Max Wober leaves BT Sport pundits open-mouthed at what he did in Leeds United draw with Newcastle, ‘couldn’t make this up’
Lucy Ward and Darren Fletcher were stunned by Max Wober when the Leeds United defender produced a mindless foul to concede a penalty in a dramatic series of events against Newcastle.
Just inside half an hour at Elland Road, with the Whites still reeling from Patrick Bamford missing from the spot at one end moments earlier, Alexander Isak burst into the box and was taken out by the usually dependable Austrian.
He perhaps wasn’t helped by the hapless Junior Firpo falling over in close vicinity without obvious reason, but it was a rash and needless challenge that didn’t work, and completed a dramatic and unwanted turnaround for Leeds United which Ward and Fletcher could scarcely believe.
Reacting to the foul live on the BT Sport match commentary Fletcher said (13 May, 12.58pm): “I think it’s a stonewaller Lucy.”
Ward replied: “Absolutely, just swung at it. I don’t know what he’s doing… What is he doing? Just swinging at the ball, just takes the player out.”
The pair were struggling to believe what they were watching, as Fletcher exclaimed: “Dear me!”
“You couldn’t make this up could you?” Ward summed up before the kick was dispatched.
Regression
Trying to peg the ability of a Leeds United defender is becoming an impossible task, with the Whites backline a source of worry almost without fail.
If any of the four chosen could ever have a good game at the same time the team would be a far different proposition, but all too often it is maximum two who perform and frequently only one.
At times since his January arrival Wober has been that one keeping his head while all around him were losing their’s, but since returning from his most recent injury absence he has looked a shadow of his usual self.
A Leeds player clattering into Isak to concede a penalty wasn’t so much of a shock, but that it was Wober was a surprise, on a day where he looked uncomfortable in the challenge throughout.
That Rasmus Kristensen was alongside him at centre-back and suddenly had arguably his best game in a Whites shirt, while Robin Koch was playing in central midfield and doing reasonably well, illustrates the makeshift nature of what is happening at the club currently and the inconsistency of the defensive unit.
Luke Ayling and the Dane scored the two goals for Sam Allardyce’s side, while Junior Firpo won a penalty missed by Patrick Bamford before going on a one-man mission to cause havoc for himself for the rest of the game.
Dramatic though they inevitably are, the manager would surely prefer a bit more serenity in his defence, and the alarming drop in form from Wober is the latest cause for concern in that department.
In other Leeds United news, Richard Keys was stunned by footage as he felt officials could have relegated the Whites.