Three goals scored against Millwall and Watford in recent weeks were just two of the many indications that the Whites were beginning to settle down and come together under Daniel Farke’s leadership.
However, they faced a Southampton team that was determined to win after four straight losses. As a result, Leeds’ match got off to the worst possible start when Adam Armstrong skillfully dinked a Kyle Walker-Peters through ball over Illan Meslier after just two minutes.
After the halfway point, Will Smallbone headed in a Kamaldeen Sulemana cross, and four minutes later, Armstrong twisted Sam Byram and converted another chance to make it 3-0 for the hosts.
There were issues outside of the goals that infuriated supporters and analysts, but Pascal Struijk’s goal in the second half was all the Yorkshire team could manage on what was a terribly long trip down south.
Before the half-hour mark in the first half, Walker-Peters was given the opportunity to sprint up the field because United winger Crysencio Summerville failed to follow him, giving him plenty of room.
And it sparked a response from Leeds-born Sky Sports analyst Don Goodman, who saw Summerville may not have been giving it his all when co-commentating the game.
What has Crysencio Summerville been said about by Don Goodman?
Moments after the flashpoint happened in the first half, Goodman said, via MOT Leeds News: “If anything had come from that, Crysencio Summerville would have been feeling the wrath of Daniel Farke I’m sure.
“He let Kyle Walker-Peters go way too easily, way too easily.
“Has to be more urgency than this, look where Kyle Walker-Peters picks this up, and look how easily Summerville just lets him go. ‘I’m not going to chase you, yeah I think I’ll start jogging now’.
“If anything comes from that in my day you’re getting pinned up against the dressing room wall.
“I know we don’t do that anymore but, needs to do better. Needs to have more desire, needs to have more hunger.”
Should Crysencio Summerville be dropped following performance v Southampton?
Truth be told, no-one from Leeds United’s starting 11 had a good game against the Saints, which was a surprise considering how settled they were looking under Farke and how little confidence their opponents had going into the contest.
A lot of Leeds’ first 11 from the match would look comfortable in Premier League teams, so there’s no real explanation as to why it just didn’t click against Russell Martin’s side.
Summerville was one of the poorer players on the day, and his place in Farke’s starting line-up could be in jeopardy ahead of the visit of Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday night.
Jaidon Anthony could be a like-for-like replacement on the left for the Dutchman, or Georginio Rutter could come out to the left to allow Patrick Bamford to start as the lone striker if Farke wanted to go all out attack.
There is definitely options at the German’s disposal, and Summerville could feel the wrath for a lacklustre showing on the south coast.
