Leeds United maintained their five-point gap on Fulham from the weekend.
David Prutton has claimed that Illan Meslier’s distribution during Leeds United’s 4-0 win over Hull City over the weekend could have been simpler as he was ‘nitpicking’ a negative aspect of his game, as he told Sky Sports’ EFL Podcast.
Following Kiko Casilla’s ban, Meslier came into the starting XI for Leeds, and after his strong performance at Arsenal in the FA Cup in January, fans knew that he would fit right in.
Whilst the 19-year-old wasn’t tested by a pretty poor Hull side, he ensured he remained unnoticed and kept a clean sheet for his side, who ran riot on the road.
Former Leeds man, Prutton, felt that despite his young age, Meslier looked ‘very confident’ in between the sticks, as he commented on what he saw from the Frenchman.
“Meslier’s in, 19-year-old goalkeeper, who seems to be very confident,” Prutton told the EFL Podcast. “If we are nitpicking. I felt there were a couple of times on Saturday, where distribution wise, yes we know he has a nice left foot, but you play your way into the game.
“You do simple passes. You might not always have to clip it onto the fullbacks chest, whilst he is stood on the touchline and assert yourself. From that point of view, he will get better with the more games that he plays.
“Not really tested from [stopping shots], but bigger tests will come. The confidence, which he quite clearly has, will be surely tested and we will see how he gets through it.”
As mentioned above, bigger tests are to come for Leeds’ new number one, but if he can showcase what he did against Arsenal in January then he’ll be fine.
On the field of play, Casilla’s form and error-prone ways were being criticised once again as fans were keen for the youngster to be given a chance.
There will be a number of big games coming up for the club, and none more so then there clash against their automatic rivals Fulham later on this month.
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