Leeds United‘s computerized promotion goals have been left in tatters after they had been thumped by Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Highway on Friday evening.
Their place within the Championship play-offs could already be confirmed by the point they take to the sector in opposition to Southampton subsequent Saturday at Elland Highway.
If Ipswich City win their subsequent two matches, away at Hull Metropolis and Coventry Metropolis, then their place within the Premier League alongside Leicester Metropolis will likely be confirmed.
That might then depart the Whites needing to win the play-offs to return to the top-flight, with Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, and Norwich Metropolis at present occupying the opposite three spots.
This devastating 4-0 loss to QPR could, subsequently, have value Leeds computerized promotion and supervisor Daniel Farke should react by lastly binning Illan Meslier from the group.
Illan Meslier’s QPR horrorshow
The left-footed stopper was handed a match score of 4/10 by LeedsLive’s Beren Cross, which can have been barely beneficiant for a goalkeeper who conceded 4 objectives from 5 pictures on course.
A deflection off Joe Rodon’s chest made Ilias Chair’s shot too tough for him to maintain out for the primary QPR objective, though the ball was already touring his means and you would argue {that a} goalkeeper with faster ft would get throughout to maintain it out.
|
Illan Meslier |
Vs QPR (26/04/24) |
|---|---|
|
Saves |
1 |
|
Objectives conceded |
4 |
|
Objectives prevented |
-1.9 |
|
Excessive claims |
0 |
|
Sofascore score |
5.8 |
|
QPR’s xG |
0.73 |
He had little probability with the second objective, which was a unbelievable strike into the far nook, however the third and fourth had been the worst of the lot for Meslier.
Lyndon Dykes’ effort went straight via the Frenchman’s legs as he failed to regulate his ft to maintain the shot out, earlier than Sam Subject’s common effort on objective was then palmed into the highest nook by the Leeds primary.
He could have, subsequently, value the group computerized promotion along with his weak goalkeeping for 3 of the 4 objectives, because the 24-year-old didn’t present his facet’s forwards with an opportunity to push on and get one thing from the match – giving QPR hope as a substitute.
Illan Meslier should be dropped
Farke should lastly drop the 4/10 dud, who has began 43 of the 45 league video games, from the beginning XI as he has now conceded a whopping 3.52 extra objectives than anticipated primarily based on xG this season.
He ranks thirty sixth out of 47 goalkeepers within the Championship for objectives (xG) prevented, which illustrates how a lot the French big has underperformed as a shot-stopper.
This could not have come as a shock, although, as Meslier conceded a staggering 28.6 extra objectives than the post-shot xG worth of the pictures in opposition to him within the Premier League over the earlier seasons mixed urged he ought to have.
Whereas, Leeds’ back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow conceded 1.7 fewer objectives than anticipated primarily based on the identical metric throughout 12 appearances for Hull Metropolis within the Championship final season.
Provided that the conflict with Southampton subsequent weekend could not have something on the road, by way of computerized promotion, Farke should lastly ditch Meslier and unleash Darlow to offer the previous Newcastle colossus with an opportunity to impress forward of the play-offs.