MX23RW : Monday, January 6 22:40:20| >> :120:43373:43373:

Marcelo Bielsa calls for Leeds to be more ruthless

Marcelo Bielsa calls for Leeds to be more ruthless
© Reuters
They beat QPR 2-0 at Elland Road.

Marcelo Bielsa wants his Leeds side to be more ruthless despite an impressive 2-0 win at home to QPR.

Like so often this season at home, United dominated their opponents for much of the contest but only had a slender lead to show for it through a Tyler Roberts first half strike.

They did manage to seal a second – through Jack Harrison late on – but it is a familiar pattern for Bielsa's side at Elland Road where they have scored just seven goals in as many games this term.

On scoring the vital second goal, Bielsa said: "For all of us, it makes us happy.

"We were more calm and if we win by one goal and you have five minutes left, then everybody is nervous in the stadium.

"So we hope that match to match we don't have more of this feeling.

"And we try to pass this kind of match where we are winning 1-0, more relaxed, more calm."

This win moved Leeds back to the top of the Championship, above Swansea on goal difference.

They could be bumped back off the top if either Preston or West Brom win their games on Sunday and Monday respectively.

Leeds started brightly and had an early golden chance to open the scoring only for the unmarked Mateusz Klich to volley over wastefully.

Further chances arrived with Stuart Dallas and Patrick Bamford going close.

The breakthrough though arrived six minutes before the interval.

Harrison cut in from the left and pulled the ball back to feed Roberts who coolly slotted home his first goal of the season.

QPR offered precious little going forward but fashioned a rare chance after the restart.

Eberechi Eze was played in by Ryan Manning but Eze's snapshot was well blocked by a back-tracking Harrison.

Rangers were slowly working their way into the contest and just before the hour they registered a first shot on target but Manning's shot was comfortably dealt with by Kiko Casilla.

Down the other end Roberts wasted a great chance to double his tally when he crashed a shot over the bar after being picked out by Kalvin Phillips.

The hosts thought they had gone 2-0 up just after when Bamford nodded home from Roberts' centre but the flag was immediately raised for offside.

The failure to seal a second goal raised the tension inside Elland Road and Rangers missed a glorious chance to capitalise and restore parity.

Substitute Todd Kane whipped in a cross that picked out Jordan Hugill but he planted a header wide.

That proved to be costly as Leeds finally got some breathing space with a second goal from Harrison.

Harrison played a one-two before bending an effort around Kelly and into the net to seal a well-earned win for the hosts.

Rangers' boss Mark Warburton admitted the Hugill chance was a missed opportunity for his team.

He said: "It's a tough place to come and Leeds are a very talented team.

"We probably didn't create enough in the first half. In the second half we started well and at 1-0 with 20 minutes to go we had a big, big chance.

"They're the fine margins at this level.

"We didn't quite have that belief to really go and get something out of the game."

ID:377224: cacheID:377224:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4539:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
General view of Queens Park Rangers' Loftus Road taken May 2015
Read Next:
QPR "disgusted, embarrassed and dismayed" by UEFA racism response
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds26158348192953
2Burnley26141023192252
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd26166436171952
4Sunderland26148439221750
5Middlesbrough26118743321141
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom26913432211140
7Blackburn RoversBlackburn2511682823539
8Bristol City2691073330337
9Watford25114103536-137
10Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds2610793840-237
11Norwich CityNorwich269984337636
12Swansea CitySwansea2697103030034
13Queens Park RangersQPR2671182934-532
14Millwall257992423130
15Preston North EndPreston2661282834-630
16Coventry CityCoventry2678113437-329
17Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2577112840-1228
18Derby CountyDerby2676133135-427
19Stoke CityStoke2669112432-827
20Luton TownLuton2674152744-1725
21Portsmouth2458113041-1123
22Hull City2658132536-1123
23Cardiff CityCardiff2558122540-1523
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2548132453-2920


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!