Sky pundit claims Leeds should’ve signed Villa new boy instead of ‘very average’ player

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Mark Schwarzer has told Optus Sport that Illan Meslier is looking ‘very, very average’ for Leeds United and they should have signed Aston Villa new boy Emiliano Martinez instead.

Meslier was on-loan at Leeds United during their promotion campaign and he made the move permanent over the summer – Schwarzer, who also works as a pundit for Sky, questioned the goals he has conceded, especially against Fulham.

On the other hand, Dean Smith secured the services of Arsenal shot-stopper Martinez, who helped the London club win the FA Cup towards the back end of the delayed season.

But Schwarzer, who is the Premier League’s second most-capped keeper, made it clear that he doesn’t rate Leeds’ current man between the sticks.

“The goalkeeper doesn’t look good enough for me,” Schwarzer told Optus Sport. “He looks very very average. He conceded a couple of goals against Fulham (he shouldn’t have).

“He’s a French U21 international, he played the back end of last season (and) they made his move permanent. I think that is maybe where Leeds are going to come unstuck.

“I think Leeds United have missed a massive trick in not being able to sign (Emiliano) Martinez. I didn’t see anything in the press in terms of more seriousness about it, but I think they made the decision relatively early (that) they were going to go with their current crop of keepers.”

It does need to be remembered that Meslier is only 20-years-old, so to expect so much of him at this stage of his career is harsh.

Not only that, he is playing for a newly-promoted side, so just by logic, they are going to concede a few more goals than most because they have stepped into a division that is far superior than the one they have just left.

Added with that, Marcelo Bielsa’s high-pressing, all-out-action and man-marking type of system doesn’t help his cause in between the sticks because it means that Leeds are participating in more end-to-end games.