Georginio Rutter sums up Leeds United embarrassment as he’s accused of cheating in 5-1 defeat v Crystal Palace
Georginio Rutter is an absolute embarrassment to Leeds United.
We’ve always said that we cannot be too harsh on the 20-year-old forward because he’s a young lad and it’s not his fault that he was a poor signing by Victor Orta in January.
But coming off the bench late on in Leeds’ 5-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Elland Road on Sunday (9 April) and then diving in a bid to win what would have been a pointless penalty was just ridiculous.
As if it wasn’t a bad enough afternoon for Leeds fans, who had to see their side squander a 1-0 lead and a dominant first half to absolutely bottle it against a team that’s struggled for goals all season.
Roy Hodgson’s men did one over on us completely and Rutter just added to the joke late in the second half when he tried to force contact from Luka Milivojević to win a penalty.
The ex-Hoffenheim forward was backed into a corner a bit on the by-line but instead of holding the ball up and trying to seek out a teammate, he weirdly put his leg next to Milivojević’s and then just threw himself to the ground in a heap.
The referee didn’t book Rutter so the Frenchman was lucky in that regard.
But Andy Hinchcliffe definitely spotted the desperate attempt to cheat by Leeds’ record signing.
“Rutter is looking for a penalty here,” said Hinchcliffe on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday (03:40pm, 9 April).
“But for me, that’s pure simulation. There’s absolutely no contact. He’s trying to generate it if anything.
“There’s absolutely no foul in there whatsoever. He steps into Milivojević and then threw himself to the ground.
“That’s never a penalty.”
Leeds agreed a deal worth up to £35.5million to sign Rutter from Hoffenheim in January.
The Whites had needed a new striker for some time but Orta opted against buying a proven goalscorer to sign someone who’s basically a 20-year-old version of Rodrigo – but worse.
Rutter isn’t a traditional number nine. He likes to drop deep and get involved in the attacking play without scoring too many goals himself.
That’s fair enough and as we said, it’s not his fault that he was a bad signing for Leeds.
But resorting to diving and simulation is just embarrassing a bad look for a club that’s been utterly humiliated on Easter Sunday.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are reportedly plotting a double transfer raid to sign Weston McKennie permanently and a European striker.