Leeds United: The importance of Illan Meslier
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Certainly so. I mean, obviously, if we look further back in the team, there's not really
00:05 much of a selection headache when it comes to goalkeeping.
00:07 Yeah.
00:08 Milan Melie is being on an impressive run of late, it's fair to say. He certainly had
00:13 his moments in a Leeds United shirt, from what I can remember. Certainly some good and
00:18 some bad. He's had the odd mistake here and there.
00:21 Yeah.
00:22 But the moment he is doing really quite well, and that's vital for Leeds United's promotion
00:27 and push. Keeping the goals out is just as important in some cases as scoring at the
00:31 other end. So, yeah, just on Milan Melie, just how impressive has his run of form been?
00:36 Yeah, very much so. I mean, the stats say it all. I think it's 15 clean sheets from
00:39 31 games, which is a joint best in the division. What have you got, three in a row, four from
00:44 five. I mean, Daniel Farke has always talked about attacking football and high press and
00:49 scoring lots of goals, but he has always said, ever since he came in at Leeds, how important
00:53 a solid defence is and basically the foundation of a clean sheet. And that's proven the case
00:57 now, because obviously, yes, Leeds have got a very good goal difference, but keeping a
01:01 clean sheet at the other end is the foundation for success. Some of the victories have been
01:05 by a single goal or 2-0 or whatever. And Melie is going from strength to strength. You're
01:09 right, it hasn't been plain sailing for him at Leeds. Obviously, he was a massive success
01:12 story when he came into the team, bearing in mind how much Leeds paid for him. Obviously,
01:16 initially he went up and just, I mean, fingers around that seven million marker is an absolutely
01:20 fantastic piece of business to get someone in for that fee. Obviously, first season back
01:26 in the Premier League was decent. Then Melie, like a lot of players, got caught out really
01:30 towards, especially when Leeds went down. But at the end of the day, there are two things
01:34 to look at here. Number one, he's now playing at a lower level in the Championship, as is
01:37 the case of all the players that got relegated last season. So that obviously makes a difference.
01:41 You're not coming up against the same standard of attackers, so to speak. But also, he is
01:44 still young at 23. He's still developing. He's still learning. Keepers especially can
01:49 sort of mature a little bit later and stuff in terms of how some stands don't get the
01:53 best out of them until much later in their career. He's a fantastic asset. It was interesting
01:58 that Daniel Farker praised him straight away after the Plymouth win. I mean, obviously,
02:02 the various people excelled, but I sort of noticed that when I saw it myself, really.
02:06 In a sort of quiet way, it was very, very important. There was a bit of a spell when
02:09 Leeds were only 1-0 up, where Plymouth were bombing a couple of corners into the box and
02:13 high balls. That's one thing he's had problems with before in terms of possibly flapping
02:17 at things. But he was just solid, clearing his lines, commanding and just really assured
02:22 at the back and stuff. So, yes, he's just definitely going from strength to strength.
02:26 But it's interesting, actually, to talk about players and Nonto and stuff with his contract,
02:29 obviously, 2027. Melier has actually got one year less. And I mean, although obviously
02:35 goalkeepers in some way don't hit the headlines, obviously, because they're not scoring the
02:39 goals and whatever, there's no doubt that he's just as important. So, that's obviously
02:42 something I think that will have to be looked at and I'm sure is being looked at. Because
02:46 just as when he first burst into the team, as I say, when he was a huge success story,
02:49 a lot of big clubs were looking at him and that will start being the case again now.
02:53 But hopefully, obviously, he's here, he's the United's keeper and he's the number one
02:56 that will hopefully keep the clean sheets and get them back to the Premier League. But
03:00 yes, he's been very, very good of late. As you say, there's absolutely no doubt about
03:03 him being first choice. I mean, in terms of selection issues, there's sort of headaches,
03:08 there's headaches all over the pitch, but there's not one in goal. I mean, he's absolutely
03:11 miles ahead of his first choice keeper. I mean, Christopher Clarsen has done well when
03:14 he's come into the side. Darlow is still out injured, dislocated thumb, he's on his way
03:17 back from that. But Melie is so far clear as first choice keeper. And you've got to
03:22 say he's done well to bounce back as well because I was at the Preston game at Boxing
03:25 Day when he obviously got sent off, which is probably his most recent sort of, you know,
03:30 sort of furby, if you like. But that was a bit daft way to bear in terms of like putting
03:35 a hand out into an opposition player's face. But obviously, he's served his ban and he's
03:38 come back and the stats speak for themselves. And as I say, three clean sheets in a row,
03:42 just as Leeds are fantastic going forward. They've been very, very solid at the back
03:45 and he has been a key part of that. So long may that continue. And the thing is, with
03:49 him at his age, Daniel, as well, as I say at 23, he's only going to get better as well.
03:53 It's not like he's at the peak of his powers by any means. He'll continue to get much,
03:56 much better. So they've got an outstanding young keeper there basically.