Jermaine Beckford and Mark Schwarzer have slammed Arsenal target Youri Tielemans for Leicester City against Wolves. The midfielder’s use of possession was often poor.
The Foxes welcomed Wolves to the King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday. But Julen Lopetegui’s team broke the deadlock on 13 minutes as Matheus Cunha punished Tielemans for an early error. The away side snatched the ball and Cunha delivered a rocket.
Leicester sought to bring play out from the back as they started the game against Wolves in the ascendancy. But Mario Lemina caught Tielemans taking the situation too easily around 35 yards from the Foxes’ net. He would then tee Cunha up to strike low past Daniel Iversen.
Tielemans fails to shine as Arsenal show interest in his transfer
Tielemans only managed to get a toe onto the ball before Lemina poked it off the Belgian. It gave Wolves a sudden chance to pounce when Leicester had been establishing control in the opening exchanges. The goal very much came against the early run of play on Saturday.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta would not have liked what he may have seen from Tielemans for Leicester against Wolves, too. Rudy Galetti reported earlier in the week that the Belgian is a target of the Gunners. Arsenal want to snap up Tielemans with him set to be a free agent.
Confidence is also rising at Emirates Stadium over Arsenal convincing Tielemans to join in a free transfer from Leicester. The north London side have advanced their interest to fend off any potential rival suitors emerging. Arsenal anticipate other clubs wanting the 25-year-old.
BBC pundits Beckford and Schwarzer issue ‘disappointing’ verdicts
Arsenal target Tielemans’ role in Cunha scoring for Wolves against Leicester also drew poor verdicts from BBC pundits Beckford and Schwarzer. The former expected to see better from the midfielder given his experience. It was his 145th career Premier League appearance yet.
“You expect better from a player of Youri Tielemans’ experience,” Beckford told the BBC’s Final Score. “That Wolves goal has really come against the run of play.”
Tielemans also disappointed Schwarzer with his performance over the first half as Leicester hosted Wolves on Saturday. The Belgian’s wastefulness in possession caught the ex-Fulham goalkeeper’s attention. He had turned over the ball nine times by the break, per SofaScore.
Schwarzer told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Little bit disappointing in this game for Tielemans. He hasn’t really been on his game and his bad touch led to Wolves scoring the goal. There is a couple of times he’s been caught in possession.”
Only Patson Daka (12) had lost possession during the first half for Leicester against Wolves more often than Tielemans, Boubakary Soumare, Iversen and Victor Kristiansen (9). While Cunha (13) turned the ball over the most often overall throughout the opening 45 minutes.
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