Leeds United news: Marcelo Bielsa hits out at claims his team lack energy after damaging defeat to QPR
The Whites missed the opportunity to climb above Norwich at the Championship summit on Tuesday night
Marcelo Bielsa provided a fiery response to suggestions that Leeds are running out of energy after their promotion bid suffered a huge blow with defeat to QPR on Tuesday night.
The Whites blew their chance to return to the top of the Championship, as Luke Freeman's 49th minute strike ensured they remain third, two points behind league leaders Norwich.
It is a claim often leveled at Bielsa teams - that their high-octane style of play produces an electric start but often results in a burnout towards the end of the season.
And Leeds themselves have made a habit of tailing off after promising beginnings in recent years.
But Bielsa rubbished these theories, arguing that, if anything, Leeds have too much energy.
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When asked if his team were running out of steam by the Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke, the Argentine responded: “Your question doesn’t have any basis because if you watched the game, what you can say is that this team has too much energy.
"You’re asking me if the team lost energy but what our team has shown in every game is that we have an excess of energy.
“It’s clear that you don’t know what you’re talking about because if there’s something this team doesn’t lack, it’s energy.
"We have other problems like all of the teams. It’s not an opinion because you just have to look at the figures to draw your own conclusions.”
'El Loco' cut a hugely disappointed figure at the full-time whistle, as though he knew how costly the defeat could prove.
QPR had not won in seven games prior to the Loftus Road clash, while Leeds arrived on the back of consecutive victories.
Having dominated most of the first half, the visitors were undone three minutes into the second.
Freeman, who was outstanding throughout, deftly flicked the ball home after being set-up by Massimo Luongo.
The pressure is now firmly on the clash with fourth-place West Brom at Elland Road on Friday night.