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Opinion

Jesse Marsch hails best ever performance as Leeds cling on for draw at Newcastle

1 year ago
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Newcastle United saved Jesse Marsch and Leeds United from relegation last season.

If Eddie Howe’s team had lost at Turf Moor on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign, it would have been Leeds and not Burnley in the Championship this season.

Jesse Marsch now faces another relegation struggle and Saturday’s result moved them a very valuable point further away from trouble, the Yorkshire club now three points above the drop zone.

Despite Bielsa’s departure, Leeds United continued to attack and score goals and…concede them.

At St James’ Park it was an all out defensive performance that saw them cling on for a point. Their first away clean sheet in the Premier League in eight months.

Their five most recent Premier League games had seen a massive 26 goals, 12 for Leeds and 14 for their opponents.

After desperately hanging on for a point and having only one shot on target all match, Jesse Marsch admitted that he’d felt that he had to go in a different direction with his tactics, if Leeds are going to stand their best chance of surviving this season.

Hence the very negative tactics at St James’ Park, which earned them a surprise point.

Newcastle easily the better team, more possession, more chances, more corners, more set-pieces in general in good situations, but the Leeds goal surviving.

At the end of October, Jesse Marsch and his team went to Anfield and won 2-1.

However, reflecting on the performance of Illan Meslier at St James’ Park on Saturday, Jesse Marsch declaring it the keeper’s best ever performance for Leeds, since he (Marsch) replaced Bielsa.

Jesse Marsch talking after a very defensive set-up saw his Leeds side cling on for a point at St James’ Park:

‘Is only one effort on target something to worry about?’

“In the first half we were solid, didn’t give away huge chances.

“We could have found a goal, yes we could be a little bit cleaner around the goal, but I thought there were some good moments.

“Then again, after having two days less rest than the opponent…

“In the second half they are able to put a lot of pressure into it.

“An important clean sheet.

“I thought a few of them (Newcastle free-kicks) were cheap, especially (dangerous) when a team (like Newcastle) is dangerous on set-pieces.

“In the second half hey were able to push.

“We were a little bit tired.

“They played very direct, they get a lot of set-pieces, the crowd comes into the match.

“The very first one with Almiron, it’s 20 seconds into the half and I think it puts a little bit more pressure, as they throw everybody in the box.

“They did that even in the first half from balls behind midfield.

“They just decided, we are going in the box.

“So it is a way to put pressure on the opponent but we managed it fairly well.

“Just look at the size of some of their players.

“We started on defensive corner kicks with three players up high, because we wanted to try to force them to adjust to us and not just be able to try special plays, to use their big players.

“That was effective and then you know, Trippier puts in some really good balls, but we defended really well together and we have been working on our defensive set pieces. 

“We need to continue to have that kind of defensive mentality and stability and then build more into the game and how we can be dangerous.”

‘How valuable is this point at St James’ Park?’

“I think the point is valuable.

“But even more valuable is the clean sheet.

“Since I have been here, they have not been so easy to come by.

“Going into the World Cup break we felt we had gave goals away too cheaply and we really wanted to try and do better than that.

“We talked about the tactics of what that would mean, then also the mentality to do whatever it takes to defend our goal.

“First half I think we played very, very well.

“We were in the game and we were managing to find a few chances.

“Then second half they decided to play very direct, to try to pick up some set -pieces and put balls in our box, then it becomes about momentum and energy.

“I thought we did that really well.”

‘What do you want to say about your goalkeeper?’

“By being the last defender at the right time, the choices Illan (Meslier) made with the ball, the saves that he made, the crosses that he caught, this is probably his best performance since I have been here, even against Liverpool.”

‘Should your attacking players get as much credit as your defenders?’

“I think so.

“You can see some moments when the attacking players are frustrated because we are not playing (attacking) enough and and they are just running.

“But on a day like today, that is what it requires.

“Sometimes being a striker is about clean sheets as well and I think with the way that we want to defend and press that every player has to be committed to the tactics at all moments.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – Saturday 31 December 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Leeds:

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Leeds 41% (49%) Newcastle 59% (51%)

Total shots were Leeds 8 (6) Newcastle 16 (9)

Shots on target were Leeds 1 (0) Newcastle 5 (3)

Corners were Leeds 3 (3) Newcastle 9 (4)

Referee: Simon Hooper

Newcastle United:

Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Bruno, Longstaff, Willock (Saint-Maximin 64), Almiron (Murphy 84), Joelinton, Wood (Wilson 64)

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Lascelles, Ritchie, Lewis, Manquillo, Anderson

(BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Very interesting on Newcastle United after Leeds match – Read HERE)

(Eddie Howe on new injury blow, January transfer window and goalless draw with Leeds – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – The instant NUFC fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – You can’t win them all! – Read HERE)

(Big blow as Kieran Trippier ruled out of Arsenal match after Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – Read HERE)

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