Leon Osman believes that Leeds United’s Weston McKennie didn’t try hard enough in the loss to Bournemouth yesterday evening as the Whites continue to falter.
McKennie and Leeds went back to Yorkshire yesterday after being embarrassed 4-1 by Bournemouth on the south coast, with John Percy reporting earlier today that the pressure on boss Javi Gracia is now growing as the club sit just a point above the relegation zone.
Bournemouth went 2-0 up against Leeds yesterday after 24 minutes, before Patrick Bamford gave the visitors hope just after the half-hour mark but in the second period, Gracia’s side continued to prove just how much their defence has cost them this season, as Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo took advantage of Leeds’ leaky backline to gain a crucial win for the Cherries and further cement the Leeds’ defence as the worst in the league, having conceded 67 goals this season.
On Match of the Day (quotes via The Boot Room) yesterday, Leon Osman did not hold back in his assessment of McKennie, saying he has to work much harder than he did yesterday if he wants to contribute to better results in the league.
“The midfielders, it’s Weston McKennie who gets back, he’s got to work ever so hard to block shots in the Premier League. You’ve got to make it as difficult as possible.
“But I don’t think he tries hard enough to stop that shot from Jefferson Lerma.”
Osman then went in on Leeds as a whole, saying they have become far too simple for teams to pick apart.
“Javi Gracia was brought in to try and give them a bit more defensive stability.
“It’s been anything but that in recent weeks. They’ve conceded a ridiculous amount of goals, they’ve lost game after game, all five in April, and they’ve become so easy to play against.”
Leeds’ final four games of the season spell serious trouble, as they face Manchester City, Newcastle, West Ham and Tottenham in their run-in, where they could be in grave danger of dropping down into the relegation zone and ending their three-year stay in England’s top division.