It is all about points rather than performances at this stage of the season for Leeds United.
After picking up just five points in as many matches since the international break, Leeds knew nothing other than a win was enough in their trip to Middlesbrough last night.
And in what was a dramatic affair at the Riverside, Leeds managed to do so 4-3 thanks to an impressive counter-attacking display, which saw the front four at somewhere close to their best again.
Crysencio Summerville (2), Patrick Bamford and Willy Gnonto were all on the scoresheet for Leeds, and it would be fair to say their brilliance in the final third was needed given what was happening at the other end.
Leeds actually restricted Boro to very little in the way of clear-cut chances, yet still came away from the game having conceded three goals. Junior Firpo, in particular, was brilliant.
Jon Newsome says Leeds looked shaky vs Boro because of one man
None of Boro’s three goals came as a result of some particularly impressive attacking football, but more so errors on Leeds’ behalf.
Boro got slightly fortunate as a result of a couple of kind deflections for the first, while Illan Meslier and Georginio Rutter will both feel they should have done better for the second.
Meslier was again caught in no-man’s land for the third, but neither Joe Rodon or Ethan Ampadu will be too pleased with their involvement either.
When looking at the three goals, it was not a good night for Meslier at all. He has been playing with more confidence lately, but looked more like the timid figure which saw him dropped from the starting XI at Leeds this time last year.
Pundit Jon Newsome was less than impressed with Meslier’s performance on the night, telling BBC Radio Leeds he was making everyone around him nervous due to his lack of presence in the area.
He said: “Illan Meslier, I think, bit of a head-scratching for me tonight, I mean, not just the two goals, but balls coming across the box, and he is diving and chucking himself around, and not commanding his area in any way shape or form. You could see that leaching into the back four, you could see that leaching into the players.”
Meslier needs to be better for Leeds’ last two matches
As per FotMob, Meslier has one of the best save percentages in the Championship this season at 70.4 per cent. In fact, only four goalkeepers are ahead of him.
Last night, however, it looked like the Meslier of old where every shot just seemed as though it was going to go in. Boro had five shots on target, three of which, of course, went in.
Having got a hand to it, he should’ve done better for Emmanuel Latte Lath’s first of the night. Meslier also did not cover himself in glory for the striker’s second.
Leeds will need Meslier at a much better level for the next two matches against QPR and Southampton, as they can’t be having to score four goals every game just to win.