Wiedwald appears set to retain his place for Leeds
Wales’ despair can be launchpad for Brooks
MANAGER Chris Wilder believes Sheffield United’s rising star David Brooks will only get better after his first taste of international football, which ended in World Cup misery.
The 20-year-old Blades midfielder – who has won rave reviews for his displays in the Championship this season – was rewarded with a call-up to Chris Coleman’s Wales squad.
Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey was like fantasy football for the Blades rookie, who only made his full United debut in the Championship against Norwich City last month.
He caught the eye of the nation – in front of the TV cameras – in his next game, the Steel City derby, with a superb solo performance. One piece of outrageous trickery, where he nutmegged Wednesday’s Jack Hunt, went viral online.
But Brooks was an unused substitute on Monday night as Wales lost 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland in the qualifiers to end their hopes of going to Russia next summer in the World Cup.
Blades boss Wilder believes the experience of training at international level can only help Brooks’s education as a footballer.
“I was delighted that David Brooks got called into the Wales squad, and Daniel Lafferty (Northern Ireland),” he said.
“These are not only great accolades for the players, but the football club, that we are talking about players now representing their country.
“I haven’t spoke to him (Brooks) yet, he is back in (yesterday) and will take a bit of stick no doubt off Enda Stevens and a few of the other Republic of Ireland boys.
“But it can only be a good thing that he is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale.
“They are experienced players who have been involved in international football.
“It’s a great experience and one I should imagine he will want more of.”
Wilder has no doubt Brooks – who switched to the Blades’ academy from Manchester City’s in 2014 – can cope with the sudden elevation.
As United prepare to welcome Ipswich Town to Bramall Lane tomorrow, Wilder said: “There’s been a lot of talk about David for quite a while now. Now we need to make sure all the talk is about what he does on the pitch, because he is a good player and a decent lad.”
The Blades held a review – with a quarter of the campaign gone – during the international break, assessing how they have adapted to life in the Championship following promotion.
United are flying high in the table – third with 21 points from 11 games – and Wilder is “delighted” with their start.
“We had a review of the season so far, not just on the good things and results, but the other things as well,” said the Blades’ boss. “It’s important when we review, we touch on every aspect. We are obviously delighted with the position we are in, but we totally understand there is three quarters of the season to go.
“We are in a good place and want to keep that going.
“I am delighted at how we have started. I don’t think anybody can not be with the results we have had and the way we have gone about it.”
Not that Wilder is worried anyone at Bramall Lane will become complacent after their eye-catching start.
He told “We have talked about it, but it’s no good patting ourselves on the back; the biggest thing now is the next game coming up.
“The players don’t need to be grounded; they keep themselves grounded.
“I am not trying to be arrogant about that, I don’t think they need that chat from me.”
United’s 4-2 victory in the Steel City derby was swiftly followed by impressive displays in a 2-0 win over big-spending Wolverhampton and a narrow 2-1 loss at Nottingham Forest.
Those two performances after the superb Hillsborough display delighted Wilder.
“We won at Hillsborough, but then the next game they were outstanding,” said Wilder, who welcomes Kieron Freeman back from a rib injury tomorrow, replacing George Baldock (calf ).
“Their attitude was brilliant. I was not surprised by their reaction. If there was a game when you take a step back, after Hillsborough, it was going into that Wolves game, then at Forest.
“I don’t think anybody can aim a criticism at any of the players or staff of taking their foot off the gas in both those games.
“Yes, we didn’t get a result at Forest, but the way we went about the game, pushing for a result, was not a side who takes a backwards step. That’s not something we want to do, right the way throughout the season.”
Striker Ched Evans faces up to six weeks on the sidelines before he returns to training following an ankle operation.
“Trying to keep him on track will be a difficult one, on the injury front, because he is very enthusiastic and is desperate to get back,” said Wilder. THOMAS CHRISTIANSEN has backed under-fire Leeds United goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald following the German’s display in a defeat to Sheffield Wednesday that the club’s head coach has described as the “worst” of his short reign.
The Elland Road club slipped to a humbling 3-0 loss at Hillsborough in their last outing.
It was United’s third defeat in four league outings and the most alarming, with a series of players being well below par.
Wiedwald was arguably the worst of the lot, but Christiansen has leapt to the defence of the £500,000 summer signing from Werder Bremen, hinting in the process that the German will start against Reading tomorrow.
“I have confidence in all my goalkeepers,” said the United head coach, who signed Andy Lonergan shortly before the transfer window closed as a replacement for Huddersfield Town-bound Rob Green.
“They are working well and I am not one to criticise in public. If I have something to say I will say it to the player straight.
“Everyone has to settle in. I have to settle in still. We have only played a few games in this league and he is not the only one, there are many others.
“We work together and when we win, we win all together. We also have to remember that he has got six clean sheets behind him. If he was so bad, he couldn’t have done that before.”
Wiedwald’s run of shut-outs started with a goalless draw at home to Preston North End on his second outing for Leeds and continued until the club’s 1-0 loss at Millwall on September 16.
“We are all professional and he (Wiedwald) is professional,” added Christiansen. “He comes from a competitive league, the Bundesliga, and from a good team like Werder Bremen.
“He has been in this situation before and he will, for sure, come over it. I have faith in all my players.”
Meanwhile, young Leeds goalkeeper Bailey PeacockFarrell has joined York City on loan and may feature against National League North side Leamington tomorrow.
“He has been very highly recommended,” said Minstermen manager Martin Gray. “He is big, 6ft 4ins, and very athletic. He has got a massive future ahead of him, but he needs some real senior football now and, hopefully, we can give him the opportunity.”
Peacock-Farrell, who signed a new three-year contract in the summer, made his Leeds debut as a 19-year-old against QPR in April, 2016.