Leeds have unearthed a Bielsa-era monster who’s tailor-made for Murderball

There’s a reignited intensity to Leeds United this season and they’ve reaped the rewards for that intensity since the sound of the very first whistle.

Daniel Farke‘s men entered the campaign with plenty of expectation resting on their shoulders, with the 49ers among those pushing down on those pressure points after a busy summer, but pressure has simply formed a diamond ready to add another historic campaign to Elland Road’s crown.

It’s almost reminiscent of Marcelo Bielsa’s famous side and system, yet built in Farke’s vision. It begs the question as to how things are different – how ‘murderball’ and ‘Farke ball’ could yield the same results.

How Farke refined Bielsa-ball to create Leeds stability

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

When a manager deploys a system called ‘murderball’, it would be easy to assume a team of reckless, hungover and overly aggressive Sunday League players may be taking to the stage.

That, however, couldn’t have been further from the truth under Bielsa. The veteran manager built a system around risk, intensity and reward.

The term initially came from Bielsa’s training routine. Murderball would consist of an 11-a-side game between the squad without referees or fouls, corners or throw-ins, but with man-to-man marking.

It was designed for extreme, continuous play in 20-minute periods. It created relentless pressing in the most extreme way and took the Whites to as high as ninth in the 2020/21 campaign. They were the killers that year.

Murderball was all fun and games when it was Leeds doing the hunting. The big issue arrived when it proved unsustainable, when the risk didn’t come with the reward and Bielsa’s side conceded 78 goals as they were relegated – the most in the Premier League in 2022/23.

In many ways, Bielsa’s ideology was correct and did create history. Yet, not even he can deny that things could quickly turn, as they did. And that’s a warning sign that Farke has quickly listened to.

The German manager’s system isn’t exactly murderball, but it does mirror its intensity more than any other system since Bielsa. In fact, only Tottenham Hotspur have made more pressing sequences than Leeds so far this season and that has once again led the club to greater heights.

The key difference between Farke’s system and Bielsa’s is that the former has not sacrificed defensive stability. His back five system has helped concede just five goals in six Premier League games so far this season.

Leeds have discovered the perfect balance between intensity and stability, with one midfield star playing a key part in that.

Why Leeds star would have thrived under Bielsa

It’s hard to pick out who would thrive and who would fail under Bielsa in this current squad. After all, the veteran manager is often so selective over the requirements of his system.

That said, stars like Dominic Calvert-Lewin would very much provide the South American with his new version of Patrick Bamford these days, with the latter proving to be so important when Leeds were at their best in the murderball system.

James Trafford certainly would have been a good match, too. He is more than used to balancing risk and reward, having been taught to play out from the back throughout two spells at Manchester City.

REUTERS/David Klein

The player who Bielsa would have loved more than anyone, however, is Anton Stach. The midfielder is quickly becoming Leeds’ most important player under Farke, but would have found a whole new level under Bielsa.

Just five midfielders have covered more distance per 90 than Stach in the Premier League so far this season. He has been an unstoppable force in the middle of the park and not just out of possession.

That was notably evident against Arsenal last time out, even as Leeds fell to defeat, with the former Hoffenheim man covering more distance than any other player on the pitch.

In possession, meanwhile, the midfielder has created 1.17 chances per 90 and taken 2.34 touches in the opposition box so far this season.

Add on the fact that he has won possession 0.5 times in the final third per 90, and it becomes clear that this is an all-action star at Elland Road, who Bielsa would have loved.

Let’s hope he’s ready to run all over Manchester United on Sunday.