Jonathan Woodgate has revealed his first-hand experience of how much preparation Marcelo Bielsa put into profiling his side's tactics when Leeds United visited Middlesbrough last season.
The Whites manager has built his reputation on his meticulous approach to opponents throughout his career, with his famous ad-hoc press conference in the way of Spygate earlier this year laying out his methods.
Woodgate, who succeeded Tony Pulis in charge of the club in June, was assistant to the Welshman in February when Kalvin Phillips' 101st-minute equaliser salvaged a point at Riverside Stadium.
Reflecting on the match, the former Leeds favourite has now revealed that when he met Bielsa at the game, the Argentine presented him with Boro's match history, down to the smallest details.
“He handed me a big factfile when Leeds were at the Riverside when I met him in the coaches office with all the formations we played last season, the substitutes we made and changes in certain minutes for every game," Woodgate stated.
"He had that for every game. All the subs we made in certain minutes, times we scored goals, impacts of the bench, how does the right back play … a lot of detail.
"A lot of managers will have those things, but the detail was very good. The layers say he is very thorough. All managers do do things like that but he gave us his.”
United host Middlesbrough this afternoon at Elland Road, as Bielsa looks to make it five wins in a row for the first time since August's victorious run.
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