I like the sound of his 3-3-3-1 like.
Bielsa's signature formation in his squads, which he made famous and brought to the front of the world's
mainstream football scene during his coaching tenures in the
Argentina national football team,
Chile national football team,
Athletic Bilbao and
Olympique de Marseille, is the
3-3-3-1 formation.
For
this formation, the players are: 3
defenders (1
líbero with 2
stoppers at each side), 3
midfielders (1 central midfielder with 2
lateral-volantes at each side), 3 attacking midfielders (1
enganche and 2
wingers at each side), and 1 centerforward.
3-3-3-1 allows great transitions from defending to attacking, as many of the players used in the formation can perform both defensive and attacking tasks. Moreover, it establishes superiority in numbers in every part of the field, since with this formation his teams could defend with 7 players, attack with 6-7 players, or protect a scoreline by overwhelming the midfield with 6 players. To use
3-3-3-1, all players have to quickly set to attacking positions when the ball is in the team's possession, and all players have to aggressively press and recover the ball when it isn't in possession, so it requires great teamwork and understanding between teammates.
[29]
This signature style of Bielsa's has had so much influence in the football scene that many present coaches, former players under Bielsa's command, are heavily influenced by the style, such as
Gerardo Martino,
Mauricio Pochettino,
Matías Almeyda and
Marcelo Gallardo. Former Barcelona manager
Pep Guardiolacredited Bielsa as his tactical inspiration.
Jorge Sampaoli has been described as a 'disciple' of Bielsa.
A fanatic of football videos that he adds to his collection, Bielsa, on occasion, checks pitch measurements by pacing them out before deciding on a particular formation. He allocates separate training times for different parts of his squad. Former Argentine national team captain
Roberto Ayala, a defender under Bielsa, stated
"Sometimes we wouldn't see any of the strikers, because he'd have them training at a different time, and it was the same with the midfielders."[3]
He is known for watching and collecting numerous football videos to the point of obsession. He edits and analyzes each video for each individual player. He also utilizes statistical software and other technological tools to prepare for games. John Carlin, an English journalist, has stated that Bielsa has "the most learned football library on the planet."
[30]
Former Athletic Bilbao striker
Fernando Llorente said in an interview, "At first he seems tough and he may even annoy you with his persistence and don't-take-no-for-an-answer resilience, but in the end he is a genius."
[31] Current Bayern Munich and former Barcelona manager
Josep Guardiola called him the "best manager in the world" in 2012.
[32]
As Bielsa refuses to grant exclusive interviews, the press conference has become his preferred method of communication. He has been known to field every last question from the assembled media during these gatherings. If the talk turns to the intricacies of the game, a three- or even four-hour press conference is possible. According to him: "Every medium should get the same attention from me, from the biggest TV station to the smallest newspaper"
Robles
Jags - Stones - Mori
Coleman - Besic - Baines
Mirallas - Barkley - Geri
Lukaku
