Former Leeds United centre-back Alex Bruce believes the fitness demands of head coach Marcelo Bielsa could be the reason behind Leeds' recent dip in form.
The Whites have won just two of their last 11 Championship outings, losing five times during that period, meaning their Premier League promotion assault has suffered a major blow in recent weeks.
Though Leeds produced a much-improved performance during Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Brentford at Griffin Park, there are still plenty of concerns about the current form of the Elland Road club, who host Bristol City on Saturday.
And former defender Bruce, who spent two years at Elland Road, believes that the fitness levels demanded by Bielsa could be a key reason behind the club's recent wobbles, insisting that Leeds' players could be "shattered."
Speaking to Football Insider, Bruce, who racked up 33 appearances during his time with the Whites, said: "When you consider what people say about his training techniques, he works them really hard, double sessions, this, that and the other.
"Are they getting to the point of the season now where you’re seeing the players are tired? If he was sat here he’d probably say: ‘No, this is the way I’ve always managed, this is the way I do it so you like it or lump it.’
"Who would I be to sit here and say his beliefs are right or wrong, it’s the way he wants to do things but that would be the natural thing to point at him at the moment.
"Well, are your players shattered?"
It is little secret that Bielsa demands such high levels of fitness from his players, especially when you take into account just how often they come out at the start of a game all-guns blazing.
But on the flip side of that, Leeds blew a three-goal lead against Cardiff City back in December and conceded two goals inside the final 10 minutes against Sheffield Wednesday last month, suggesting that tiredness can creep in when looking to see games out.
