Jermaine Beckford, a Leeds United legend, has shared his opinion on the decision to award Bournemouth the free-kick that led to their first goal in the recent game between Leeds United and Bournemouth. The free-kick was given after Anton Stach was adjudged to have pushed Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie in the back, leading to Antoine Semenyo scoring from the set-piece.
In an interview with LUTV, Beckford agreed with former referee Mark Clattenburg’s assessment that the free-kick decision was justified. He acknowledged that the initial foul by Stach was a mistake by Leeds, and praised Christie for exploiting the situation effectively. However, Beckford also raised concerns about Brenden Aaronson’s positioning behind the defensive wall, suggesting that he could have done better to prevent the low strike from going in.
Beckford highlighted the importance of player positioning in defending set-pieces, and pointed out that Aaronson’s positioning may have contributed to the goal being scored. Despite the error, Beckford noted that it was not solely Aaronson’s fault as he was following instructions on where to position himself.
The discussion also touched upon Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who faced criticism for his role in conceding the free-kick goal. Darlow, who had been performing well in recent games, was unable to prevent the shot from going under the defensive wall and into the net. Beckford suggested that Darlow might have questions to answer regarding his positioning and the setup of the wall during the free-kick.
Overall, Beckford’s analysis focused on the defensive lapses that led to Bournemouth’s goal, emphasizing the importance of proper positioning and decision-making in defensive situations, especially during set-pieces.
