Marcelo Bielsa reveals what makes 'underrated' 200 club member Stuart Dallas so special for Leeds United

Leeds United supporters do not need to be told that Stuart Dallas is a good football player, his virtues are common knowledge in these parts.
200 UP - Stuart Dallas made his 200th appearance for Leeds United against Arsenal on Sunday evening, before Marcelo Bielsa explained what makes the Ulsterman so special for the Whites. Pic: Getty200 UP - Stuart Dallas made his 200th appearance for Leeds United against Arsenal on Sunday evening, before Marcelo Bielsa explained what makes the Ulsterman so special for the Whites. Pic: Getty
200 UP - Stuart Dallas made his 200th appearance for Leeds United against Arsenal on Sunday evening, before Marcelo Bielsa explained what makes the Ulsterman so special for the Whites. Pic: Getty

There are a number of Whites players who, through seniority and their ability to sensibly and eloquently articulate responses on behalf of the team, have become visually representatitve of the club.

Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, Kalvin Phillips, Mateusz Klich, Patrick Bamford and Dallas are Leeds United’s go-to men for press duties and as such have become the faces attached to the Whites fortunes.

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There won’t have been many in the Championship unfamiliar with those players by the time Leeds left the second tier.

Their first crack at promotion under Marcelo Bielsa, the way it ended and Dallas’ individual contribution to the drama-filled semi-final at Elland Road would have raised his profile significantly.

Last season, as Dallas played week in and week out and played well, first at right-back, then at left-back, then in the centre of midfield, before coming out and speaking well regardless of the result, he became as big of a household a name in the Championship as one without prior top-flight involvement can hope to become.

Despite his international involvement and being able to draw upon experiences of coming up against elite players for Northern Ireland, Dallas entered the 2020/21 Premier League season with the same question mark over him as many of his Leeds team-mates. Would he be good enough?

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And like many of his team-mates, his early performances have made the question mark redundant.

One such performance, against Sheffield United, had former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher purring.

“He was the most influential player on the pitch,” said the five-time Premier League winner after watching the full-back operate in midfield for the first time in the English top flight.

“Tactically he was perfect, he won tackles, he was a goal threat. He was everywhere and it was an unbelievable man of the match performance.

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“This was a constant throughout the game. His performance was fantastic. He was a threat all afternoon. He’s got great energy, speed and intensity.

“He’s an underrated player throughout the league, but not by Leeds fans.”

Dallas was back in the centre of midfield against Arsenal and once again looked like a man with years, not weeks of experience at the top level.

It was his 200th appearance for Leeds United and yet another fitting occasion upon which to discuss his strengths and his importance to the club, with the man most qualified to do so.

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“For me he’s a very generous player, very brave,” said Marcelo Bielsa.

“He participates a lot in the game. He doesn’t have a problem playing with either foot.

“He can play in the three different positions on the pitch – defending, in the middle and in attack.”

What makes him special, for Bielsa, however is the qualities that underpin his on-field abilities, the qualities that drive him in training, motivate him to sacrifice for the team and to play anywhere he is asked.

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“Apart from that, he has one thing that is the best, that you don’t see,” said Bielsa.

“He is a very good team-mate and impeccable professional.”

His 287 tackles won, 149 interceptions, 102 successful take-ons and 162 chances created in the division he helped Leeds escape made him a firm favourite.

What he does in his sixth season and beyond has the potential to grant him a place among the Leeds United greats, but if he goes on as he has started, it soon won’t just be fans of this club who know all about his virtues and rate him accordingly.

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