Leeds United flag at Elland Road. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier was heavily criticized for his performance against Hull City last weekend.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper committed two fouls in the 3-3 draw against Tigres, and the Frenchman is clearly struggling to get fit and confident at the moment.
BBC pundit Paul Robinson has now claimed Meslier struggled with a lack of confidence and it affected his performances. Furthermore, he added that the goalkeeper is too dependent on his pace. He tends to play well when he is full of confidence, but he can be prone to making poor decisions when things don’t go his way.
“I think Meslier’s change was inevitable. He’s got all the tools in the bag, but he’s a trustworthy goalie,” Robinson said on BBC Radio 5 (January 11, 5:51 p.m.).
“When he plays well, he makes good decisions, he makes good saves, and it goes without saying that he plays very well every week.”
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Meslier needs to breathe
Meanwhile, the popular pundit also reflected on Leeds United defender Joe Rodon’s impulsive reaction to a Meslier screamer against Hull City. Robinson added that the French goalkeeper is in the firing line and is also under enormous pressure from his teammates.
“He needs a little rest, Illan Meslier. He’s in the line of fire, he’s under a lot of pressure,” the BBC pundit said.
“You saw Joe Rodon’s reaction when he conceded the goal to Hull, maybe a bit of agitation from his teammates as well.
It will be interesting to see if he can regain his sharpness in the coming weeks and establish himself as a regular starter again. His mistake against Hull City led to Los Blancos losing it to Sheffield Wednesday.
There is no doubt that he is a quality goalkeeper with a bright future, and it remains to be seen whether he can redeem himself in the coming weeks.
