Leeds journalist Conor McGilligan outlines why Leeds new signing Rasmus Kristensen has ‘struggled’ with fast Premier League football.
The 25-year-old joined Yorkshire club from Red Bull Salzburg in £10m deal and immediately was given starting berth in Jesse Marsch’s line-up after Luke Ayling’s injury.
While speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he said: “I think it was a smart decision from the club to leave him out of the firing line.
“Listen, that’s just my thoughts on it. I could be completely wrong. He could have picked up an injury. But he needed to be taken out of the firing line.
“I think he’s struggled to adapt to the Premier League, which is always going to be a natural thing from the Austrian Bundesliga – of course, it is. I mean in terms of calibre, you’re looking at maybe seven or eight leagues above that.
“So it’s not going to be you know, like Salzburg dominating football games when you come to the English Premier League. It’s not going to be you flying forward and getting assists and maybe chipping in with goals every now and again in the Premier League. It’s a completely different kettle of fish.
“Now the problem for me with Rasmus at the minute when he is playing is he’s being ultra-safe. And in a system when you are the man to provide the width in a narrow system, you cannot be ultra-safe. You have to get forward, you have to run the risk of losing the ball.”