Watching Leeds United Star’s National Team Display Dubbed ‘Downright Painful’ | OneFootball

Swedish journalist Olof Lundh has stressed that watching Leeds United new boy, Gabriel Gudmundsson, playing against Kosovo was ‘painful’ and posed the question of whether he is even capable of playing in Jon Dahl Tomasson’s system.

The Whites spent €12m to sign the Sweden left-back from Ligue 1 side Lille, following Junior Firpo’s departure in July, and will hope he provides the answer in his position over the course of the season.

The 26-year-old has helped Daniel Farke’s side keep two clean sheets in their opening three Premier League games, but the picture is different for his national team.

On Friday, Sweden drew 2-2 against Slovenia and on Monday night, they lost 2-0 against Kosovo, and in both games, Gudmundsson played as the left-sided centre-back in a three-man defence.

Swedish journalist Lundh called it ‘painful’ to watch the performances of Gudmundsson and Burnley’s Hjalmar Ekdal in defence.

The 58-year-old pointed out that the backline was exposed every time and he posed the question if players like Gudmundsson even understand Tomasson’s playing style.

“It was downright painful to watch Gabriel Gudmundsson, Isak Hien, and Hjalmar Ekdal struggle to deal with the situations they were faced with”, Lundh wrote on his Fotbollskanalen blog describing Sweden’s awful defensive performance against Kosovo.

“Not just once, but almost every time.

“The question must be asked whether they are capable of playing the kind of football that Jon Dahl Tomasson demands.

“They are leaking goals alarmingly and have done so in many matches.”

Gudmundsson has been playing as a centre-back for his country, despite being an attacking left-back, who can also play as a winger.

Leeds face Fulham at Craven Cottage this Saturday and Farke will hope to get the best out of the 26-year-old as his primary left-back.