Leeds United: Intense approach still in place under Jesse Marsch, insists Joe Gelhardt

The Whites’ small squad has been badly hit by injuries this season, with Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, Pascal Struijk, Rodrigo, Junior Firpo, Robin Koch, Tyler Roberts and Jamie Shackleton missing long periods of football and only Illan Meslier and Stuart Dallas Premier League ever-presents.

Bad luck undoubtedly played its part, but Marsch thinks the way the players prepared did too.

“The injury issue, for me, had a lot to do with the training methodologies,” he said. “These players were over-trained.

“It led to them being, physically, mentally and emotionally in a difficult place to recover each week and from game to game.

“I have a very specific methodology and a reputation for high running data but also having healthy, fit and strong players who meet the standards of the game that we want.

“We have tried to put that into place to help the players and it has helped a lot.”

Bielsa’s training sessions which included notorious ‘Murderball’ games, took a lot of the credit when Leeds finished ninth in the Premier League last season but they appeared to backfire in 2021-22, plunging Leeds into a relegation battle.

But Leeds’ football is just as intense under Marsch and 19-year-old striker Gelhardt says people should not be under the misapprehension they have eased up at Thorp Arch.

“Training’s still intense and we still play an intense and aggressive style of play,” he stressed. “We work on pressing and the nutritionist makes sure we’re eating right and getting good food into us. We keep on top of our weight still.”

Gelhardt is proof Leeds’s injury problems have not ended with Bielsa’s sacking in February. He is yet to start for Marsch because of problems getting a full week’s training in – a dead leg, dead hamstring and a “false positive” Covid test.

It makes the next two Under-23 matches, at Brighton and Hove Albion on Friday, and at home to Manchester City seven days later, important for Gelhardt with the next first-team game at Crystal Palace the following Monday.

“I haven’t had much exposure to minutes,” said Gelhardt, whose last first-team start was in mid-December.

“I have had a few knocks, I tried to get minutes with the 23s and I got injured. I am just going through a bit of a rough spell so hopefully I can get through that and get as many minutes as possible because I love playing 23s football as much as first team. I just like getting minutes and I just want to get fit and play as much as possible.”

Tickets for the Manchester City game have gone on general sale and Leeds are hoping they can break the 16,935 record attendance for a Premier League 2 game, held by Everton.

Marsch also admitted he made a mistake with Bamford’s return from a plantar fascia injury. The striker ruptured the ligament in his foot on only his second start back.

“I felt terrible because it is the responsibility of the coach to take care of your players,” said the American.