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da betobet： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking to Football Insider, Noel Whelan has sung the praises of Leeds’ Liam Cooper after a difficult night for Scotland against Belgium earlier this week.
What’s he said?
Liam Cooper was named in the PFA Team of the Year last term and thus was rewarded with his first call-up for Scotland during the recent international break.
He earned his debut against Russia last week, suggesting that players at international level punish your mistakes more after the game.
However, his second cap was a harsher lesson as the number one ranked side in the world saw off Scotland 4-0.
After shipping four in that game, Whelan has defended Cooper. He sang his praises, telling Football Insider:
“Bielsa has educated him how to be a top centre-back in terms of his positioning, decision-making and how to prepare properly.
“You can see the difference over the last year. Liam Cooper used to have a good game and then following it with a bad one. Now, he is consistent and one of the best players in his position in the Championship.
“He can still get better, of course. They all can. And I expect that to happen while Bielsa remains the manager.”
Consistent Cooper
Cooper seems to have gone from strength to strength since Marcelo Bielsa walked through the door and his improvement under the Argentine was fully warranting of a call-up for Scotland.
Against Belgium the 28-year-old struggled to find his feet, failing to make a tackle and producing just one interception per SofaScore.
But his displays for Leeds have been far better over the last two years and the praise Whelan has thrown his way is well and truly deserved.
In the two seasons before Bielsa arrived the defender secured an average match rating of below 7 but that has since risen to 7.29 last term and then 7.16 this campaign via WhoScored.
It shows the improvement is there and that’s emphasised in the numbers he’s producing, as well as the new contract he was given this week.
In 2017/18 he managed just 1.4 tackles and interceptions per game. In 2018/19, however, he won 1.8 tackles and 2.5 interceptions.
It provides evidence that there is indeed more consistency to his play and with the player in his prime, there is certainly a reason to suggest he can become better.
After all, the challenges international football will throw at Cooper should prepare him sufficiently for sterner tests.
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