Bielsa always creates fluid systems easy to follow. His books state in football there fundamentally is only 30 team-tactical formations & he firmly believes that every young player should be given the opportunity to experience each of them, hence his playing of players in a variety of positions to give a better understanding of fulfilling all a footballers potential. Leeds knew that before hiring him with the remit to re-build the club from the roots again with his philosophy that matched Rad's vision.
1.All of MB squads played his favoured 3-3-1-3 formation. Depending on attack or defence this systems was/is continually switching during the game with the 4-2-3-1.
2.This disciplined 3–3–1–3 system allows quick movements from defence to attack using players able to quickly attack or defend as/when required.
3.Ultimately the system creates superiority in numbers in covering all zonal pitch areas with all players required to harass, press & recover the ball when lost
4.Bielsa always used his keepers to start forward movement by 3-3-1-3 & always had his sides set up to quickly switch to a 4-2-3-1 when driving further forward hence the requisite need for a Bamford style forward runner.
5.The true power of this formation is the 'quick switch' of tactical flexibility but of course players in such systems need the ball delivering & that requires runners off the ball & a deliverer.
At Leeds Bielsa has never really had 'that midfielder' who can create like in his Argentinian team who had a classic number 9 often in Crespo or Batistuta who worked like Bamfords directive in keeping the opposition’s centre-back busy while a smaller more mobile attacker generally López drifted around like Pablo did for us well & to a lesser degree Sáiz did sporadically due to his dire off ball work rate.
My point 3 - is who can use the ball in the middle now when we win it ?
I don't see anyone in the squad capable of this attacking foresight position.
To much emphasis on defensive midfielder runners is the issue for me presently with width being our only outlet & far to predictable & easy to combat.
A Marseille colleague at work showed what Leeds are missing in midfield with this pic of Bielsa's Marseille team set up - oh the luxury of such an option at Leeds eh.