BBC pundit cannot believe Leeds United as Javi Gracia snubs Liam Cooper again
Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has questioned Javi Gracia’s continued omission of Liam Cooper, as stated on BBC Radio 5 Live’s The Monday Night Club.
Liverpool recorded a 1-6 hammering of their hosts in what was another horror show, defensively, at Elland Road, leaving the club dangling above the relegation zone.
Cooper was left on the bench, as was Luke Ayling, by Gracia who was reluctant to make wholesale changes despite the shocker against Crystal Palace only days earlier.
Former Whites stopper Robinson reflected on the situation under Gracia at present, with things going from bad to worse, after Monday.
“Leeds could have lost this by a lot more,” he said.
“It was players’ performances, the lack of communication there. Liam Cooper hasn’t played. I don’t know why the manager is leaving him on the bench, he clearly doesn’t fancy him.
“He took Luke Ayling out – there doesn’t look to be any cohesion in the back four. There’s a lot going wrong for Leeds at the moment at the wrong time of the season.”
No other option
Given the experience and previous exploits of Cooper, it appears to be a strange call to continue to leave him out.
Especially when the team is crying out for leadership on the pitch. The same could be said for Ayling, a regular of recent years.
As Robinson points out, it is one way or nothing with this Leeds side. Yes, they can press and play a bit but once the ball is turned over they are wide open with a very high back line that is so easy to exploit.
That was more and more obvious with Liverpool almost scoring at will. Yes, it could have been worse and until Leeds find another way, they appear to be doomed, in freefall.
Time is running out with just seven games of the campaign remaining, meaning that Gracia may soon have no other option than to turn to the likes of Cooper and Ayling with the basic requirement to get the job done.
That would arguably give Leeds a better chance of securing the points required for Premier League survival, with the outcome very much in doubt as it stands.
In other Leeds United news, a Super Computer has made their Premier League relegation prediction after the 6-1 loss v Liverpool.