Leeds fans erupt at ‘tragic’ summer signing after what he did in win vs Derby: ‘He’s a horrible footballer’
Leeds United survived a scare in the FA Cup as they came from behind to win 3-1 away at Derby County on Sunday.
Joel Piroe’s future at Leeds has been under scrutiny in recent weeks, and he saw a 33rd-minute penalty saved by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, before Ben Brereton Diaz netted the opener just three minutes later.
The Whites trailed their Championship hosts at the half-time interval, but they made their quality tell after the break, as goals from Wilfried Gnonto and Ao Tanaka turned the tie on its head, before James Justin hit a late third.
Daniel Farke’s side will have aspirations of going far in this year’s competition, but fans have been quick to direct blame towards one of their summer signings for their first-half struggles.
Leeds fans tear into Sebastiaan Bornauw for error vs Derby
Sebastiaan Bornauw has had to bide his time at Leeds since his arrival in the summer, but he has fought his way into the fold in recent weeks.
The Belgian has started in two of the last three Premier League games for the West Yorkshire outfit, and Farke opted to hand him a starting spot once again for the clash with Derby.
However, Bornauw responded to the faith shown by his manager with a concerning display, and he played a key role in the hosts’ goal, which briefly put the visitors in trouble.
The centre-back was beaten by Corey Blackett-Taylor in the build-up to the goal, and then switched off as Brereton Diaz pounced on the loose ball and fired home.
Bornauw was then brought off by Farke at half-time after picking up a groin injury, but fans showed no mercy when describing his display on X.
One Leeds supporter labelled the 26-year-old as a “horrible footballer to watch,” while another suggested that it was an “especially tragic” performance from him in the first half.
Another fan suggested that Bornauw had a nightmare during the game at Pride Park, while another insisted that he’s “absolutely convinced” that he isn’t a footballer.
- @Jason_westerman: “Bornauw is a bit rubbish.”
- @KGlufc: “He’s made of biscuits Bornauw. Definitely need another back-up centre-back.”
- @poz89: “Proper crock Bornauw.”
Bornauw’s stats vs Derby suggest fans’ reaction is harsh
Jaka Bijol has emerged as a key player for Leeds, and both the fans and Farke would have been hoping to see Bornauw progress on a similar trajectory.
However, while that hasn’t been the case for the summer signing so far this term, it could certainly be argued that the angry reaction that his performance drew on social media was somewhat unjustified.
| Stats | Bornauw Total |
| Minutes | 45 |
| Touches | 25 |
| Accurate Passes | 9/13 (69%) |
| Defensive Contributions | 5 |
| Duels Won | 6/8 (75%) |
Bornauw notched five defensive contributions during his 45 minutes on the pitch, and also recorded a 75 per cent success rate across his eight duels.
He was dominant in the air and barring his slight error for the goal, read the game well and played in a composed fashion.
Bornauw is still adapting to life in English football, and he must be afforded time before he is completely judged as a player.