Shay Given says it’s ‘very harsh’ to blame goalkeeper Joel Robles for Leeds United’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday.
Before a ball was kicked, Sam Allardyce had already made a massive call and that was to drop the error-prone Illan Meslier from the starting XI – the Leeds United boss shared how he reacted to that news.
In came Joel Robles for his first Premier League start, and within half an hour, he had picked the ball up from the back of the net on two occasions.
Ilkay Gundogan was behind both strikes, which were similar types of goals from the edge of the area as Leeds had near-on everyone behind the ball when trying to stop Man City’s all-attacking steam train coming at them.
For both of the goals, Robles didn’t move, with the 32-year-old possibly being unsighted for the second goal.
Former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given was questioned about Robles’ part in those strikes and he made sure to defend the experienced shot-stopper, as he told Premier League Productions (06/05/23 at 3:55 pm).
“It’s very harsh to blame Robles,” said Given. “I think they were brilliant goals. They will be more looking at the team shape and how deep they got.
“They were getting deeper and it was getting more difficult. The second goal, he (Robles) can’t see it and it was forced into the bottom corner.
“So, I would put no blame on Robles, whatsoever.”
RIGHT CALL FROM ALLARDYCE
It just wasn’t working for Meslier and there were too many issues in his game, as he showcased during Leeds’ 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth.
Yes, he hasn’t been helped by his all-over-the-shop backline that just isn’t performing, with no rhythm or consistency to anyone’s game.
But when you are flapping at crosses time and time again, then the call to bring in Robles was right because the young Frenchman just wasn’t even doing the basics right.
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