Gabby Logan’s attempt to share an interesting statistic about Leeds United during Sunday night’s Match of the Day led to an awkward moment in the studio, with Toby Alderweireld left struggling to respond.
The goalless draw between Leeds and Sunderland at the Stadium of Light was understandably the final match of the Premier League weekend to be analysed, given its lack of goals and late kick-off time.
Logan was joined in the studio by former Tottenham defender Alderweireld and ex-Wales centre-back Ashley Williams for the programme.
Despite being an extremely experienced broadcaster, even Logan appeared to struggle to find something compelling to say about the stalemate.
She settled on a quirky statistic regarding Leeds’ record in the 4:30pm Sunday slot. Speaking on the programme, Logan said: “Did you know, in nine attempts, Leeds have never won a 4:30pm Sunday Premier League slot? I just find that one of those quirky… do you like that one?”
Alderweireld, who is relatively new to punditry, did not quite know how to respond. He simply laughed, nodded and said: “Yes.”
Logan quickly moved the discussion on to focus on the actual game, but it was clear that the former Belgian international had little to add about the statistic she had presented.
The moment added to a weekend of discussion about the current state of Match of the Day. Mark Chapman drew questions with a somewhat flat and monotonous appearance on Saturday, while viewers have been asking where big names such as Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright have disappeared to.
The show does not feel the same without Gary Lineker. Despite Saturday night’s strange attitude, Chapman remains a strong host, as do Logan and Kelly Cates, all of whom have worked in broadcasting for many years.
One of the main issues is that Lineker was a huge name, and now other big names appear on what is meant to be England’s biggest football show far less frequently.
The BBC has been cutting jobs and programmes throughout the year, and BBC Sport has not been immune to those reductions. Considering most British adults pay a television licence fee that funds the corporation, many are becoming increasingly disenchanted when they appear to be paying more each year for a worsening service.
All pundits can offer value, but Match of the Day’s following was not built on an ever-changing cast. It is supposed to be the best of the best. It should feature the biggest and best names, and it should have presenters who look as though they actually want to be presenting it.
For Leeds, the draw extended their unbeaten run but left them still searching for a first victory in that particular Sunday time slot. The statistic may be quirky, but it was not enough to spark much conversation in the studio.