Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has been speaking to the media following his side's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United at Elland Road.
The 66-year-old discussed Leeds' inability to make their dominance tell, stating they lacked 'clarity' in the final third.
Understandably, Bielsa was asked about the absent Patrick Bamford, as well as his decisions to bring on Tyler Roberts and Joe Gelhardt during the second half.
Leeds were downed by a solitary Jonjo Shelvey free-kick as Newcastle registered another victory at Elland Road.
Here is every word 66-year-old Marcelo Bielsa had to say following this latest Leeds United defeat on Saturday afternoon.
Marcelo, are you confused as to how you lost that game because it seemed to be in your grasp for long periods?
We had many moments to unbalance the game. We could unbalance them a lot offensively but we couldn't convert. Normally in the games where you could score and you don't, some detail unbalances the game against you. And I have the sensation that is what happened. Even if in the last 15 minutes we failed to create enough danger, prior to that in the rest of the game we had done sufficiently to be ahead.
Did you feel your side was trying to force things in the last 15 minutes? And made some poor decisions?
We always got to the final third with ease, we could pick the final pass whether it be from out wide or through the centre but in the closing of the game we were lacking clarity. We lost the capacity to go on the outside, and changed Raphinha and Harrison's sides. Because I saw all the play was going down the left and Raphinha is our most unbalancing player. And from there on, the opposite happened. And from there on, the ball started going down the right where Raphinha was playing initially. That prevented us from getting in behind on both sides, up until that moment we had it down the right but with less balls available and we had it down the left because Harrison was making contributions. After I thought that with Tyler, Rodrigo and Gelhardt we would find passes inside the box but it didn't happen. That's why I think in the moment when we had the major offensive from the team because we had Harrison, Roberts, Gelhardt Rodrigo and Raphinha, plus the company of Ayling and Dallas, we didn't create sufficient danger.
It appeared Newcastle tried to waste time, how frustrating was that for you?
What you signal out was evident. Those in charge have sufficient tools to prevent it.
When you're lacking clarity in the final stages of the game, is that when someone like Adam Forshaw comes into their own?
No, the role of Forshaw, Klich occupied it today. And at the end of the game we had two offensive midfielders who had the capacity to unbalance like Tyler and Rodrigo with five players in front. I don't think the characteristics of Forshaw would've improved this situation. Because Tyler and Rodrigo are players who have the characteristic to find that final pass and also to receive it. Forshaw is the player who links himself between our defensive mid and our attacking mid but less with our No. 9.
Did you feel in the first half a more natural centre-forward like Patrick Bamford would have given you more cutting edge in the box?
When you have chances and you don't score them, it's natural you refer to a goalscorer. But the offensive game of the team was sufficient to unlevel the game in some way.
Were you tempted to bring Joe Gelhardt on any earlier? Why didn't you?
I thought of Gelhardt and Tyler to do the role of James or Rodrigo but Rodrigo only lost importance towards the end of the game. Given that James was on a caution, I thought Tyler was the first step to unbalance the game and that's how I did it. And whilst Klich was playing well I preferred to have three players who could score. And because Joffy can nick a goal and Tyler and Rodrigo also have characteristics of a No. 9, football has those things, we created more chances when we had Klich and James than when Tyler and Gelhardt came on.
How frustrating is it to lose to a side below you in the table?
Very frustrating. It was a game to show our differences, to have some consistency. It was a very important opportunity that we couldn't take advantage of.
Do you expect Patrick Bamford to be available after this international break?
I have my doubts. I'm not sure. It's not just about being able to count on him, it's that he arrives in conditions to develop his game and a player who's gone so long without playing, it opens up a question mark, after he is healthy, how long he needs to show his regularity.
