OPINION
There is surely not one Leeds United fan who is not gutted about the fact that their team have fallen out of the automatic promotion places following the 1-0 loss to Sheffield United on Saturday.
Chris Basham slotted home the winner in the second half, and there is no doubt one player who many fans are pointing the finger at for the way this was scored. That player is defender Liam Cooper.
We all know Cooper as one of the most consistent players at Elland Road – there is no doubt about that. There is a reason why he is one of the first players on Marcelo Bielsa’s team sheet each week, and rightly so.
However, the 27-year-old’s display in the second half of this match was rather concerning for the manager. He looked a shadow of the reliable player that he usually is during this time, and this was alarming seeing as he managed to cope with the Blades attack efficiently before this.
The signs were looking good for him in the first half – everything was going according to plan. What happened remains to be seen, as many would argue that he is at fault for Leeds losing the game and dropping in to third as a result.
What do you do when one of your most consistent players makes a mistake such as this? It will be a difficult one for Bielsa, but at least he has the international break to think long and hard about it. However, it is very hard to see Cooper getting dropped, but that does not mean that his second half display did not get alarm bells ringing.
It is a shame to see him make such a momentous error, so here is hoping that he does not do it again, otherwise he may be facing a spell out of the team.