Frailty at the back has been a real issue for Arsenal this season. Whilst the Gunners have hardly been blazing a trail upfront (or in the midfield, for that matter) their soft centre at the heart of the defence has been a real issue.
One of the main issues has to be inconsistency in the goalkeeping position. For too many games this season, Arsene Wenger has been forced to rely on Vito Mannone – a solid, but unspectacular keeper who struggles to exert himself on the pitch.
Like most of Arsenal’s keepers, he’s a fine shot-stopper, but rather limited beyond that. He has no control of his area, looks indecisive when coming to claim corners and is somewhat error-prone.
Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny is a big step-up, but doubts still remain as to whether this out-spoken star has what it takes to hold down the number one slot at Arsenal at his tender age.
I can’t help but feel that Arsenal should turn to experience at this stage. Szczesny will be with the Gunners for the next 10-15 years. At this stage in his career, he deserves to be learning from a pro and not struggling to find his feet in the pressure cooker that is the Arsenal defence. Any more errors and his confidence may be completely broken.
It’s somewhat handy then, that Arsenal have been linked so strongly to Liverpool’s ace keeper Pepe Reina. Arsene Wenger has gone after the Spanish keeper in the past (back in 2010) when the Reds turned down a £20m bid. Reina was understandably upset that the move fell through. In his autobiography, he noted: “Arsenal offered £20m, a phenomenal amount for a goalkeeper. Part of me felt that I was well within my rights to consider my future.”
Now, according to The Sun, Arsenal are coming back with a £10m bid for Reina and are more likely than ever to acquire his services. At 30-years-old, Reina’s certainly experienced – Indeed, I’d posit that he’s exactly what Arsenal need at this moment in time. The Gunners need to build from the back and solidifying the goalkeeping position in a way that doesn’t permanently exclude Szczesny, will be key to that.
Though circumstances may have changed, you get the feeling that Reina would still be game for a move. After Arsenal’s latest commercial deal, we know that the Gunners have money. It’s the perfect storm – Arsenal have to snap him up.
What’s your take? Should Arsenal complete a move for Liverpool’s Pepe Reina?
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How is Reina available on cut-price? In my opinion, it will take more than 25m to even make Liverpool consider. 10m is just a speculative bid, far from the actual valuation.
No way.
He is more error prone than Szczesny and is not as good at shot stopping.
I would rather have someone like Craig Gordon as a number 2, who is less error prone but still a great keeper. And, he’s free! (Wenger must love that)
Why not? Liverpool are better off moving for a new ‘keeper that had the ability and confidence to be a real stopper. Reina is no longer the great stopper that he once was. He has being declining now for a few seasons now coinciding with 2010 when Arsenal came for him. He clearly wanted to leave and I for one wish he had left then. I no longer have any confidence in him. Nor does Spain.
Harry Cloke you are a joke,
You fail to do your research. You copy and paste and in your haste fail to check the facts. Rodgers has already stated Reina is going nowhere. He is not in the market for a keeper and is only interested in bringing in players for other positions.
I also fail to see why Reina should be cut price. Your a bleeding idiot.
Think you are getting over excited about epe moving to Arsenal. He was in Liverpool city center yesterday and told me and me mates he was going nowhere and that Liverpoo, was is future and that all the speculation was just that. He saidliverpool are about to turn the corner and good days ahead. New players coming in that the fans will be excited about. Cant wait till Jan window.
Just amd e all that up. Which exactly what you do.
LMAO
Get Butland instead. A long and hopefully honours filled future. As for Pepe; will he find his quality again as he’s certainly without it at the moment? I’d wager not. Butland for Arsenal.