Does Leeds United’s Liam Cooper have the temperament to handle big games?
Earlier this week we wrote a column praising Liam Cooper’s turn around in form this season – and then promptly the Scottish defender went and got himself sent off hours later.
The centre-back’s dismissal was a reminder that Cooper’s game still has flaws, although the red card would be forgivable if it were a one off.
Unfortunately it was Cooper’s second red card in 2017, both of which have come in big matches, and it should really have been three.
Earlier this year Cooper was sent off in Leeds’ big FA Cup match away to non-league Sutton United.
This was part of a humiliating defeat which saw Leeds knocked out in the fourth round.
Cooper did not play much last season, but one incident in which he should have picked up a red card was against Reading.
The centre-back was judged by a FA panel to have stamped on Reece Oxford and was banned for six matches, depriving his club of his services in the title run-in.
That came in a big game against a play-off rival, which Leeds lost 1-0.
Tuesday night’s red card came in a big match against Cardiff City, between two top of the table teams.
These are matches in which Leeds need their players at their best, with full concentration, operating at the peak of their powers.
In big games against Sutton, Reading and Cardiff, Cooper has been found wanting.
It is a problem he has to fix if he is to keep the trust of his manager to be selected from the start in the future in key games.
With Matthew Pennington’s return from injury and Conor Shaughnessy’s emergence, Leeds have alternatives, and Cooper will have to earn back his place.
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