Marcelo Bielsa as coach of A. Bilbao

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I gave an article to terry07 how Bielsa had the same problem at Bilbao like AVB had at Chelsea.

The difference is that Bielsa turn it around, and of course Bilbao is less pressure then Chelsea.

So that most have gave him a good lesson.

That's fine, but he just seems André mk II to me because 1. He's getting Bilbao to play passing, attacking football 2. He's going far in the Europa League & 3. He's having a good season, in his debut season for Bilbao. Noting he came from int'l management too.

I don't see his appointment happening because of those similarities. Also, Bilbao's squad tonight, all but one player were from Spain. This makes it easier for him to communicate whereas with André we had a suspicion about him favouring the Portuguese players. He may look like an authoritarian, but he looks like a man who'd be underwhelmed by Roman & the board.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

That's fine, but he just seems André mk II to me because 1. He's getting Bilbao to play passing, attacking football 2. He's going far in the Europa League & 3. He's having a good season, in his debut season for Bilbao. Noting he came from int'l management too.

I don't see his appointment happening because of those similarities. Also, Bilbao's squad tonight, all but one player were from Spain. This makes it easier for him to communicate whereas with André we had a suspicion about him favouring the Portuguese players. He may look like an authoritarian, but he looks like a man who'd be underwhelmed by Roman & the board.

Well all i know is that in a season or two some big team will get him, and I will fear them more then a Mourinho team!

[Justin_3d 1,140]

I am about to put homie out of his misery

BTW I bet you we don't see Robdog anymore on this thread with his nonsense of Betis!

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Great game.

Imagine if Bielsa managed Chelsea, City, Barcelona, or such? Insane attacking football!

If Chelsea does not go for him you can bet Barcelona or City will be asking for him soon!

Barcelona yes. And he probably would improve the fluidity of Chelsea or Man City but I dont think he would be the roaring success in England that he is in Spain. That is because La Liga places a higher emphasis on tactics, this is because the tempo is slower in Spain than in England, because there is less of a reliance on the physical and because teams dont go from back to front in Spain as quickly as they do in England. As AVB noted during his time in England, the transitions are much faster in England than elsewhere. As a result, it proved a pretty major setback on certain areas of his philosophy (most obviously, the pressing game he wanted to employ)

Bielsa's Bilbao can press in Spain and the 11 members of the team can move together as a single unit because the transitions are slower and because they know that their opponents want to try to pass the ball around. In England, the high press becomes almost redundant against teams like Stoke, Aston Villa, Blackburn ect. who can simply lump it from the back to a physically imposing frontman with one simple kick, the press then leaves gaps for the opposition (with their physicality based players) room to exploit both in front of and behind the defence.

On the ball it is also more difficult to get the same fluidity in England as in Spain. A key reason being that in England, physically gifted players are prized. Whereas in Spain it is technically gifted players they are prized. Those Bilbao players tonight, all 11 of them are technically proficient footballers, each capable of playing the same Bielsa imposes on them. I couldn't imagine any current English team replicating that kind of style.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Barcelona yes. And he probably would improve the fluidity of Chelsea or Man City but I dont think he would be the roaring success in England that he is in Spain. That is because La Liga places a higher emphasis on tactics, this is because the tempo is slower in Spain than in England, because there is less of a reliance on the physical and because teams dont go from back to front in Spain as quickly as they do in England. As AVB noted during his time in England, the transitions are much faster in England than elsewhere. As a result, it proved a pretty major setback on certain areas of his philosophy (most obviously, the pressing game he wanted to employ)

Bielsa's Bilbao can press in Spain and the 11 members of the team can move together as a single unit because the transitions are slower and because they know that their opponents want to try to pass the ball around. In England, the high press becomes almost redundant against teams like Stoke, Aston Villa, Blackburn ect. who can simply lump it from the back to a physically imposing frontman with one simple kick, the press then leaves gaps for the opposition (with their physicality based players) room to exploit both in front of and behind the defence.

On the ball it is also more difficult to get the same fluidity in England as in Spain. A key reason being that in England, physically gifted players are prized. Whereas in Spain it is technically gifted players they are prized. Those Bilbao players tonight, all 11 of them are technically proficient footballers, each capable of playing the same Bielsa imposes on them. I couldn't imagine any current English team replicating that kind of style.

Arsenal?

But if you don't know, the Bilbao style is similar to that of an EPL team. It's just that Marcelo added his style into this team......

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Those this really warrant its own thread? I'm sure 99% of the forum either couldn't give a shit about it or never heard of him.

Is that statistic good enough for you The Big Drog?

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Arsenal?

But if you don't know, the Bilbao style is similar to that of an EPL team. It's just that Marcelo added his style into this team......

Arsenal's current style is very different from that of Bilbao's. Their midfield is not as fluid as Bilbao's, Arteta and Rosicky dont have the freedom to make the type of forward runs that De Marcos or Ander Herrera make. The will to play it out from the back is not nearly as great as Bilbao's (possibly because they dont have the same confidence in their technical ability as the Bilbao players) and while Arsenal's attack these days is quite heavily concentrated on the flanks and penetration down the flanks with direct runners like Walcott, Gervinho and Oxlade Chamberlain, this is not the case for Bilbao, with Susaeta often found popping up in inside positions, though thee rampaging full backs provide a lot of width.

Bilbao were said to be the most "English" like side of all La Liga teams, however that was prior to this season. Bielsa has changed the menality, where it was once "get it up to Llorente" to allow him to physically dominate centre backs, they have taken a far more technical, subtle style to heart under Bielsa, this Bilbao side is far more in the likeness of Barcelona (though there are some profound differences between the Basque and Catalan sides) than an English team.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Is that statistic good enough for you The Big Drog?

Is that statistic good enough for you The Big Drog?

But that is 1 poster, speaking on behalf of....1 poster. If I were to say "I hate jaffa cakes and Im sure 99% of the forum couldn't give a shit about them either" would that now make it absolute fact that Talk Chelsea is a community of jaffa cake haters?

[Justin_3d 1,140]

But that is 1 poster, speaking on behalf of....1 poster. If I were to say "I hate jaffa cakes and Im sure 99% of the forum couldn't give a shit about them either" would that now make it absolute fact that Talk Chelsea is a community of jaffa cake haters?

Nope, that is why 99% and 113% are far fetch.

Now saying more then half the talkchelsea.net hardly watches la liga or only watches la liga for Barcelona and Madrid, makes sense!

You just got to take also a look at this thread. Most people never seen Bilbao played till today.....Another proof to add, to the proof of only seeing the Liga thread become mostly active when Madrid or Barcelona plays.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Arsenal's current style is very different from that of Bilbao's. Their midfield is not as fluid as Bilbao's, Arteta and Rosicky dont have the freedom to make the type of forward runs that De Marcos or Ander Herrera make. The will to play it out from the back is not nearly as great as Bilbao's (possibly because they dont have the same confidence in their technical ability as the Bilbao players) and while Arsenal's attack these days is quite heavily concentrated on the flanks and penetration down the flanks with direct runners like Walcott, Gervinho and Oxlade Chamberlain, this is not the case for Bilbao, with Susaeta often found popping up in inside positions, though thee rampaging full backs provide a lot of width.

Bilbao were said to be the most "English" like side of all La Liga teams, however that was prior to this season. Bielsa has changed the menality, where it was once "get it up to Llorente" to allow him to physically dominate centre backs, they have taken a far more technical, subtle style to heart under Bielsa, this Bilbao side is far more in the likeness of Barcelona (though there are some profound differences between the Basque and Catalan sides) than an English team.

Yeah today's Arsenal has decline in style, compare to a couple of seasons ago when it was more fluid.

You can even add the style of Benitez when he had Torres and Xavi Alonso. There was more fluidity to their passing.

And the last point is great, as it was a stumbling block for AVB. Marcelo had the same problem at the beginning just like AVB, but he managed to overcome that obstacle.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Nope, that is why 99% and 113% are far fetch.

Now saying more then half the talkchelsea.net hardly watches la liga or only watches la liga for Barcelona and Madrid, makes sense!

You just got to take also a look at this thread. Most people never seen Bilbao played till today.....Another proof to add, to the proof of only seeing the Liga thread become mostly active when Madrid or Barcelona plays.

Im not saying that every single Talk Chelsea poster is an avid Bilbao fan. What I am saying is that throwing around wild percentages like 90%, 99%, 113% is crazy because there is no possible way of proving them to be true and percentages are supposed to represent factual data.

Id agree that probably more than half of the posters on here dont watch la Liga or at least dont watch any games outside those involving the big two, but I can't prove that, that's simply an estimate based on things like previous experience on here, the La Liga discussion thread ect.

Id say that is a bit of an exaggeration, Id say a decent amount have seen them play at least once or twice.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Yeah today's Arsenal has decline in style, compare to a couple of seasons ago when it was more fluid.

You can even add the style of Benitez when he had Torres and Xavi Alonso. There was more fluidity to their passing.

And the last point is great, as it was a stumbling block for AVB. Marcelo had the same problem at the beginning just like AVB, but he managed to overcome that obstacle.

Yeah today's Arsenal has decline in style, compare to a couple of seasons ago when it was more fluid.

You can even add the style of Benitez when he had Torres and Xavi Alonso. There was more fluidity to their passing.

And the last point is great, as it was a stumbling block for AVB. Marcelo had the same problem at the beginning just like AVB, but he managed to overcome that obstacle.

Arsenal's decline in style is simply down to a decline in the quality of player at their club. They replaced Cesc Fabregas with the less mobile Mikel Arteta and Samir Nasri with the less mobile Thomas Rosicky. Also Wenger has prioritized wing play far more this season than I can remember.

Liverpool under Benitez were more fluid then than now though still they were very much an English type side, their transitions were quick, which gott he best out of Torres, and they had a well organised, well protected back four in place.

Ye it is a shame that AVB didn't meet the same success in terms of changing the philosophy of a club as Bielsa did as Bilbao, though circumstances at Chelsea certainly made it more difficult for AVB to successfully implement his methods.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Im not saying that every single Talk Chelsea poster is an avid Bilbao fan. What I am saying is that throwing around wild percentages like 90%, 99%, 113% is crazy because there is no possible way of proving them to be true and percentages are supposed to represent factual data.

Id agree that probably more than half of the posters on here dont watch la Liga or at least dont watch any games outside those involving the big two, but I can't prove that, that's simply an estimate based on things like previous experience on here, the La Liga discussion thread ect.

Id say that is a bit of an exaggeration, Id say a decent amount have seen them play at least once or twice.

All you had to say, you are probably right, but you are exaggerating with the statistical data.

Other then that great point sir. Well applauded for that!

[The Big Drog 1,110]

C

All you had to say, you are probably right, but you are exaggerating with the statistical data.

Other then that great point sir. Well applauded for that!

Cheers mate, anyway Im off for the night, still in a state of euphoria following Bilbao's sublime performance.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

BTW why must you always double quote me?

Are you seeing double vision after that ass kicking that United just got?

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Great game.

Imagine if Bielsa managed Chelsea, City, Barcelona, or such? Insane attacking football!

If Chelsea does not go for him you can bet Barcelona or City will be asking for him soon!

He'd get the sack, just like AVB, because it wouldn't work with our current squad. Not unless RA spends £200 million this summer, which he won't.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

It was interesting for me to read that in Bilbao's team, all but one of the players was Spanish-born. It would explain why they can play they way do, everyone can understand each other clearly and I'm sure Bielsa can speak Spanish having coached in Chile.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Well I am done here.

I prove my points right yet again!

[Krypt 241]

He'd get the sack, just like AVB, because it wouldn't work with our current squad. Not unless RA spends £200 million this summer, which he won't.

Completely agree it would be AVB part 2 , our team could not play the way Bielsa would want.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

He'd get the sack, just like AVB, because it wouldn't work with our current squad. Not unless RA spends £200 million this summer, which he won't.

Exactly. Everything Justin likes about him is what we liked about André. Style of football, achievements with his current club in both league and Europa. But we all know it's the same story of what will happen to him.