Jon Newsome blasts ‘woeful’ Connor Roberts cameo in Leeds United v Southampton
Jon Newsome has blasted Connor Roberts for his performance off the bench as Leeds United lost the playoff final 1-0 against Southampton at Wembley.
Roberts replaced Glen Kamara in the 73rd minute with Leeds chasing the game, prompting a tactical reshuffle as Archie Gray moved into midfield, while Roberts slotted in at right-back.
However, Daniel Farke’s change failed to yield the desired results and Newsome was scathing in his assessment of the on-loan Burnley defender’s impact.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leeds (26 May), he said: “He’s been woeful since he’s come on, Connor Roberts.
“All he’s done has given the ball away.”
How poor was Connor Roberts for Leeds United at Wembley?
Roberts’ introduction for Kamara was intended to improve Leeds’ threat going forward as they chased the game against the Saints.
Gray’s move into the middle of the park alongside Ilia Gruev was supposed to increase the teenager’s ability to influence proceedings, while Roberts provided a more vertical attacking profile from right-back than Gray.
However, the move backfired, with the Welshman mustering just 0.04 xA (expected assists) in his time on the field, winning just one of his five ground duels at a measly rate of 20 per cent [FotMob].
Leeds were no more potent with Roberts on the field than they had been before and the 28-year-old’s passing accuracy of just 58 per cent – completing just seven of his 12 attempted passes – did not help matters.
The Whites now face the financial implications of spending another season in the Championship – which could mean Roberts has played his last game for the club.
In other Leeds United news, Newsome has slammed what happened to Crysencio Summerville against Southampton, calling it “pathetic”.
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