Mateo Joseph ‘astonished’ in unseen Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday moment
Mateo Joseph was left in “astonishment” as a ball boy stopped his shot off the line before Leeds United beat Sheffield Wednesday, according to Leeds Live.
The news outlet reported the incident in its unseen moments article on Monday (20 January), the day after the Whites recorded a resounding 3-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road.
Joseph, who struggled to find the back of the net against League Two outfit Harrogate Town in the FA Cup, replaced Joel Piroe after 70 minutes on Sunday, where his barren form continued.
Prior to the game, the Spain Under-21s international was left astonished after his halfway line strike in the warm-up was stopped by a ball boy just as it was about to cross over the line, with Wilfried Gnonto grinning from the sidelines.
Mateo Joseph has hit a rough patch at Leeds United
Although the encounter with the ball boy is hilarious, it sums up Joseph’s season so far.
The 21-year-old began the season as the West Yorkshire outfit’s leading man, starting the opening eight matches, but after only one goal and three assists to show for his efforts, he took a back seat to Joel Piroe.
Joseph has started only three Championship matches since and has not scored since the 2-0 win against Sheffield United on 18 October.
While he is still young and has plenty of time to develop into a top-level talent for the Whites, his goals-to-game ratio leaves a lot to be desired, and questions are emerging regarding whether he can make a lasting impact.
He has shone against top-flight opposition before, bagging himself a brace in the 3-2 loss against Chelsea in the FA Cup last term, but he is falling way below the mark in the second tier.
Daniel Farke has regularly rotated his two main striker options this year to manage the extensive Championship workload – this will undoubtedly have a negative impact on his displays, although he has failed to capture the eye when called upon.
However, many matches are still to be played before May, and there is plenty of time for the young forward to turn his fortunes around at Elland Road before the jury is out – but the warning signs are hard to ignore.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites promotion chances are revealed by a supercomputer after the Sheffield Wednesday win.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.