Keith Andrews shares ‘quite alarming’ opinion after Leeds United draw with Cardiff City live on Sky Sports
Keith Andrews found the defending by Leeds United for the second goal they conceded against Cardiff City “quite alarming”.
The Whites fought back to draw 2-2 with the Bluebirds at Elland Road with Crysencio Summerville’s last-gasp effort earning a point in their Championship opener, which marked Daniel Farke’s first competitive match in charge.
Leeds were trailing 2-0 at the break due to some questionable defending, particularly for the second where Leo Hjelde was beaten too easily on the left and Luke Ayling was caught ball-watching when Ike Ugbo doubled the lead.
Speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports (6 August, 16:49), Andrews was left unimpressed by Leeds’ efforts.
“This one, quite alarming for me if I’m being entirely honest from a Leeds perspective, how he gets through here is beyond me,” Andrews said,
“Hjelde came off at half-time so that probably tells you the story in itself but, the second phase of it, Ugbo how he gets in off the back of Luke Ayling, if you keep an eye on him from a defensive perspective, Struijk has to go over because Cooper has to go over so they get stretched, so where is the danger for Luke Ayling? It’s right behind him, it’s Ugbo.”
Same old story
In the end, Leeds have to be happy that they have started life back in the Championship with a point, especially having gone two goals behind to a spirited Cardiff City side.
But there will be huge concerns about the familiarity of the fragility that saw Leeds limp their way to relegation from the Premier League last season.
In truth, Leeds had been comfortably the better side in the first half prior to Cardiff’s opener and were still looking dangerous when Ugbo make it 2-0.
It was just too easy for Cardiff to score, though, and the defensive worries that plagued Leeds last term were still very much on display as they began life back in the Championship.
On a positive note, there was some decent synergy among the attacking players on display, though Daniel Farke will likely still want another striker to complement his options, particularly as Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter missed out against Cardiff through injury.
In other Leeds United news, check out the player ratings following the 2-2 draw versus Cardiff City.