Newcastle United had to drop Matz Sels last season after one mistake too many – and Leeds United are facing a similar dilemma with Felix Wiedwald.
Newcastle United acted swiftly and decisively last season when it became apparent that Matz Sels simply wasn’t cut out for English football. After one mistake too many from the most expensive goalkeeper in The Magpies history, who cost £5 million from Belgian side Gent, per the BBC, Rafael Benitez dropped Sels in late September and didn’t pick him again for the rest of the Championship season.
Karl Darlow, a goalkeeper with plenty of experience in English football, took Sels’ place and thrived.
Therefore, perhaps Leeds United should take a leaf out of Newcastle’s book with Felix Wiedwald doing little to convince once again in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
The German ‘keeper arrived from Werder Bremen amid much scrutiny in the summer, conceding 13 games in his last three Bundesliga games, but enjoyed a far more comfortable start to life in England thanks to Leeds’ in-form defence.
Wiedwald kept six consecutive clean sheets in the early weeks of the season but there remained a concern that he had not been truly tested. Yet, with Leeds’ defence looking increasingly vulnerable, the 27-year-old has now left in eight goals in the space of just eight days.
And his performance in the battering at Hillsborough has done little to dispel the notion that Wiedwald lacks the decidedness and physicality to command his area in the rough and tumble of the Championship – just like Sels.
With the experienced Andy Lonergan waiting in reserve, perhaps he can be Leeds’ answer to Karl Darlow.
Because Wiedwald certainly looks like the Elland Road equivalent of Sels right now.
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