Bielsa hails Leeds ever-present who has raised his game and looks undroppable
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has waxed lyrical over the qualities of goalkeeper Illan Meslier – and insists the Frenchman has raised his game to another level this season.
After a turbulent start to the season, Leeds could move into the top half of the table if results go their way this weekend. They face Brentford on Sunday with their injury problems easing and two key players nearing their returns. And in front of another sell-out Elland Road crowd, they will hope to follow up their midweek win over Crystal Palace with another home triumph.
The bedrock for that 1-0 home win over the Eagles came courtesy of Meslier keeping another clean sheet. Indeed, he made a miraculous save midway through the second half, twisting his body and stretching his long arms to gather a goalbound Christian Benteke poke goalwards.
That followed up a clean sheet in last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Brighton; a game in which Leeds were second best.
Now Bielsa has acknowledged his improvements this season and has credited his goalkeeper’s continued development.
“He’s a goalkeeper with a lot of personality,” Bielsa said of Meslier, who has played every minute of his side’s 17 games this season.
“He’s a goalkeeper who transmits security. He has weighed in with decisive interventions. They are interventions that have the same weight as a goal in our favour and he’s resolved these type of actions.”
Meslier, Bielsa ready for Brentford
The victory over Palace on Tuesday, coupled with Brentford’s defeat to Tottenham two days later, means Leeds are now just a point behind their opponents in the table.
Bielsa has been impressed with what he has seen of the Premier League newcomers so far, with Thomas Frank’s side enjoying wins over Arsenal, Wolves, West Ham and Everton, as well as a thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool.
“Normally teams go adapting to the amount of days of rest they have and our objective is the intensity that identifies us,” Bielsa said of Sunday’s game.
“So far Brentford have shown to be a different team in the Premier League. The most novel thing I’ve seen is the amount of elements that they attack with and the management they have of the ball in all the sectors of the pitch.
“(They are) a team that always attacks with six players, they have a genuine rush to be protagonists, and they always try to keep the ball.
“This type of description coincides with what Brentford is and I say this not just to give a nice answer; you can verify it. Anyone who has seen Brentford play this season can see they attack with six players and they always want to keep the ball.
“That’s not common in any league and even more so when that team is not one of the most prestigious clubs in the league.”
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