Phil Hay has told his Athletic podcast Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk simply might not be good enough to play in the Premier League – but sympathised, with the left-footer coming in at a time when things are not going well.
Struijk, 23, has played every minute of the last four Premier League games – in which Leeds have conceded a huge 16 goals. Six to Liverpool, five to Palace and four to Arsenal. Woeful. With Max Wober fit, he is likely to be dropped.
While Struijk has not made any glaring errors, the Dutchman’s lack of intensity has been questioned. On Monday night, he was often a yard off the pace. It allowed Liverpool’s razor-sharp forwards to capitalise, scoring six times.
Speaking on his podcast when asked about Struijk – with Wober and captain Liam Cooper now fit – Hay gave his verdict. He believes that Struijk is a good player but that might simply be, that he is not Premier League standard.
“The problem I see in Struijk, and when push comes to shove it might be that he is not Premier League quality or he needs to be playing elsewhere, how much has he actually played at centre-back? There is a good player there.
“But he doesn’t have the pace needed to play at full-back. Getting bombed in at centre-back when the season is going wrong, is hardly going to see the best of you,” Hay told his Athletic podcast when discussing Struijk’s form.
Hay says Struijk might not be good enough for the Premier League
Struijk is a good player at this level, but perhaps, not one that is good enough to start for Leeds. He is not a left-back and while he deputised well there during the first half of the season, his form dipped. Junior Firpo is better.
At centre-back, Cooper and Wober are better on the left and Robin Koch is a mainstay. This, in a side that are currently 16th in the Premier League. So, as Hay says, he might not be Premier League standard. Good depth.
