Pascal Struijk slammed for what he did in Preston North End v Leeds United
Pascal Struijk losing out to Milutin Osmajic for Preston’s goal against Leeds United was “way too easy”, Jon Newsome has said.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leeds’ commentary (14 December, 12:53pm), Newsome hit out at Struijk and Joe Rodon after both were caught out on the break by the hosts in a 1-1 draw at Deepdale.
Osmajic turned to race away from Struijk all too easily before crossing for Brad Potts to score for Preston in the 23rd minute, as Mateo Joseph’s late intervention salvaged a point for Daniel Farke’s side.
Newsome said: That’s way too easy, isn’t it – that’s really poor for me.
“I’m looking at what’s happening on the halfway line, we’ve got two centre-backs – Rodon and Pascal Struijk – marking Osmajic.
“As that ball comes out and they play the ball forward to Osmajic, how does he gain possession of the ball over our two centre-backs, without a challenge?
“Before we know it he then puts a ball across our six-yard box, nobody making a commitment to him, and Brad Potts sticks in at the far post. Overall, really bad goal to concede.”
Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon slammed in Leeds United v Preston
Joseph’s late strike being steered into his net by Preston defender Jack Whatmough certainly spared United’s blushes at Deepdale, with no player’s blushes spared more than Struijk’s.
Osmajic appeared to have the Dutchman’s number throughout the entirety of another underwhelming result away from Elland Road, giving Struijk a torrid time in the 75 minutes he was on the pitch.
Both Struijk and Rodon being far too passive and off the pace for Potts’ breakaway goal was rather uncharacteristic for the pair, who have been a rock-solid partnership for much of this season.
Struijk in particular has been dubbed as the Championship’s best defender by some pundits and justifiably so, but those verdicts will be on shaky ground.
Daniel Farke was furious with the officiating on show yet again in the second tier, but he will not be happy with the basics of his side’s performance either.
Leeds put in another ‘same-old’ performance away from home, and a point isn’t good enough but acceptable given the circumstances it came in.
It is time to move on quickly.
In other Leeds news, Ally McCoist has suggested the reason why Daniel Farke isn’t universally loved by the United fanbase.
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