Jesse Marsch out at Leeds, rumored for Southampton job

This information is easy to find via Google or Wikipedia, it is not an opinion, but a fact.

February 28, 2022
to
February 6, 2023

"more than one year"?

 

Hard to argue with any of this...

 

No lead was ever safe. It seemed any match where Leeds scored 2-3 goals they were just as likely to give up 3-4.

 

I'm not seeing what people who think Marsch should have had more time are seeing. He had the summer, he had input on transfers. He brought in players he liked instead of needed. He doesn't seem to have much vision for transfers or flexibility on the field. He did alright with Salzburg in the Champs league, but that's why I don't put too much stress on a tournament. A few bounces your way and you exceed expectations. Leeds were pretty lucky to avoid relegation on the final day last year, went out and spent, and are right back at the bottom of the table. His Leipzig tenure was ugly. You want American managers wo have a better reputation? You need guys who have better x's and o's, better flexibility, not the rah-rah we are going to out hustle people nonsense.

 

Why did Leeds even bring in McKennie, when the midfield wasn't a problem, was that Marsch? Everyone knew they needed a goal scoring striker and better defenders... and now Marsch is fired because their defense conceded a goal while their striker was unable to finish.

Also confused as to why the move for left back Kai Wagner from Philly who is German and would have been dirt cheap, didn't happen...

 

Reporters are bad at tracking/identifying this stuff, but Wagner just wouldn't have qualified for a work permit this window. (He may have narrowly qualified over the summer, but they missed their window on that.)

 

I don't disagree with your overall point that he should have been able to show his style could get results based on his summer transfers, but the winter transfers don't really factor into that discussion yet at all.

Leeds made 3 transfers this window. Two of them just arrived and both made their first Premier League appearance off the bench yesterday. The other (Max Wober) has now started two games, and he does appear to have shored up some real weaknesses in the backline in those two games (where Leeds gave up 1 goal in 2 games, and that one was not on the CBs).

 

Hard to argue with a few points:

1. Leeds are underperforming their “expected points” by a more significant margin than anyone else, save West Ham. They’ve been very unlucky.

2. Leeds—whether by Marsch’s doing or, more than likely, not—didn’t shore up their striker or CB/LB problems in time through the transfer window.

3. Jesse was too tactically rigid, and his unwillingness to adjust to the situation likely lost him some points in the table.

4. If NF doesn’t bring in Keylor Navas, Leeds probably win against NF…but he was there and Leeds can’t finish.

Unfortunate situation for Jesse, who was statistically very unlucky, but that happens somewhat when you have poor finishing from your players.

I hope that Aaronson continues to get opportunities after he’s been out of form lately. Not as worried about Adams or McKennie.

 

One underrated weakness of Leeds has been Meslier. He's been one of the worst shot stoppers in the EPL for two years now; I don't really get why he never gets brought up or why Leeds fans seem to really like him.

Improving an underperforming goalkeeper is one of the most common and effective fixes for a bad team.

 

Leeds should go all on for Poch. It’s amazing he’s still there . Might wanna get going in that before Liverpool and Real Madrid musical chairs gets started. They got great width on the roster ti okay the game he likes

 

All valid points.

As a guy who likes Marsch, I'll say that Marsch-managed teams are prone to being frustrated around the 18 yard box despite spending a good amount of time on the front foot because the attack tends to be a bit too narrow, and he doesn't vary his approach enough, in my opinion. So a lot of the time you end up with good underlying numbers, lots of xG and field-tilt and all that, but few clear cut chances, and if your guys don't bring their finishing boots, it can be a very frustrating day.

The very general way he plays, pressing, on the front foot, and not married to a crazy man-marking Bielsa system, suits us. But we lack clinical finishers, too, and I worry that Marsch isn't the guy to help Pulisic and Gio and Weah and Musah and McKennie and Dest figure out collectively how to break down teams that game plan to frustrate us.

In terms of being a process-oriented player's coach who will be a great manager, and consequently probably a great recruiter as well--he did manage a PL side and a couple of Champions League sides more than Berhalter, after all--I think he'll exceed even Berhalter in that. But I also suspect that last cycle was the better cycle for that.

If it's between him and Bielsa and Tata Martino, I choose Marsch every single time. But I said that I think we need a reasonable quality results-oriented, tactical coach who isn't a complete personality clash with our pool, and that isn't really Marsch. If he wasn't off doing better things, he would probably have been the best coach for us in 2022. I think he'll be... a coach for us in 2026, but not necessarily the best that could be found.

 

Fan bases are fan bases. They still love Bielsa...

 

Just got done listening to In Soccer We Trust and Jimmy said in talking to agents connected with Leeds players there was a feeling that Jesse wanted to play too narrow and that hurt what some of their wings could do

 

Watching them, I concur. And it's worth noting that one of our best attackers is Dest.

If Marsch could evolve his tactical approach, I would wholeheartedly support him. I don't know if he can.

 

📰 Michael Skubala, Paco Gallardo and Chris Armas will take charge of Wednesday's Premier League fixture against Manchester United

— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 6, 2023

 

agree with that, Meslier became liability in the past 1.5 seasons with Leeds.

 

Hell it hurt what everyone could do. Aaronson thrives in space and on the turn and asking him to be a 10 in that system just isn't it.

It's also why when Harrison has been a 10 in his place, Harrison has been invisible too.

It's really a formation and style that kills the 10.

(even Rodrigo would be invisible for 99% of the game at the 10, he just has that level of scoring touch this season where he would be able to get his head on a corner or set piece once in a while)

 

Meslier seems like a nice guy who gets along well with everyone... their Roldan??

 

I think it's very possible they wanted to sign Wagner and the only reason they didn't were the work permit issues.

 

Fair enough, but I would also point to the gulf in talent between Leeds and Manchester United.

 

Yes that all makes sense regarding Wagner... I was conflating the perplexing no-move to the Bundesliga, with the no-move to Leeds which is less perplexing given the work permit issue...

On Jesse Marsch and Leeds United.

A battle with tactics and communication which didn't click and never convincingly answered the question - why the beeline for him after Marcelo Bielsa?https://t.co/Ya9XyQxQPk

— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) February 6, 2023

Leeds sold Jesse Marsch as natural Marcelo Bielsa successor, but his vision never clicked

(in any case at this point if I heard "natural Marcelo Bielsa successor" I would probably turn and run the other way)

 

I don't disagree. But at the same time, Adams and McKennie and Musah would be turned free to dominate matches in the manner that most benefits their abilities and instincts. That's still the biggest strength this team has.

 

This happens a lot with Marsch. His team will by almost all typical measures dominate a lot of games, and yet a lot of teams end up having their most heroic defensive stands against his side, which is frustrating and could happen on a given day to anyone, but having seen it too many times with three different sides now, I think it's largely due to him being a little bit too easy to scout and prepare for, and his teams allowing defenders and GKs to get a little bit too comfortable and confident, so that a lot of those teams end up bending but not breaking too frequently.

I'd still choose him over Bielsa or Martino, or probably Curtin, and definitely over Vermes.

I'm undecided as far as Wagner goes, and I suspect I'll want Cherundolo in two years.

 

The swiss cheese defense in front of him. Ironically, Jesse did fix the defense apart form not getting a lb who could play offense. He muffed the attacking part. People got a good look at Rutter, Sinistierre, Gnonto with Aaronson and Rodrigo both out and the sight was an unbalanced attack that listed left and rolled over. Healthy Ayling was a help but not enough.