Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa compares Bailey Peacock-Farrell to a roller coaster

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa has compared Bailey Peacock-Farrell's last few weeks to that of a roller coaster believing that all football players must endure "ups and downs".
Leeds United's Bailey Peacock-Farrell saves a late penalty at Elland Road in the 1-0 victory over Reading.Leeds United's Bailey Peacock-Farrell saves a late penalty at Elland Road in the 1-0 victory over Reading.
Leeds United's Bailey Peacock-Farrell saves a late penalty at Elland Road in the 1-0 victory over Reading.

The 63-year-old made the surprising move of making public he was going to drop the Whites goalkeeper before an injury to back-up stopper and Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman intervened.

Peacock-Farrell, who returned to the team on Tuesday evening after missing last weekend's clash with Bristol City due to a knee injury, saw debutant Will Huffer earn a clean sheet against the Robins but returned straight into the starting line-up for the Royals fixture.

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The 22-year-old made himself a hero in midweek as he saved an 89th minute Marc McNulty penalty in the 1-0 victory over Reading at Elland Road to secure United all three points in the Championship clash.

Leeds United's Bailey Peacock-Farrell saves a late penalty at Elland Road in the 1-0 victory over Reading.Leeds United's Bailey Peacock-Farrell saves a late penalty at Elland Road in the 1-0 victory over Reading.
Leeds United's Bailey Peacock-Farrell saves a late penalty at Elland Road in the 1-0 victory over Reading.

Forty yards or fifty yards... Leeds United's Mateusz Klich on scoring goals, THAT song and a big derby at Sheffield UnitedBielsa, who said he told Peacock-Farrell publicly he would be dropped in hope it would help him learn, admitted ahead of this weekend's trip to Bramall Lane to take on Sheffield United that without "ups and downs" there is no "vital reality" for any footballer even comparing his last few weeks to that of a roller coaster ride.

"Usually, as a head coach, we are more responsible when the players have a negative cycle than when they have a positive one," said Bielsa.

"Usually, the positive cycles are more linked to what the player does. This link with the ups and downs, it has to do with leadership. You see, in the attraction parks, these games where you go up and down, you have images that represent very well the importance of going down.

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"In these games, when you are going down you are catching speed to go up again. This reflects what I think about ups and downs.

"There is no vital reality without ups and downs. When you are down you have people who can’t go up and you also have other people who like these games in the attraction parks. When you go down it helps you to go up."