Paul Merson disappointed by what Crysencio Summerville did for Leeds United v Cardiff City
Paul Merson was left disappointed as Crysencio Summerville missed the opportunity to put Leeds United further ahead from the penalty spot in their 3-0 Championship victory against Cardiff City.
The Dutchman dragged his penalty and hit the post, as Merson insisted he should not be missing opportunities like that, branding a penalty as a free hit for the forward.
Summerville was left with his head in his hands following the miss but bounced back to provide an assist for Georginio Rutter, making up for his miss as the Frenchman put Leeds 3-0 up in the 90th minute.
Commentating live on Sky Sports News, Merson described: “It was a foul, McGuinness on Rutter from a corner. Rutter should’ve scored, to be fair, the goalkeeper was in no-man’s-land.
“Here’s the penalty, Summerville is going to step up and take it, bends his run… He hits the post. He puts his head in his hands, yep, missed the target and hit the post. You shouldn’t do that from 12 yards. Free hit.”
An off moment in an otherwise brilliant season
The missed penalty will have been as much a disappointment, if not more, to Summerville as it was to Merson, but it showed plenty about his character and the season he is having at Elland Road that he was immediately able to bounce back and set up a third goal.
His assist for Rutter was the seventh of the season for the Dutchman, who has also picked up 12 goals in 24 games, and while the penalty was a missed opportunity to extend that record, it is only a one-off moment in an otherwise brilliant season.
Leeds will need to lean on their star man to get them through games this season, and while this was a comfortable win in South Wales, he will need to get back to his very best to help the promotion push continue.
On another day, Summerville may have needed to step up in that moment, but as it stands it will all be forgotten by tomorrow in the jubilation of yet another comfortable win for Daniel Farke’s side this season, and he will put it behind him immediately.
In other Leeds United news, here are our player ratings for the dominant display in Cardiff.