‘Needs to work’: Alan Shearer says ‘exceptional’ Leeds ace still has ‘a lot of room to improve’

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Speaking on the Premier League’s YouTube channel, Alan Shearer has been analysing Leeds’ Illan Meslier and his debut season in England’s top-flight.

The Newcastle United legend has been full of praise for Meslier, labelling him an excellent shot-stopper and saying he’s been exceptional this season.

However, Shearer believes that Meslier hasn’t been perfect this term and he’s pointed out a couple of areas where the Frenchman could improve.

What’s been said?

Shearer believes Meslier has been brilliant, but he says that he needs to work on how focused he is during games.

“Let’s start with Illan Meslier. Goalkeepers often get overlooked for these types of awards, but Meslier has had an exceptional first season in the Premier League. He’s an excellent shot-stopper first and foremost, keeping 11 clean sheets. His positioning is also strong as is his distribution. He ranks fourth overall for save percentage, while also facing the fourth-most shots in the league. He’s made a couple of errors this season, so I think he needs to work on his focus, but overall, he’s got a lot of room to improve,” Shearer said.

Spot on

There’s a reason goalkeepers don’t peak until they’re a bit older, and it’s because it’s a position that requires a lot of mental grit and experience.

Meslier has all of the technical attributes to be an absolute star for years to come, but the reality is that he’s only young, so there are bound to be a few teething issues.

To be honest, focusing on Meslier’s faults is a little bit unfair after such a fantastic season, but any top player will always be looking for areas to improve, and Shearer has just given him some brilliant advice.