Jamie Carragher suggested that Leeds United almost appear to have a kid in goal, insisting that he has never been convinced by Illan Meslier.
Carragher was speaking on Monday Night Football (broadcast on 17/4; 22:03) after Leeds were completely dismantled by Liverpool at Elland Road, losing 6-1.
It was yet another embarrassing performance from Javi Gracia’s side. Of course, we can be livid with the decision to allow Liverpool’s opening goal to stand. But based on the subsequent display, it was a matter of time before it fell apart.
Carragher tears into Meslier after Leeds loss
No player can hold their head up high this evening. The defence was a shambles. But that should not stop people putting Illan Meslier‘s display under the microscope.
Meslier has long been considered one of the top talents between the sticks in world football. And he was brilliant earlier in the campaign. Of course, it was a performance at Anfield against Liverpool which was the high point of his season.
But that was a long, long time ago. Meslier has been in terrible form of late. And while he cannot shoulder the majority of the responsibility for what happened on Monday, there is no doubt that he made Crystal Palace’s and Liverpool’s jobs slightly easier.
He should have done better for Marc Guehi’s opener in the loss to Palace. And he got nowhere near any of the other goals.
And – to the untrained eye – his positioning for both of Mo Salah’s goals tonight was really questionable. To say he was beaten at his near post for his first would be generous. And he seemed to leave Salah with most of the goal to aim for for his second.
Certainly, Carragher did not hold back in his assessment of the youngster after the full-time whistle.
“I’ve never been convinced with the goalkeeper, I haven’t. I know he’s a young player. Obviously Bielsa brought him up from the Championship. He was young, maybe 20, he was good on the ball using his feet. But he’s got no presence,” he told Sky Sports.
“It looks like you’ve got a kid in goal. I’ve always felt that. But I thought, okay he’s a young goalkeeper, learning his way. But I’ve never been convinced with him at all.”
There was a stage during the Liverpool game where Meslier had conceded with the last 10 shots on target opposition teams had produced.
That is not all Meslier’s fault at all. But something has to change.
Would picking Joel Robles this weekend be that bad a decision? It is getting harder to argue that Meslier deserves to keep his place.