Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa says that goalkeeper Kiko Casilla missed his side’s 4-3 win over Fulham on Saturday through injury.
The Spaniard’s return to the starting XI and selection as captain for the midweek cup clash with Hull City created plenty of debate among Leeds fans, and that may well have been heightened by his absence from the matchday squad completely.
Illan Meslier returned between the post for the first home league game of the season, while Elia Caprile was named amongst the substitutes, although it seems the Italian’s presence on the bench was simply down to Casilla’s fitness.
Speaking after the game about why Casilla was not named in the matchday squad against the Cottagers, Bielsa was quoted by Leeds Live as saying: “Yes. He got injured on Wednesday. He played a pass to Alioski, he played it back to him and when he went to clear the ball the opposition came from behind. Went to kick the ball.”
With Meslier having seemingly taken over from Casilla as Leeds’ number one between the posts for league games at least recently, it is unlikely that having the Spaniard available for the game would have made much of an impact on the result or performance anyway.
Indeed, with Casilla blundering again for Hull’s opener in the 1-1 draw on Wednesday, not to mention the reaction that him being handed the captain’s armband provoked, you feel that there won’t have been too many Leeds fans concerned about not seeing him on the teamsheet on Saturday.
Even so, that does seem to highlight the fact that without him, Leeds are largely relying on youth in goal this season with the 20-year-old Meslier and 19-year-old Caprile.
You wonder if that is something they might look to address in what remains of the transfer window, although you feel that would all depend on what happens with Casilla given the apparent size of his contract with the club.