Thread by @FPLfrasier

{THREAD} Leeds under Marsch and FPL

- Jesse March is the new manager of Leeds and in this thread, I would describe what I expect from Leeds in the coming games
- Marsch is a RB graduate who has worked with Ralf Rangnick closely and has been influenced by Ralf's philosophy

- In short, then, you would expect transition-based attacking football where pressing will be a primary weapon of chance creation

Similarity with Bielsa
- Both managers like attacking football and their teams thrive in transition
- Good sign for Leeds' attacking assets

What I expect to change from Bielsa's Leeds
- Out of possession, Bielsa played a unique man-marking style all over the pitch. This leads to 1v1 duels all over the pitch all the time...

...To me, this style works when your players win the majority of those duels in important parts of the pitch. But, if you lose those duels the pitch will look wide open and the opponents will get way too many good openings as we saw in the last weeks of Leeds' games.

- I expect a big change in this respect. Marsch likes ball-oriented pressing where he believes that the timing of the press is extremely important. He likes the whole team to be devoted to pressing where the players leading the press can rely on others to close down the space...

...Marsch puts emphasis on this part of the game. Whether he goes with this style from game 1 or takes time to implement his pressing style remains to be seen. But, I think that the good fitness of the players at Leeds will help Marsch.

- Marsch also believes that pressing should not be done only to get the ball back. The team must attack straightaway (vertically) once they have regained the ball. This is Ralf Rangnick way of playing the game. I expect a quick transition-based game from Marsch.

- If the initial press does not work then often teams drop back and defend in their rest defense. Marsch likes his team to drop a little, and then press again if the opportunity arises. As you can see, there is a lot of focus on pressing from Marsch.

Next, in-possession game!

- Typically, possession-based football (LVG, Pep, Cruyff, Ajax style) believes that you should make the pitch wide when you have the ball. Marsch has different ideas. He likes all of his players in close proximity (around 10 yards distance between the players)...

... This allows players to link up with each other quickly and attack the opposition vertically.
- In an interview, Marsch mentioned how he even likes his fullbacks to attack the half-space at times instead of attacking the width of the pitch.

- I expect a narrower attack from Leeds than what we have seen under Bielsa. Bielsa's team had crosses in them. I expect crosses to go down now.
- Overall, I think they will play an attacking game based on pressing, counter-pressing, quick, and vertical transition-based football

Formation
- People expect Marsch to play 4222 as he has been influenced by Rangnick and Marsch himself has played this formation before. Here are the formations he used at Leipzig though:

343 - 9 times
4231 - 7
442 diamond - 2
352, 433, 4222 - 1 each

Stats @fbref

- I think Marsch is extremely flexible with the formation (he has mentioned this before in interviews as well), but he has a distinct style of play that we should expect irrespective of the formation.

- I am trying to see if Athletic or other Leeds-based reporters can get an idea of the formation from trainings. So far, I have not come across anything.
- Based on the Leeds squad, I expect a 4231 or 433 formation. Either way, I think Raphinha will be the main man for Marsch.

- I also think that James at 9 experiment that Bielsa persisted with may be over now. Rodrigo or Gelhardt should play at 9 now.

His record for Leipzig in Bundesliga before he got sacked after 14 games (rank)

Goals - 25 (5th)
xG - 27.47 (3rd)
Goals against - 18 (4th best)
xGA - 23.99 (13th best)

Stats - Understat

Conclusion
- Marsch will play an attacking style and we should expect goals from his side. I think Raphinha will remain the talisman of the side
- Defense may take time to get better as it's not easy to implement a different style of pressing straightaway.

- Please feel free to comment on your thinking
- Would love to get input from people who have followed Marsch's career more closely.