Joe Rodon exposed after Illan Meslier incident in Leeds United win v Swansea
Jon Newsome has called out Joe Rodon for failing to take responsibility in one particular incident as Leeds United beat Swansea City 4-3 on Sunday.
A late Willy Gnonto goal in Wales on 24 November saw the Whites go atop the Championship table, but they were briefly in trouble after Florian Bianchini equalised for the hosts in the 90th minute.
Bianchini got in between Rodon and Pascal Struijk to get on the end of a Josh Tymon cross and put the ball past Meslier from close range.
Rodon was visibly upset at Meslier after the goal, but Newsome was having none of it, saying on BBC Radio Leeds’ Football Forum [24 November]: “I know Joe Rodon had a bit of a dig at Meslier [after Swansea’s third goal], thinking he should have come for it.
“I think he is just passing blame there, you know that your man has got the wrong side of you and you should have dealt with it.
“He should’ve dealt with it and it’s what you do as defenders, you blame anybody but yourself, don’t you?”
Joe Rodon exposed after Illan Meslier incident in Leeds United win
Newsome is right about Rodon in this instance as the Wales international should not have let Bianchini get on his wrong side and get to the ball ahead of him.
Meslier, meanwhile, was not guilt-free, with Liam Cullen’s goal late in the first half raising serious questions over the Frenchman’s abilities.
Newsome, though, cut the 24-year-old some slack as he felt he did some good things between the sticks on Sunday.
Nevertheless, Leeds’ overall defensive performance against Swansea left much to be desired and the likes of Rodon and Meslier will be relieved that Gnonto nicked the winner.
There is no doubt that the Yorkshire-based club needs to improve defensively if they want to stay atop the Championship table and secure an automatic promotion spot.
The Whites do not need any reminding of the league’s ruthless nature as weaknesses do not go unpunished in the English second tier.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites may have a plan to fix their defensive issues, with this defender now eyed for a transfer.
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