Gary Neville has stated that he is ‘not having’ Robin Koch ‘chasing Lacazette all over the pitch’ during Leeds United’s 4-1 defeat at Elland Road on Saturday, as he told Sky Sports during his commentary stint.
The Sky pundit stated that if that was Lionel Messi, he would understand Koch going to such lengths to mark the player, but not Lacazette.
Just before Bukayo Saka could add Arsenal’s third of the evening, Koch followed Lacazette into the opposition’s half, before jogging back to his centre-back position when the away side switched the ball to the other flank.
By the time he could get back, Saka was running at Leeds’ defence from the right channel and he eventually put the game to bed after he was allowed several attempts by Leeds’ disorganised backline to score.
Neville was very critical of the Leeds man’s actions and what Marcelo Bielsa has set out his team to do.
“That’s what happens when your centre-back is not there,” said Neville. “Koch is out of position on this side. The way Saka and Martinelli have isolated the full-backs and ran into those vast open spaces.
“I just don’t see the benefit of Koch going, leaving his space and chasing Lacazette all over the pitch. Then leaving so much for the defenders to do.
“It’s like an under-9’s team defending. Five and six of them trying to defend all at once.
“It’s not for me to talk about how Marcelo Bielsa plays the game but I am not having that, not against Lacazette. If that was a great player up front, who maybe could turn, get on the ball and run at you. Messi or someone like that. then you would want to go in and man-mark. But Lacazette is pulling the Leeds centre-backs, who are leaving enormous gaps and they aren’t good enough to fill them.”
After conceding seven goals last time out, the one thing Leeds would have wanted is some sort of response.
Whilst the Elland Road faithful tried their utmost best to get their players going, they were just cut open, time and time again yesterday.
In truth, if Arsenal scored seven goals, then nobody would have complained because they well and truly battered their injury-savaged opponents.
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