Meslier and Struijk named in WhoScored U21 TOTW
Leeds United duo Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk have been named in WhoScored’s U21 Team of the Week following brilliant performances against Burnley.
The Whites put in a fine showing over the weekend, putting four goals past Burnley in the Premier League.
With that win, they extended their lead from Aston Villa to four points and look set to finish in the top half in their first season back in the top flight.
Rodrigo, Mateusz Klich and Jack Harrison were among the goals, but the defence played their part in restricting Burnley to just seven attempts with an xG of 1.47.
WhoScored deservedly credited the Leeds duo giving Meslier a 7.90 rating while Struijk earned himself a score of 7.49.
The likes of Jadon Sancho, Ferran Torres, Alexander Isak and Ilaix Moriba are among the other players to make the cut.
Deserve it
Meslier has been in fine form not just recently but all through the season. He seems unfazed in goal when building out from the back, is assertive in claiming the ball from set-pieces and is a fine organiser of the defence.
Against Burnley, he once again kept the opposition at bay while the average goalkeeper would concede between one and two goals.
Throughout the campaign, Meslier’s pulled off big saves to keep give the Whites a chance at pushing for the European places.
This season, the Frenchman has conceded 52 goals from an xG of 60.68, showing just how vital he is to this Leeds setup.
In defence, Struijk has been equally impressive. Against Burnley, the Belgian played as a left-sided defender in what almost looked like a back three.
He was impressive at bringing the ball out from the back, completing 76 percent of his passes, and was also impressive at winning the ball back, succeeding in 7 of his 11 attempted duels. [Sofascore]
The 21-year-old has played in 25 league games this season, having been deployed in midfield on a few occasions.
We’ve got a side with blossoming young talent and we cannot wait to see how good they get in a few years’ time.
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