Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink warns that one ‘problem’ player will cost Leeds promotion

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Leeds United secured a draw against promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion on New Year’s Day.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has warned that Kiko Casilla will cost Leeds United promotion to the Premier League once again following his mistake during their 1-1 draw at West Brom on New Year’s Day.

The Sky Sports pundit claimed that Casilla is a ‘problem’ for Leeds and that he makes his back four ‘nervous’, as he failed to deal with a corner which led to an early Albion goal at the Hawthorns.

Last season, Casilla was very erratic in between the sticks, and during their play-off semi-final defeat to Derby, he made a mistake for the Rams’ opening goal. In the end, it proved to be very, very costly.

Speaking to Sky Sports Football (01/01/20 at 5:15 pm start), Hasselbaink reacted to Casilla’s mistake, explained why he is a ‘problem’ for the team and shared how he should have been learning from his mistakes by now.

“This is the problem [with Casilla], his starting position [for Albion’s goal,” Hasselbaink told Sky Sports. “The thing is if he’s on his line he can come now [when the ball is delivered]. and take everybody with him. He doesn’t punch it hard enough. He’s not strong enough and then this happens [West Brom score].

“He does, for my feeling, make the back four nervous, especially wide free-kicks and corners. He has been playing really well of late. Not in the Birmingham game, but in the rest of the games. He needs to pick when he comes and doesn’t. Sometimes, he gambles a little too much and that’s a problem. Yes, he does [should have learnt by now].

“It [cost] Leeds last season. If it continues this way, it will cost them [again]. It is a problem. And in the Championship you do get a lot of these things.”

Whilst Casilla was, on a number of occasions, in the spotlight for the wrong reasons during the previous campaign, he has shown improvements this term.

For most parts of this season, he has been calmer, made the right decisions, stayed on his line and produced some outstanding saves.

But against the Baggies, he will be well aware that he should have dealt with that corner in a much stronger manner, as Leeds still sit top of the Championship table.