A troubling sense of déjà vu is beginning to settle at Elland Road, as Leeds United appear at risk of another dramatic promotion collapse.
Last season, Daniel Farke’s side spent much of the campaign in and around the automatic promotion places, only to suffer heartbreak in the Championship playoffs come May.
Saturday’s last-gasp equalizer conceded to Swansea City leaves Leeds in second place on goal difference, with goalkeeper Illan Meslier once again proving a liability between the posts.
Meslier’s costly mistake against Swansea
Despite recording an impressive 21 clean sheets this season, the French shot-stopper has a tendency to make costly errors, with three directly leading to goals and one resulting in an own goal.
Against Alan Sheehan’s visitors, Meslier’s latest blunder added to his growing list of mistakes, as he fumbled a corner clearance straight into the path of Harry Darling, who capitalized to score.
Before this moment of chaos, Meslier had been a hero, having made a crucial penalty save that boosted both his and Leeds’ confidence. However, another costly lapse allowed Swansea to leave with a point.
Of course, Meslier wasn’t the only underperformer on the day, as one Leeds defender also endured a torrid outing against his former club.
The Leeds defender who struggled alongside Meslier
Several of Farke’s key players looked below their best against the Swans, including Ethan Ampadu, who appeared sluggish in midfield and was substituted before the hour mark.
Meanwhile, Joe Rodon—playing against his boyhood club—had an afternoon to forget. The Swansea-born centre-back conceded a first-half penalty after a reckless challenge on ex-Leeds target Lewis O’Brien.
Beyond that, Rodon was unusually erratic in possession, misplacing 14 of his 76 passes and losing the ball 15 times. Defensively, his contribution was minimal, failing to register a single blocked shot or interception, though he did manage to win six duels.
Despite this off-day, Rodon’s place in the starting lineup is unlikely to be at risk, given he has started every league game for Leeds this season. However, the Welshman will need to tighten up his performances to ensure his side remains on course for automatic promotion.
After the 2-2 draw, Farke insisted Leeds are still fully capable of securing a Premier League return, a statement Whites fans will be hoping rings true
