Arsenal Youngster Compares Freddie Ljungberg To Pep Guardiola

Arsenal U23 coach, Freddie Ljungberg has drawn comparisons to Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola.

A former Gunners player, Ljungberg has won five major trophies with the club over the course of 9 seasons, including the invincible campaign.9 He has taken up the role of the club’s youth coach at the Emirates coming back and is currently leading the U23s after overseeing the U15s in the 2016/17 season.

One of Arsenal’s youth players, Daniel Ballard has noticed the way in which Ljungberg conducts himself as a coach. He has praised the Swede over his tactical understanding of the game and even compared him to the Champions League and Premier League winning boss.

Ballard, 19 said, “He [Ljungberg] looks at the game in such a unique and different way. He often uses Guardiola and the way he plays, and tries to sort of implement that with us.”

“Sometimes it looks risky and it is difficult, but when it pays off the football is really good and we have some really good results under him.”

However, the Arsenal U23s are nowhere close to the top of the Premier League 2 as Manchester City are behind Liverpool in the main Premier League. The Gunners youth side are currently 7 in the standings with 6 wins, 5 draws and 5 defeats this term.

The team struggles to keep up on the defensive end just like the senior side and has let in 33 goals in 16 league games. Ljungberg might have the leverage to experiment with the youth side but he will far more harshly tested if he is to ever manage the Arsenal senior side in the future.