Karl Darlow was heavily criticised for Leeds United crashing out of the EFL Cup against Middlesbrough in August. He looked shaky and nervous in goal and Boro scored three past him to progress in the competition. He didn’t start another game for Leeds until Saturday evening when he played between the sticks in the 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round win over Harrogate Town. Illan Meslier was taken out of the firing line after a terrible performance at Hull City and Darlow looked secure and composed in goal for Leeds albeit against League Two opponents.
The Welshman has played just twice this season for Leeds despite Meslier’s inconsistent performances as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper over the past few months.
Daniel Farke has been unwilling to take his support away from the Frenchman. However, the performance against Hull could have been the last straw as there are claims that the Leeds boss is seriously considering shaking things up between the sticks.
Darlow, who has played more international football this season than club games, has been Meslier’s understudy since last season despite being a far more experienced goalkeeper.
A poor performance in the EFL Cup didn’t help his cause but Meslier’s form coupled with his solid performance in the FA Cup, he could be in the right place at the right time for Leeds at this stage of the season.
Farke will have some things to consider when he makes his decision on who will start against Sheffield Wednesday and Darlow has done nothing wrong to harm his chances.
Karl Darlow produced a safe and secure performance against more physical opponents
The main criticism against Karl Darlow in the EFL Cup game earlier in the season was that he looked like a nervous wreck and Middlesbrough won 3-0 at Elland Road.
The Welshman looked completely different on Saturday. He was composed, safe, secure and had clear lines of communication with the rest of the Leeds defence.
Darlow made a couple of smart saves and more importantly, he dominated his penalty box and caught well from a few corners, which could have been an issue against a more physical team like Harrogate Town.
The goalkeeper was everything that Meslier wasn’t in the 3-3 draw against Hull and that could come in handy for the number 2 goalkeeper when the Leeds boss will be making his decision.
Darlow showed his experience against an opponent who could have been tricky given Leeds were not at their best and still only won 1-0 at home.
The goalkeeper put in a solid performance and made a case to start the next game against Sheffield Wednesday in the league given Meslier’s recent struggles.
The Frenchman’s absence was not questioned on Saturday as Darlow was always expected to start the cup game but it is still unclear whether Farke has decided to put Meslier on the bench for the league games as well.
Will Daniel Farke bite the bullet and drop Meslier in the middle of the season?
The Leeds manager is known for avoiding making drastic decisions to maintain the squad’s spirit and harmony and favours consistency in selection, especially in defence.
Changing goalkeepers in the middle of the season would be a massive decision but Meslier’s performances have put the lens on Farke and what he does.
The Frenchman has been the Leeds number one since breaking into the team in 2020 and has been more or less unchallenged at Elland Road for close to five years.
However, the regular mistakes coupled with Darlow’s solid performance against Harrogate Town are now pushing Farke towards dropping Meslier.
The Welshman is an experienced goalkeeper at this level and has looked more assured than Meslier in the limited number of games he has played this season.
Farke is aware that dropping Meslier now could further dent his confidence but his form could also go further south under the more intense scrutiny if he keeps his place in the team.
Even if for a short period of time, this could be a good opportunity for the Leeds boss to at least shift the spotlight from Meslier for a few games and Darlow is more than a handy replacement.
