Leeds United defender Gabriel Gudmundsson was part of a Sweden team that suffered a humiliating defeat in World Cup Qualifying.
Gabriel Gudmundsson has enjoyed a strong start to his Leeds career in the Premier League, earning rave reviews for his performances.
Left-back has been a problem position for Leeds for several years, but Gudmundsson has made the position his own, slotting in seamlessly alongside Pascal Struijk and forming a quick understanding with Noah Okafor.
However, Gudmundsson has had less luck with his national team after being criticised by Sweden fans during the last international break.
Now, he was part of a Swedish performance that earned widespread criticism from fans as they turned their ire on the head coach.
Photo by Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty ImagesSweden fans turn on manager after damaging defeat
Gudmundsson played the full 90 minutes as Sweden slumped to an embarrassing 2-0 defeat against Switzerland to leave their World Cup qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
The defeat means Sweden have just one point from their three games played in Group B, and it leaves them below Jaka Bijol’s Slovenia in last place in their group.
Former Blackburn Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson is the current manager of Sweden, and he received the full ire of the crowd during the game, as fans unveiled banners which stated, “Resign JDT” and one expletive-laden message which said, “Danish B——-“, according to Swedish publication Expressen.
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Speaking after the game, Tomasson brushed off the criticism in a short message which said, “I don’t get involved. The supporters have the right to have feelings.”
However, the defeat means that Gudmundsson and his team-mates’ chances of qualifying for the global showpiece look more remote by the day.
Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty ImagesGabriel Gudmundsson escapes criticism with a solid display
Although few of Sweden’s players escaped the game with any credit, Gabriel Gudmundsson received a broadly positive review at full-time.
In a separate player ratings piece in Expressen, Gudmundsson was praised for his commitment to the cause and for his ability to read the game.
The report states: “Read the game well. And often. Gabriel Gudmundsson stepped forward when he had to and did not hide from duels when he needed to. He’s good, really. In case anyone had any doubts.”
This was backed by a 7.0 rating from FotMob, one of only three Sweden players to receive a rating of seven or above.