• Meslier dropped

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:15 pm**

Farke has confirmed Meslier has been dropped for Leeds' game this weekend. Strange time to make such a big decision, hopefully we can see what they do if Darlow messes up.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:23 pm**

Only strange thing about the timing is how late it is.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:24 pm**

Well that’s a shame

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:30 pm**

Strange thing to publicly announce, especially 2 days beforehand. These things usually only become apparent an hour before a game when people see the team sheet.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:40 pm**

Hmmmm... also known as scapegoating...not usually the best way to go about regrouping the team after a few poor results.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:41 pm**

He may have dropped himself

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:48 pm**

Not good news. Darlow is the better keeper of the 2.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:01 pm**

Shame. Luton would have put him under some pressure with high balls into the box.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:20 pm**

One of the most careful things to navigate as a manager is the goalkeeping situation. When the spotlight is massively on you, then mistakes happen. Then it becomes a compounding effect when a GK gets dropped, and his replacement comes in. Bit like our Trafford / Muric debate last season.

Also a bit like our situation last year, it's a bit baffling the manager took so long to make the decision, as now everything is magnified.

Either way, it's not a good position for Leeds to be in at this stage of the season.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:25 pm**

Imagine if Darlow got injured before Saturday

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:26 pm**

Ric_C wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:20 pm
One of the most careful things to navigate as a manager is the goalkeeping situation. When the spotlight is massively on you, then mistakes happen. Then it becomes a compounding effect when a GK gets dropped, and his replacement comes in. Bit like our Trafford / Muric debate last season.

Also a bit like our situation last year, it's a bit baffling the manager took so long to make the decision, as now everything is magnified.

Either way, it's not a good position for Leeds to be in at this stage of the season.

Let's hope Darlow makes a couple of **** ups like Muric did.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:57 pm**

HUGE pressure on Darlow

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:18 pm**

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:57 pm
HUGE pressure on Darlow

Not really, he’s a far better keeper and he’s playing in a very good side. To be honest I thought he’d have started much earlier.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:21 pm**

Darlow is a good keeper but hopefully this causes some problems/friction behind the scenes.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:40 pm**

If he has a good game and they win easily on Saturday it puts the pressure back on us.

The flip side to that is if he makes a big mistake costing them the game it should, in theory, make promotion for us quite straightforward as they'd struggle to win many more games.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:03 pm**

I imagine hes leaving in the summer after this. Not the right way to treat a player, no need to announce it like this

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:23 pm**

Disappointing news; he's been one of our best players this season

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:35 pm**

Ric_C wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:20 pm
One of the most careful things to navigate as a manager is the goalkeeping situation. When the spotlight is massively on you, then mistakes happen. Then it becomes a compounding effect when a GK gets dropped, and his replacement comes in. Bit like our Trafford / Muric debate last season.

Also a bit like our situation last year, it's a bit baffling the manager took so long to make the decision, as now everything is magnified.

I think most managers would support their first choice goalkeeper for as long as possible. Farke has done this but now sees the need to make a change; I'm sure he will have discussed the situation with Meslier, it's a very big decision.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:03 pm**

Darlow has hardly played for years, got a few games for Newcastle but he has had a career as a mainly reserve keeper. Factor in the difference in how teammates play it to you and how they instinctively know what to go for, this could go very wrong.

Of course I am living in hope. Both us and them have two very hard away games to come. Whoever wins both, should go up.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:28 pm**

Main thing for me here is what friction/negativity this has caused behind the scenes at the training ground.

Darlow hasn’t played much and now he needs to come in and perform straight away. The pressure is definitely on him but in all fairness, probably a good game for him to come in to the side because Luton are pretty poor.

If he has a good game it’ll look a masterstroke by Farke and tails will be up again. A bad one and the wheels might be off because he’s not going to be able to bring Meslier back now.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:43 pm**

NewClaret wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:28 pm
Main thing for me here is what friction/negativity this has caused behind the scenes at the training ground.

Darlow hasn’t played much and now he needs to come in and perform straight away. The pressure is definitely on him but in all fairness, probably a good game for him to come in to the side because Luton are pretty poor.

If he has a good game it’ll look a masterstroke by Farke and tails will be up again. A bad one and the wheels might be off because he’s not going to be able to bring Meslier back now.

I get your point, but he could bring Meslier back.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:47 pm**

Quicknick wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:43 pm
I get your point, but he could bring Meslier back.

He could, but to do so after dropping him and announcing it publicly days before the game would make that very unlikely I think.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:51 pm**

I was sure I’d watched a Leeds second keeper this season because I remember thinking to myself ‘bloody hell, he’s worse than Meslier… I can see why he keeps his place now”.

Just looked it up and he played in a 1:0 win over Harrogate and a 2:0 and 3:0 defeat to Milwall and Boro respectively.

Can’t actually remember watching any of those games apart from the Harrogate one, but 3 games and 2 defeats isn’t the best record.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 9:24 pm**

Darlow is Welsh National keeper so he will be used to a bit of pressure.

However months in the sidelines can dull the reflexes of even the best keepers. I seem to remember Cudicini looking very shaky in the League Cup Tie at Stamford Bridge a few years back.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 10:31 pm**

Darlow is a far better choice than Meslier, who has cost Leeds at least 10 points through schoolboy errors. I bet their defence is breathing a sigh of relief he's been dropped after watching their faces after some of his howlers..

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 10:37 pm**

ClaretLoup wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 9:24 pm
Darlow is Welsh National keeper so he will be used to a bit of pressure.

However months in the sidelines can dull the reflexes of even the best keepers. I seem to remember Cudicini looking very shaky in the League Cup Tie at Stamford Bridge a few years back.

He's only played 5 games for Wales since making his debut at the age of 33 last year, all but one against minnows.

He's bobbins and certainly not an upgrade on Meslier.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 10:54 pm**

NewClaret wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:28 pm
Main thing for me here is what friction/negativity this has caused behind the scenes at the training ground.

Darlow hasn’t played much and now he needs to come in and perform straight away. The pressure is definitely on him but in all fairness, probably a good game for him to come in to the side because Luton are pretty poor.

If he has a good game it’ll look a masterstroke by Farke and tails will be up again. A bad one and the wheels might be off because he’s not going to be able to bring Meslier back now.

Re Luton, they have won 3 in 5 now after a recent upturn, and Boro have won 4 in 6.

Tough games for Leeds and their reserve keeper.

Oh, and one of those non wins was a draw against each other, and the other Luton one was away to us

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2025 8:57 am**

CrosspoolClarets wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 10:54 pm
Re Luton, they have won 3 in 5 now after a recent upturn, and Boro have won 4 in 6.

Tough games for Leeds and their reserve keeper.

Oh, and one of those non wins was a draw against each other, and the other Luton one was away to us

Yeah, appreciate they’ve been on a good run but I’d expect Leeds to beat them comfortably to be honest. There’s quite a gap between the top 3 and the rest in this league, I’d argue, and they have a bad defence which I doubt will contain Leeds’ attack - if we can knock 8 past them over two games it could be double figures for Leeds

Obviously keep my fingers crossed for a shock result.

I’d expect Boro to beat much tougher test.

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2025 9:53 am**

Won't make a jot of difference Darlow is shite as well,Leeds are going to bottle it again

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2025 10:01 am**

Farke...
"It's important that we had clarity early in the week, so Karl (Darlow) could concentrate on this. It's the right time
for this decision..."

Which is all very well, but why make it public?

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2025 10:09 am**

randomclaret2 wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:23 pm
Disappointing news; he's been one of our best players this season

I'm sure Devils Advocate would agree.

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2025 10:46 am**

Darlow is a good keeper, but he's only played 7 games since he signed for Leeds in summer 2023. He'll be rusty, and I'm sure he'd like a nice easy afternoon for his first game back. I'm not sure he'll want Doughty knocking balls into the box for Adebayo and Morris!! It's an interesting time to make the change, and certainly shows a chink in the armour at Elland Road. This is a big call by Farke.

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2025 11:00 am**

jlup1980 wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 04, 2025 10:46 am
Darlow is a good keeper, but he's only played 7 games since he signed for Leeds in summer 2023. He'll be rusty, and I'm sure he'd like a nice easy afternoon for his first game back. I'm not sure he'll want Doughty knocking balls into the box for Adebayo and Morris!! It's an interesting time to make the change, and certainly shows a chink in the armour at Elland Road. This is a big call by Farke.

That was my thought, it's a shame to lose the sheer comedy value and chaos that Meslier brings an otherwise very good team. But Darlow is going to be very rusty. A decent keeper a while ago despite not racking up loads of appearances, but he's 34 now and definitely into that lovely niche period of a keeper's career where they sit on the bench and do the warm ups for a nice salary.

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