The footballing idea: Argentina vs Sweden, World Cup 2002
At the airport back in Argentina, a group of Newell's fans handed Bielsa a letter of praise.
Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman
Leeds United 0-2 Hull City: True Faith 2019
Once I would have been yearning for the final whistle so I could quit morose observance of such a drab winter's scoreline, leaving the Hull fans in the away end curling their hands in the air like children, opening and closing their gobs like fish, singing about cats like fucking idiots.
West Bromwich Albion 4-1 Leeds United: Like There's No Tomorrow
Bielsa doesn't bring happiness. Bielsa brings principles and duty, and faith that the effort of adhering to them will result in happiness in the end, and the understanding that it probably won't.
We will not live this again: Newell's Old Boys vs Sao Paulo, Copa Libertadores Final, 1992
Fernando Gamboa is an interesting case study in what Newell's Old Boys means to Bielsa, and what Bielsa and his team mean to Newell's Old Boys' fans. Imagine Vinnie Jones but taller, with shoulder length black hair.
Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Leeds United: Entertainment!
While Reach's speculative strike had the satisfying audacity of a stunt, Klich made something artful, deliberate and beautiful. It's the difference between watching two magpies have a fight in your garden, or watching a nature documentary narrated by David Attenborough.
Leeds United 0-0 Middlesbrough: Faith & Knowledge
The lingering impression from seeing Bielsa take on Pulis was not that one style of football works better than another; neither is going to suddenly change their minds now, anyway.
Back to the feeling: Newell's Old Boys vs San Lorenzo, 1992
This is where Bielsa started, contemplating life, death and 3-3-1-3, while the helicopters whirled doom or glory around him.
Symbol lies: Leeds United's salute crest, 2018-2018
This design was supposed to be unique, breaking from the past yet rooted in the fan culture that makes Leeds United special. But by removing every trace of previous crests, they removed any connection between this crest and Leeds United Football Club as we have known it.
Leeds United 1-0 Hull City: Always There
Waiting for the ball to cross the line was agony, waiting for Christiansen to turn results around was agony, trudging to a half-empty football ground season after season has been agony. Ecstasy was always there somewhere, though.
Leeds United 2-1 Middlesbrough: Spectacle
All the complaints — the coach should be sacked, the Director of Football should be thrown down a well, all the new players should be returned with our statutory rights unaffected, Radrizzani should shove his PR stunts until he's bought proper players — faded away.