Lions' Den holds no fear for Leeds United's safe hands Wiedwald

IF Felix Wiedwald is this weekend to keep alive his hopes of breaking a near 90-year-old club record for clean sheets, the Leeds United goalkeeper is going to have to help tame the Lions in their own Den.
Shut out king: Felix Wiedwald, a summer signing from Werder Bremen, has not been beaten in the Leeds goal in league football for more than 10 hours. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Shut out king: Felix Wiedwald, a summer signing from Werder Bremen, has not been beaten in the Leeds goal in league football for more than 10 hours. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Shut out king: Felix Wiedwald, a summer signing from Werder Bremen, has not been beaten in the Leeds goal in league football for more than 10 hours. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

Saturday sees the Championship leaders head to south London and arguably the most intimidating arena in English football.

Not that the 27-year-old German is fazed by the prospect of taking on Millwall. Far from it, in fact, as the United goalkeeper made clear in the wake of racking up a sixth straight clean sheet as Birmingham City were beaten 2-0 at Elland Road on Tuesday night.

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“I have played in big stadiums like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund,” said the summer capture from Werder Bremen.

Felix Wiedwald.Felix Wiedwald.
Felix Wiedwald.

“So, this will not be new for me to play in front of a big atmosphere. I am looking forward to being there and we want the three points.”

Wiedwald’s calm persona ahead of a trip to a venue where the hostile locals always turn out in force for the visit of United is perhaps understandable.

His introduction to English football has gone like a dream, as the sight of United sitting atop the second tier for the first time in 27 years vividly illustrates.

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It is more than ten hours since Wiedwald conceded a goal, a run that stretches all the way back to the opening-weekend win at Bolton Wanderers.

Felix Wiedwald.Felix Wiedwald.
Felix Wiedwald.

Three more shut-outs, starting with Millwall this weekend, and the former Germany Under-20s international will have eclipsed the previous longest run by a United goalkeeper that was set by Jimmy Potts during the 1927-28 season.

His eight consecutive clean sheets stretched from March 10 to April 14 and helped Dick Ray’s side clinch promotion to the top flight.

“We will see if we can beat the record,” said Wiedwald, when asked about a run of clean sheets in the late Twenties that actually stretched to nine, the first one having been kept by Potts’ understudy Bill Johnson in a goalless draw with Grimsby Town.

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“Every clean sheet is the best feeling. I have had six in a row, that is more than I managed last year or in the Bundesliga. We have six in a row so maybe it (the record) can happen.”

Far more important than any individual records, of course, is the need for the team to build on what has been a hugely impressive start under Thomas Christiansen.

Seventeen points from seven games means an early marker has been laid down at Elland Road.

The goals have been flowing at a rate of two per game, meaning the Yorkshire outfit lead the way in the Championship scoring charts as well as boasting the joint-best defensive record.

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It is a good mix and one that Wiedwald believes can continue. “We defend very well and stop the opposition having too many opportunities,” added the goalkeeper. “As a team, we do the job well and make it difficult for teams to beat us. For me, that means I have to be alert and ready.

“The conditions were difficult against Birmingham. The pitch was wet and I had to concentrate a lot.

“But we did well by defending as a team. Look at before half-time (when Luke Ayling cleared off the line to prevent what had seemed like being a certain equaliser from Maxime Colin), he saved me.

“It is not only my job to save the goals, it is the whole team. That is the same when we attack. My job is to help us start quickly.

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“Everyone wants to play from the back, it is how football has changed. My job is to help us do that.

“We are a very fast team, we get the ball forward quickly at speed.

“In our seven (league) games, we have done a good job and that is why we are top of the league.”

Being top of a division has been far from a common occurrence in recent years for the Elland Road club.

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The last time before Tuesday came in League One during the 2009-10 season that ended with United limping over the line to finish as runners-up to Norwich City.

Before that, there was the opening fortnight of 2002 that saw David O’Leary’s side occupy pole position in the Premier League, while in the second tier the club has to go back 27 years to the campaign under Howard Wilkinson that ended with Gordon Strachan lifting the title.

It is still early days, of course, with common consensus suggesting a league table isn’t really worth looking at until at least ten games have been played.

Nevertheless, the chants of ‘we are top of the league’ that reverberated around Elland Road at the final whistle on Tuesday were confirmation of the excitement generated among supporters by Christiansen’s men reaching the summit.

“It is good to be top but this is not the end,” added Wiedwald. “We have to work harder and want to stay there. To do that, we must keep working as team. That is very important.”