BBC analyst Jon Newsome criticized Leeds United for their lack of effort in possession during last night’s 1-0 loss to West Brom.
Leeds once again failed to find the solutions to overcome a team content to defend deep and put on a display devoid of any kind of “urgency” in the closing third.
Leeds now finds themselves outside of the top three after losing to Preston North End 2-1 on Boxing Day. This was the first time Leeds have lost consecutive games this season.
During his post-match interview on BBC Radio Leeds, Newsome specifically criticized Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville for their respective performances at the Hawthorns.
West Brom’s central defenders had an easy night because, in his opinion, neither of them attempted to beat their full-back by going on the offensive.
Gnonto and Summerville are at odds.
“We have the best two wingers in the league, Gnonto and Summerville, and neither of them has taken a shot at their full back,” Newsome stated. “The amount of times we get the ball out wide.”
It’s a nightmare and an agony for a center back to defend against when a winger takes his full back on and crosses the six-yard line. As an alternative, we return to the midfield. Everything is slow and formal.
Gnonto missed his opportunity to make his first start since a 1-0 loss at Stoke City in October, but it should be obvious by now that he is most effective out on the left.
Nevertheless, it seemed as though he and Summerville were playing inside their own heads and that they could have been more determined to target their full-backs.
Leeds lacks much inventiveness in the middle of the pitch, save from Georginio Rutter, thus when the wingers aren’t playing well, the attack appears to be ineffective.
