Newspapers slam Illan Meslier despite Leeds United win v Huddersfield Town
Illan Meslier failed to impress the newspapers as the Leeds United goalkeeper squandered his side’s clean sheet against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Leeds were 4-0 up at half-time and cruising at Elland Road before Michal Helik pounced on a rebound after Meslier, 23, inexplicably failed to deal with a long-range Sorba Thomas shot that was straight at him.
The Football League Paper (page 13, 29 October) scored Meslier 5/10, the lowest score of any Leeds player and the joint-lowest score across both teams.
The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth rated Meslier a bit higher at 6/10 but still wasn’t too impressed by his role in the Terriers’ goal. He said: “[Meslier] was disappointed with the goal and a shot that he couldn’t hold, leading to the loss of his clean sheet.”
LeedsLive scored another 5/10 for the French shot-stopper, saying: “A spectator until he was asked to hold onto a Sorba Thomas shot and didn’t, giving up the rebound for a goal.”
The Yorkshire Post also scored a five, saying: “Huddersfield Town’s goal came when a Sorba Thomas shot bounced off him.”
The Sunday Mirror also gave Meslier 5/10 on page eight of their pull-out (29 October).
Very poor
Meslier still hasn’t won us over.
There was talk about him being the next big thing and being the France number one once Hugo Lloris called it a day on the international scene.
But that hasn’t happened and understandably so.
No one tried to sign Meslier in the summer after Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League due to the fact that he’s still not really improved in the last few years.
Leeds have been a calamity at defending set-pieces for several seasons now and that’s partly down to the Frenchman’s lack of presence inside his own box, which is shocking for someone as tall and physical as him.
Meslier always has a mistake in him and that came, luckily for Leeds, while they were 4-0 up and cruising against Huddersfield.
Would he have made the same mistake if the score was level or Leeds were just one or two ahead? Maybe not. But that suggests that there’s a complacency to concentration issue because any goalkeeper worth his salt would have dealt easily with that harmless Thomas shot from outside of the box.
In other Leeds United news, Farke could have a fresh Crysencio Summerville problem on his hands.