Jon Newsome suggested that one Leeds United player actually looked a little bit lost during the first-leg of their Championship play-off semi-final against Norwich City on Sunday.
Leeds were nowhere near their best against the Canaries at Carrow Road, with the main positive being that they have secured a result which makes Daniel Farke’s favourites heading into the second-leg.
The Whites struggled to really build on the bright moments, and it once again appeared that they were relying on one of their star players producing some brilliance.
Unfortunately, Crysencio Summerville was unable to make the difference that he has so often been able to make this season.
Crysencio Summerville looked lost in Leeds draw
The Dutchman did manage more key passes than any other player on the pitch with two, according to Whoscored. And he did force Angus Gunn into a save in the second-half, but it was not his finest display.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds (broadcast on 12/5; 14:10), Jon Newsome suggested that he is concerned that Summerville just has nothing left in the tank.
“He looks a little bit lost at the moment, for me,” he said.
“I don’t know the lad, never spoken to him, but his body language and his mannerisms just look like he’s just struggling, whether that’s with confidence or maybe he’s a little bit tired, maybe he can’t wait until the end of the season, because it has been a long one and he won player of the season, didn’t he, for the Championship, so he’s had a fabulous season.
“So he’s got to put his feet up, get rested, mentally get that spark, because he’s the match winner for us, he really is.”
The dilemma Daniel Farke now faces over winger’s form
The problem Farke potentially faces is how does he justify taking Summerville off before the latter stages of a game when he is the one most likely to produce a moment of magic from nowhere.
It was Georginio Rutter and Willy Gnonto who were first to be replaced on Sunday, with Summerville coming off nearly 20 minutes later.
But Summerville has only scored in three of his last 15 league appearances for the Whites.
You would imagine that he will keep his place for Thursday because most of his teammates are in a similar boat right now, but there is absolutely no question that he is not the same player who dragged Leeds back into the automatic-promotion race around the turn of the year.