Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has confirmed that goalkeeper Illan Meslier will be dropped for this weekend’s crucial Championship clash against Luton Town.
The 25-year-old once again hit the headlines last weekend when he was at fault for both goals in a 2-2 draw against Swansea City. This saw the Whites surrender their lead at the top of the table to Sheffield United, whilst third-placed Burnley moved level on points with the Yorkshire-based side.
This has left Leeds in a precarious situation with just seven games remaining. Long considered to be the standout team in the division, they are now at real risk of dropping into the play-off positions. This is a fate they are desperate to avoid after losing in last season’s final to Southampton.
Meslier Errors See Manager Lose Patience
Meslier has made a string of errors this season which has led to growing calls for him to be replaced between the sticks. He has been at fault for goals against Portsmouth, Sunderland, Preston North End, Hull City and Sheffield United, with the latest against Swansea proving potentially disastrous.
Leeds face relegation threatened Luton Town on Saturday, which has led to Daniel Farke taking the decision to bring in back up shot stopper Karl Darlow. Speaking ahead of the game, the former Norwich City boss said:
“Big believer to have clarity on the goalkeeper position – I have taken my decision and spoke to the goalkeepers, Karl (Darlow) will play on Saturday, Illan (Meslier) will be on the bench.
“We all know Illan’s had a difficult season so far, you have to be honest. In general, your number one you’re a bit more careful to change than an outfield player.
“If they (an outfield player) have one or two difficult games, you can rotate a bit. In the goalkeeper position it’s important you don’t change game-to-game, even after a few mistakes.
“I made it quite clear, the last time we spoke about this topic, it’s professional football and you have to deliver good performances and perform well. (In the) Last weeks we felt he could have done better in a few situations. Right now, it was a decision I feel I had to make and to protect him a little bit.
“The camera and spotlight is on him, he’s still a young man, the weight of the world is on his shoulders, and we have to protect him.”
Writer’s View
Farke has been exceptionally patient with Meslier this season and it was difficult to see how he would recover from last week’s showing. It’s a brave call from the manager, although it is the right one. Sticking by the Frenchman could have proved costly in their bid for promotion and with the rest of the squad playing to such a high standard, this call seemed inevitable. It will be interesting to see if he stands by this for the rest of the season or if it is just for the one game.
