Perhaps I got a little carried away with that title. Arsene Wenger, please don’t forget about Robin Van Persie. Give him the big new contract he deserves and convince him to sign it. Having said that, I hope that certain other areas of the squad don’t get neglected thanks to a focus on a certain talismanic Dutchman.
With that in mind, what are we to make of Arsenal’s current goalkeeping situation. After being replaced between the sticks by Wojciech Szczesny for both Arsenal and Poland, Lukasz Fabianski has admitted that he’d like to leave this summer. A lack of opportunities at the Emirates has also seen Vito Mannone look for a move.
Then there’s the man-shaped accident waiting to happen, Manuel Almunia, whose Arsenal career has (let’s face it) been over for a long time. A slew of high-profile errors have put a stop on his progress and if he’s going to play again it’s probably going to have to be with a new club. [edit: since writing this Arsenal have released Almunia]
So it’s a good job that the Gunner’s managed to unearth a genuine goalkeeping talent over the course of the last couple of seasons. Wojiech Szczesny is a real talent. He’s confident, can organise and he’s a great shot-saver. The only problem is that he’s still young and remains a little error prone. Mistakes against the likes of Tottenham (he should have stopped Kyle Walker’s fizzing effort) and Norwich have proven costly.
So we’re left with a good chance that Arsenal will be down 3 goalkeepers this summer and left with an inconsistent number one. It’s clear that the Gunner’s need a couple of reinforcements in this area.
So how about ex-Sunderland keeper and current free agent Craig Gordon? At 31-years-old he’s got bags of experience and was once one of the best thought of goalkeepers in the UK. Back in 2010 he was nominated for STV’s Scotland’s Greatest Ever Football Team. Not too shabby! My only worry is that he’s a little injury prone.
Then there’s Birmingham City’s Jack Butland who the Daily Mail says Arsenal are monitoring. At just 19-years-old he has represented England at all levels up to the under 21 team and has even been named as one of the five standby players for the Euro 2012 team. He’s got great reflexes and commands his area extremely well.
What’s more unlike Gordon, his age may make him more willing to play second fiddle to Szczesny. For me, he’d be the sensible choice and would help provide the Gunner’s with some real class.
What’s your take? Which goalkeepers should Arsenal be looking at this summer?
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good choices man
Wojciech Szczesny hasn`t still come to his peak performance, writing him off, could prove costly..
I believe he needs some more time.
He is on his way to become a world class GK.
Never again !!
Everyone was screaming for AW to sign Reina last season and Ferguson paid tens of millions for a professional butter fingers. All GK’s make mistakes; all players make mistakes. Szcz is younger than most and may make a few more mistakes than others but he’s one of the best young keepers in the world….and just think how many points he saved us with some of his more brilliant work.
I like Szcz, but he didn’t have the best of seasons. He may have cost us more points than gained, but his brilliant, crucial penalty save against Udinese in the Champions League qualifier and great character gets him off the hook from the majority of Arsenal fans. Arsenal definitely need an experienced #2 at the club.
you forgot 2 sure goals save @ liverpool. Most times a keeper is only as good as his defence line …….and ours have not been up to it these days
From an England point of view, having Butland sitting behind Szczesny would be a waste of a potential future talent. We should be looking to older, more experienced keepers who have not played at any top club before so would be happy to backup Szczesny at Arsenal while helping him develop. German keepers are usually pretty reliable… Or what about Artur Boruc from Fiorentina? Experienced, reliable, and one of Wojciech’s role models. Could do a deal with them, handing over Fabianski, Chamakh and some cash in return for Boruc and Ljalic/Jovetic.
We need an experience GK who can compete with Chesney for the No1 spot. Butland is too young. Gordon is a good call, or maybe Jaskeleinen?
Chesney has made some good stops but being a good GK is more than that. there have been time when his indecisiveness has unnerved the defence.
We really someone who has experiance. Let Arsene go for Samir Handernovic the Udinese man and maybe with the young Butland
Sums up every Wenger invincible era fan
You guys really have problem with age just like Mr. Scrooge
Wont win nothing with youngster to hell with Wanker and his ego
The facts don’t lie. Chesney has had an awful season 49 goals conceded & save % of 63%, joke only 2 goalies worse in prem’. We need to move on and he needs to spend less time with media comments.
is there any point to this article?
Almunia is released. Fab may or may not go. we know these two.
We also have Damian Martinez as the third choice GK. IF Fab goes, which I would doubt, we need a older head to mentor him not a 18 yr old who is going to be Szczsney’s understudy.
And anyway what has this to do with RvP? just a stupid article title to fool users to click.
While Butland will be a great keeper, it may be the wrong move. Szszney has been inconsistent because of his age but this should be the same for Butland as he is younger.
Gordon is the right age and has the right experience to put proper pressure on Szs.
We also have Martinez who is a really good keeper, who I think will be even better than Szs.
We are talking about quality players and not the ones that will come and end as flops