Sky pundit baffled by what 23-year-old did vs Preston which annoyed Leeds fans
During Leeds United’s match against Preston North End in the first half, Andy Hinchcliffe was left perplexed by Illan Meslier, pointing out that at one point the fans were booing the custodian.
For Ian Meslier, the first half was uneventful. In just seventy seconds, Leeds was behind. Furthermore, when the visitors had set pieces, the Whites did not appear credible.
Meslier did pull off a great stop at his near post to deny Liam Millar. Just after the half-hour mark, though, the Frenchman managed to irritate the supporters.
Illan Meslier annoys Leeds fans during first-half vs Preston
Preston’s free kick attempt went wide, giving them a chance to get the ball into the penalty area. On a breezy West Yorkshire afternoon, the shot was overhit, though, and the ball appeared to be making a very safe run for Meslier.
The Leeds goalie, however, chose to punt the ball clear rather than attempt to catch it, so the home team still needed to fight to eliminate the threat.
I could hear moans beneath the surface. Furthermore, in a speech on Sky Sports (aired on January 21 at 12:33), Andy Hinchcliffe implied that the fans’ annoyance was understandable.
“The fans’ reaction tells you everything. Why are you punching that? Just catch it,” he said.
“He’s under absolutely no pressure. Why on earth are you punching that clear and keeping the ball alive to a degree. There’s no need for it.”
Question mark still lingers over Whites goalkeeper
It is understandable why fans might be wary of the 23-year-old at first. He’s capable of some absolutely amazing stops, no doubt about it.Against Leicester City and Sunderland this season, Meslier produced incredible saves.
But he hasn’t been able to quiet his detractors either.
It’s almost like the early days of Leeds under Thomas Christiansen, when Felix Wiedwald was able to retain several clean sheets without having to do much.
It was during Wiedwald’s testing that the issues arose. And it was soon to be seen that the German was not capable of the job.
Compared to Wiedwald, Meslier is a far superior custodian. There’s not the slightest uncertainty. However, Meslier should continue to be closely examined when he is tested, even in light of Leeds’ strong performance this season.
Sometimes he seems dubious about possession. It is evident that he is continually refining his decision-making process.
That could be a cause for concern as the campaign’s business end approaches.
