Both Christiansen and Guardiola learned their trade from Johan Cryuff at Barcelona – but the Leeds United manager has much to learn.
There was a brief time when Thomas Christiansen and Pep Guardiola were team-mates at Barcelona. The current Leeds United manager was in the same B team as the legendary Manchester City tactician in the early 90s though both went on to enjoy differing degrees of success both on and off the pitch.
Two-time Spain international Christiansen did not make a single senior appearance in Barca’s first-team while Guardiola left his indelible stamp on 366 games between 1990 and 2001, winning six La Liga crowns and providing the prototype for Xavi, Andres Iniesta and co.
Though, with both Christiansen and Guardiola getting their football education at the renowned La Masia academy, it is perhaps little surprise that both remain firm disciples of the Cruyffian principles.
There’s obviously quite the gulf in class between Leeds and Manchester City but the passing philosophy and commitment to exhilarating attacking football is shared by both sides.
As is the requirement for a goalkeeper to be more than a simple shot-stopper. However, while Guardiola and Christiansen appear to be building something great at their respective clubs, it appears that the Leeds manager has made the same mistake as his Catalan counterpart.
Crash course
After all, perhaps the biggest criticism of Guardiola during a somewhat underwhelming debut season in English football was his decision to dispense with Joe Hart and bring in Claudio Bravo from Barcelona. While blessed with a passing ability many a regista can only dream of, Bravo found saving shots, a goalkeeper’s bread and butter, a little more difficult to swallow.
It appears that Felix Wiedwald, the Werder Bremen goalkeeper arriving at Elland Road to replace the veteran Rob Green this summer, is suffering from similar problems.
The 27-year-old German can boast far better distribution than Green but his ability to keep the ball out of the net, not to mention command his area in a typically direct and ruthless league, leaves a lot to be desired.
Wiedwald conceded 13 goals in his last three games for Bremen and was described by former Leeds striker Noel Whelan as a ‘coward’ after being bullied by Sheffield Wednesday in Sunday’s 3-0 trouncing, per BBC Radio Leeds.
Christiansen and Guardiola share plenty of qualities but it appears both have forced to endure a crash-course in English football’s approach to goalkeeping.
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