A lot of Leeds United fans have responded to Adam Pope’s tweet about Pontus Jansson.
The BBC reporter put out a tweet talking about the Swede’s fitness with Jansson a doubt to play on Tuesday’s match with Leeds.
Who would you rather partner Ben White?
Jansson
Cooper
This led to a discussion about Jansson and if the Whites were correct to get rid of him.
Pope’s view was that Jansson was ‘very talented‘, but he was not ‘reliable in the big moments‘, and as a result of that, he would rather have Liam Cooper and Ben White at the back for Leeds.
However, some Leeds fans totally disagreed with Pope and thought that it was a mistake to let Jansson go.
That’s a difficult one. Jansson has apparently shown good organisational skills at Brentford & not been as hot-headed. However, Cooper-White were part of the best defence anywhere prior to Xmas so I’ll go with Cooper-White.
— Adam Pope (@apopey) February 10, 2020
Couldn’t disagree with you more. PJ before Cooper every time. Better defender, greater presence and would have buried the header that Cooper missed v Forest
— James Gibson (@Jimmypeak62) February 10, 2020
Id have Pontus in there all day. The season we had him and Bartley as a CB pair we where rock solid at set pieces at both ends of the pitch. Him and White would have been excellent. Coopers not bad but not as much of a physical presence.
— Paul Brobbel Kennedy (@PBKennedy) February 10, 2020
Pontus is far better than cooper!
— Rob (@mightywhitesfc) February 10, 2020
You can’t judge who is best over 20 games.The evidence now is that we are massively missing Jansson- our biggest weakness has been made massively worse by him leaving. White should have been an addition not an instead. How many other teams have 3 CB one of whom is basically a FB?
— Mark (@eddiesLeftFoot) February 10, 2020
He did Popey however nobody can deny that we miss him for set pieces. He used to ensure he was first to every corner and free kick. What have we got now ? A dithering keeper and a defence who look like conceding from every corner – and that’s been right from day 1 of the season.
— Richard Walker (@richleedsuk) February 11, 2020
Other Whites supporters, though, thought that Pope was correct in his view on Jansson.
Spot on . He was a disaster in the Easter games and petulant v Villa . Needed him when it mattered and he fell well short
— Paps (@coophos) February 11, 2020
Jansson went awol far to often for me
— Kershaw (@DavidKershaw7) February 11, 2020
What do we think?
The 28-year-old, who is valued at £5.4m by Transfermarkt, made 120 appearances for Leeds, scoring nine goals in that time.
However, last season he showed signs of selfishness, and against Aston Villa when instructed to let their opponents score after Leeds scored a controversial goal, Jansson ignored Marcelo Bielsa and tried to stop Albert Adomah.
Leeds’ defence has conceded 16 league goals since their collapse against Cardiff City, but before that, they had the best defence in the Championship.
The Swede was a good player for the Whites, but he has gone now, and therefore, these Leeds fans should move on.