Marcelo Bielsa admits Stoke City performance was the "worst so far" as Leeds United prepare for Rotherham United trip

Marcelo Bielsa branded Leeds United’s performance at Stoke City their “worst so far” as he looked for his players to reassert themselves against Rotherham United.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Bielsa said the display in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Stoke was “very difficult for us to understand”, coming eight days after a victory over Derby County which the United’s head coach rated as their most convincing of the season.

Leeds overran Derby at Elland Road two weeks ago, brushing aside a fellow top-six team, but their lead at the top of the Championship was cut to one point after out-of-form Stoke inflicted the club’s sixth league defeat.

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Norwich City have closed in behind Bielsa’s side in the table and Sheffield United and West Bromwich are four points back in a division with no runaway leader.

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Rotherham lie at the other end of the division, in 21st place, and Saturday’s game at the New York Stadium precedes a likely meeting between first and second with Norwich due at Elland Road next weekend.

Leeds retained 71 per cent of possession at Stoke but were beaten by second-half goals from Sam Clucas and Joe Allen, to the frustration of Bielsa who watched his players squander numerous good attacking positions.

United finished with 10 men after Pontus Jansson was show a red card, a dismissal which has ruled him out of the Rotherham clash.

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Bielsa said: “We played the worst game so far against Stoke, just after playing the best game of the Championship. It's very difficult for us to understand our last performance.

“We played against an opponent who made it easier for us to win the game. If we had to take a game where it is easy for us to attack, it was against Stoke City. For the whole the game we had two players who were always free - (Gjanni) Alioski and (Luke) Ayling. You only have to watch the game to reach this conclusion.

“The freedom with which these two players received the ball allowed us to take the ball into the box and usually when we have freedom in this zone we’re in good condition to do what we do the best. We couldn't do any of this.

“When I say it was a game we could win you just have a have a look at the chances to score the opponent had. How did the opponent get these chances to score? Even when they played with 11 versus 10, the opponent was not an obstacle for us. We were our main obstacle.”

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Bielsa, though, refused to put excessive pressure on this weekend’s Yorkshire derby, against a Rotherham side who Leeds beat 2-0 at Elland Road during the first month of the season.

United have led the Championship since the middle of December but would drop to second if they fail to beat Paul Warne’s side and Norwich win at home to Sheffield United.

“We have to win all games,” Bielsa insisted. “The last result doesn't give more importance on the obligation to win.”