Leeds United suffered an emphatic defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in their final Championship game before the international break.
Noel Whelan has told BBC Radio Leeds that Felix Wiedwald has been woeful at times since he joined Leeds in the summer, and suggested that German seems to be a coward.
The Whites go into the international break with much of their early season momentum quashed after they suffered an emphatic 3-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough where Leeds looked second best from fairly early on in the contest.
The first two goals saw Wiedwald look unconvincing in his attempts to keep Gary Hooper at bay. And while the 27-year-old did make a couple of impressive reaction saves in the second-half – including one from 12 yards after Hooper created an opening for himself in brilliant fashion – his overall display did nothing to win his critics round.
And Whelan was also highly critical of the summer signing, both due to his display against Wednesday and his general form since he arrived at Elland Road.
“I’ve never been overly-confident with him since he came to the club. There’s a weakness in that goalkeeper that just doesn’t fill me with confidence, that’s even when the ball’s on the ground and going back to him. His decision making, playing out from the back at times is woeful,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.
“He seems a bit of a coward, and for a goalkeeper, that’s the last thing you want. They’ve got to be brave, they’re usually big men who come out, knees up, come and claim the ball,” he added.
“It’s usually the centre-forwards who are cowering out of some of these challenges because they know they are going to come off second best. For the first goal, he should have been taking everything. There’s no reason it should’ve gone to Hooper.”
The performance appears to have left many supporters urging Thomas Christiansen to make a change between the sticks and bring Andy Lonergan in for the first game back following the international break. But Whelan fears that Wiedwald will keep his place.
“I think he will do,” Whelan also told BBC Radio Leeds when asked whether he expects Wiedwald to keep his place.
The break may do Wiedwald some favours as it will give him a chance to put the display at Hillsborough behind him before the Whites take on Reading later this month. And with the patience amongst the supporters swiftly running out, the stopper will surely need to enjoy a significant upturn in form if he wants to keep his place – if he is given another chance.
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