Noel Whelan asked whether Pontus Jansson goes missing when Leeds are struggling

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Leeds United suffered their third defeat in four Championship games as they were beaten 3-0 by Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.

Noel Whelan told BBC Radio Leeds after Leeds’ defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday that he is inclined to think that Pontus Jansson does struggle to step up when the Whites are under the cosh and need him.

Jansson has been a colossus since arriving at Elland Road last summer, quickly establishing himself as a key man for the side due to his frequent, brave blocks and his full-blooded challenges.

And the Swede began this season in sensational form, helping the Whites keep a clean sheet in his first six appearances as Thomas Christiansen’s men established themselves amongst the early pace-setters in the Championship.

However, his last three performances have seen Leeds fail to pick up any points and the team concede six goals along the way. And that has prompted Whelan to suggest that he needs to step up when the rest of the team are not performing.

“I’ve been looking at that and analysing that as well, and yeah I think so,” he told BBC Radio Leeds when asked whether Jansson tends to go missing when the side need him most.

“He likes to play to the crowd when you’re winning, and that’s great, but you need those characters when things are down to be your talisman as well when the chips are down. You’ve got to stand up, you’ve got to be that leader.

“You can’t always be the focal figure when you’ve won three points, you’ve got to stand there and see the game out and try and change it. That’s mental toughness, we can’t be having too many weak players in this side.”

While Whelan has his concerns, Jansson’s style of play and form is a key reason why the side have gone through their great patches of form since his arrival as he can inspire the crowd and his teammates with one block or challenge that few saw coming.

And while the 26-year-old has struggled in the last few games, he is, by no means, the only player who has been below-par, so perhaps some of his teammates should shoulder much of the blame for not stepping into his shoes on the rare occasions that he is not at the races.