Jesse Marsch on Leeds United's Leicester City defeat, Patrick Bamford decision and penalty shout

New Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch believes his side will get all the points they need if they continue to play as they did in their 1-0 defeat at Leicester City.
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The American spent four days preparing the players at Thorp Arch before the game and felt they took his ideas and implemented them well on the pitch, creating more than enough chances to win before losing to a Harvey Barnes second half goal.

"I've learned, this is maybe the American in me, that our sport sometimes isn't the fairest," said Marsch.

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"But it doesn't matter, you've got to do what you can to manage it. In a sport like basketball you score a lot more points and usually the better team manages to emerge. I'm not saying we were the better team but I am very pleased after four days where we've changed a lot of tactical topics and we changed a lot of what we're trying to accomplish on the pitch that there was such clarity and we were able to execute in every phase of the game.

"I know how hard they work, how committed they are to each other and how intelligent they are. They took a lot of our video sessions and after four days put in a performance like that at a tough place to play, in a tough moment of the season for us, against a top opponent. We're disappointed with the result and we need to use this as momentum to propel us to make us better."

Marsch saw things in Leeds' performance that can improve as they spend more time learning his philosophy but felt the opening goal would have changed the game completely had it gone for his team.

He gathered the players in the centre circle at full-time for an immediate debrief and consoled Tyler Roberts, who picked up a hamstring problem in a challenge not long after coming off the bench on 76 minutes and couldn't contribute despite staying on. Marsch did have Patrick Bamford back on the bench but felt a change was needed too early in the game to consider throwing the striker back in.

"I want them to know how strong that was," he said.

FIRST STEP - Jesse Marsch was pleased with what he saw from each Leeds United player at Leicester City. Pic: Jonathan GawthorpeFIRST STEP - Jesse Marsch was pleased with what he saw from each Leeds United player at Leicester City. Pic: Jonathan Gawthorpe
FIRST STEP - Jesse Marsch was pleased with what he saw from each Leeds United player at Leicester City. Pic: Jonathan Gawthorpe
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"I'm pleased with every single performance from every single guy. I'm pleased with every single performance from every single guy. It was a really good first step. If we keep playing like this we’re going to get all the points we need.

"Patrick [Bamford] was maximum 10 minutes and we want to get him on the pitch as quickly as as possible can but I felt we need to make a change a little earlier. Tyler has this weird collision and it leads to him having a little bit of a hamstring strain. Patrick is back in training he'll continue to progress, we'll get him fitter and fitter."

Leeds were denied a penalty in the first half when Rodrigo went down under a challenge. VAR checked that incident, as well as a potential second half handball in the Leicester box, but neither resulted in spot-kicks.

"From what we saw we thought Rodrigo was a penalty but I don't confess to be a referee, thankfully," added Marsch.

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