At the start of the season in the La Liga season previews, it was said that Marcelo Bielsa had to bring consistency to Athletic Bilbao. Until last weekend he had achieved this, by making them consistently poor. This was until the round of matches prior to the international break when Athletic finally recorded a win.

Not just a win. A derby win.

The pressure had been mounting on Bielsa, even at a club like Athletic who are traditionally patient with their coaches – not excessively so however as they have a very strong identity to maintain. An identity which Bielsa is not conforming with. An identity which Bielsa is struggling to hold up.

Athletic Bilbao, struggling with their worst start in over 30 years faced newly promoted rivals Real Sociedad in the Basque derby. With pressure mounting on the former Chile manager, the pressure was well and truly lifted with a 2-1 victory in Sociedad in what is not just a derby match but one of the biggest games in the country.

Many expect Athletic to occupy a European place come the end of the season so a relegation place being occupied before the derby match was far from appropriate.  With almost exactly the same squad as last term which saw them finish sixth and having miraculously held on to ‘El Rey Leon’ Fernando Llorente, nobody could have envisaged this.  After an outstanding display of football Athletic Bilbao snatched their first win of the season to lift the pressure on their manager.

Marcelo Bielsa arrived with a good reputation as a manager. Even if many regard the Argentine as somewhat of an introvert – even an oddball. But where was it going wrong for him in Bilbao?

Bielsa had a hard act to follow in Joaquin Caparros; he brought in his own style of play which was radically different to that usually played in Bilbao and moved away from the fierce identity which the club has maintained for decades. A dispute at the start of his term when he released players only to have them reinstated by the players union would no doubt have caused unrest in the dressing room. Add to this some frankly bizarre selection issues and it wasn’t looking all that peachy in the Basque country.  Caparros took the club to the European places in La Liga, a task which must be at least matched this season. Before this victory a series of disjointed and disheartening performances made it look as though wherever Athletic finished this season, Bielsa would not be there come the final day of this term.

Amazing how much can change in ninety minutes. After the victory against Sociedad  there was a visible pressure lifted from Bielsa – in fact it was the first time he looked at ease.

Is the corner turned? This remains to be seen however next up in the league for Athletic is Osasuna, a team who are leaking goals and have chalked up just one solitary win so far. They have an excellent chance to build on this first win. Much of where the club goes now will be dictated by the fans, the players and the board. Bielsa has brought with him a mini revolution which will be difficult for many to swallow. Given patience from the players, the terraces and those at the top there is no reason to say that Athletic cannot go on to succeed. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.