Daniel Farke has been warned that his Leeds United side will never push on in the Premier League if he keeps selecting one of his current first-team regulars.
Leeds United slipped to a third defeat of the Premier League season against Tottenham as the visitors scored two goals via deflections from Pascal Struijk.
The goals were a cruel blow to goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who has enjoyed a run in the Leeds side with Lucas Perri ruled out through injury.
Daniel Farke is expected to have summer signing Perri available to him after the international break, giving him a selection headache: stick with Darlow or replace him.
Now, Farke has been told that Leeds cannot push up the Premier League table with Darlow in goal after he was criticised for his positioning for both of Tottenham’s goals.
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Daniel Farke warned about Karl Darlow
Speaking on the Fozcast alongside former England international Ben Foster, ex-Premier League goalkeeper turned coach Dave Watson warned that Darlow is not a top-level goalkeeper.
According to Watson, Darlow should have done better for Tottenham’s first goal and contrasted his contribution to Vicario’s late save from Joel Piroe, which kept Spurs in the lead.
Watson said: “That’s the difference between why Leeds will have a real chance of staying up, but are never going to push on.
“Karl Darlow, I’ve known him a long, long time, and he’s a great goalkeeper. He’s done well, but he should be doing a little bit better on those two goals.
“Then Vicario, at the level higher, produces the save. He makes one down to his left, and it’s a fantastic save. And it gets them the three points. Really strong hand, down to the left, boom, into a safe area.”
Ben Foster criticised Leeds United’s goalkeeper
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster was also critical of Darlow for his role in Spurs’ two goals at Elland Road, particularly the first goal.
According to Foster, Darlow’s hands were always too low to stop the shot, and he did not give himself the best chance of reacting to the eventual deflection.
“His hands are too low anyway,” Foster said, “From that close, you can use your feet to try and make the saves. Matz Sels actually made a really good foot save; somebody else did, I think it was the Brighton goalkeeper.
“But you’ve got to have your hands in a higher position there because from that angle, they can still get in the top corner, and I know it took a deflection, but you’ve still got to be up there a little bit.”
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