Daniel Farke's start to his second season in charge of Leeds United in the Premier League has already been more impressive than Marcelo Bielsa's was.

The Whites are unbeaten and have only conceded three goals in the first five matches of the 2026/27 campaign, winning two and drawing three of their clashes.

In the first five games of the 2021/22 campaign under Bielsa, Leeds picked up zero wins, three draws, and two defeats, conceding a whopping 12 goals in that time.

The Argentine head coach did not get the backing from the board to sign the players to suit his Murderball style of play, whilst Farke has been given players who would have been perfect for it.

Why Marcelo Bielsa's style of play at Leeds was so captivating

Intense. If you had to sum up Bielsa's style of play in one word, intense is the word that you would use. The infamous 'Murderball' training sessions speak to the intensity that you had to have to play in his team.

Explaining Murderball, Patrick Bamford said: "It's 11 v 11 on a full-sized pitch and every player has his own cone. As soon as the ball goes out of play, wherever you are, you sprint back to your cone. Then the ball is chucked in somewhere and you go again.

"It's constant sprinting. I heard Kyle Walker describe the way we play as being like basketball. Murderball is basketball. It's man to man. If your man runs, you better be running with him."

Basketball is a good reference to describe the way that Leeds played under Bielsa, because it was all about intensity, high-pressing, and man-to-man play, which required incredible athletes and willing runners.

It was, therefore, a big blow for Bielsa when Patrick Bamford, who was so influential as the first player to press from the front, missed the majority of the 2021/22 campaign through injury, leaving the manager without the spearhead of his attack to lead the style of play.

Current Leeds star is built for Bielsa's Murderball

Perhaps the Argentine's second season in the Premier League would have gone better for him if he had the striker that Farke currently has at his disposal at Elland Road.

Leeds swooped to sign England international Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer from Everton last year to bolster the German head coach's options at the top end of the pitch.

Since arriving in West Yorkshire, the experienced marksman has been a revelation and played a key role in keeping the club in the Premier League, and is now helping them to kick on in his second campaign.

Calvert-Lewin looks like a throwback from the Bielsa era because he embodies the 'Murderball' philosophy with the way that he applies himself on the pitch for the Whites.

You will be hard-pressed to find a striker who presses and fights with the desire and intensity that the English centre-forward does for Leeds, as he leads the line superbly.

Farke recently said Calvert-Lewin is "like a good wine" because of his constant improvement and described the attacker as a "complete" striker, due to the physical and technical qualities that he offers to the team.

The 29-year-old striker looks like he would have been perfect for Bielsa's Murderball style of play, as he is one of the most effective number nines in the Premier League when it comes to pressing, physical play, and contributing defensively.

He's not half bad in the air either. In fact, pundit Tony Cascarino once suggested he was even better than Leeds-born Erling Haaland in that regard. "He's the best header of the ball in the Premier League, for me as a centre-forward," said Cascarino. "Some might say Haaland, but Calvert-Lewin has got a natural leap and a natural way of directing balls into corners and looking to score goals."

On top of his physical output for the Whites, the England international also scored 14 goals in the Premier League in the 2025/26 campaign, and has already scored three goals in five matches this term.

The former Everton star would have been a difference-maker for Bielsa if he played for the Argentine boss in the 2021/22 campaign, because he could have led the press from the front whilst offering a focal point and a goalscoring threat.

Bielsa eventually lost his job that season, because of the team's declining form, but having a player with Calvert-Lewin's attributes on and off the ball could have changed things.

That is why Farke should be grateful to the powers that be that they were able to get a deal over the line for the free agent, as he is currently spearheading a successful second season in the top-flight for the German boss.