happy,” she says. “But problems kept being swept under the carpet. Defensive instability cost points, even in the league Salzburg normally dominate and there were often midfield possession problems caused by his high-speed vertical philosophy.

“At times it looked like he lacked experience but with support from a well-composed staff he kept his head above water. At Leipzig he had no proper backroom support.”

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Marsch should be far less stand-offish with players who probably need their morale lifting as much as their games.

“He’s close to his players, always trying to have an open ear,” reveals Konovalova. “But he’s not shy about openly criticising them in front of the media.”

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