When Wojciech Szczesny first rose to prominence at the Emirates, he was heralded as Arsenal’s great goal-keeping hope. Two-or-three years on and I think it’s fair to say that his stock has fallen. From being one of the best young keepers in the game, he’s now earned a reputation for being rash, error-prone and mentally-weak.
That’s quite a fall from grace, especially considering that the Pole is just 23-years-old. It’s disappointing that a player who was able to get fans on side so quickly was able to lose them with a pace that matched.
The truth is that the Emirates is a genuine pressure cooker. With every player under intense analysis in every game, every mistake is blown up and it becomes something more. Players are quickly scapegoated and this is likely to have an effect on the player’s mentality.
Szczesny, for instance, made a number of high-profile mistakes last season, picked up his fair share of flack and was then promptly dropped. His confidence was severely knocked and there were questions over his future.
Despite a fine performance against Fenerbahce on Wednesday night, the questions remain. The speculation is only likely to increase, especially with the Gunners getting linked to some high profile goal-keeping targets.
The Mail, for instance, have claimed that Arsenal are weighing up a ‘dramatic’ move for Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas. This would be quite something – if the Gunners pulled off this move, you get the feeling that their goalkeeping woes would be over.
Though Casillas is a Madrid legend, it’s thought that he’s become restless at the Bernabeu after losing his place in the starting line-up whilst Jose Mourinho was in charge.
Unfortunately, The Mail also note that Arsenal aren’t willing to splash the cash on the Spanish captain (how typical!). It’s believed that the Gunners are ready to launch an £8m bid, whilst Real Madrid wont listen to anything below the £15m.
Though Casillas is getting on in years (he’s now 32), £15m is still a good price for a man who is among the top two-or-three goalkeepers in world football.
Given Arsenal’s pressing need, this looks to be a bit of a no brainer. Casillas would be able to take the reins, with Szczesny working hard behind the scenes to win his place back. That sounds like a recipe for success to me.
What’s your take? Should the Gunners go in for Casillas?
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yes this £15m Spanish ace the perfect solution for Arsenal? he is best
We have a poor manager who still shops in tesco.not harrods.
Stop repeating yourself mate, it’s boring
It good will need more
Wenger is a PENIS! Wenger is a huge, hairy and bleeding CUNT!
Fuck you….. you wanker!
I’m sure the elegance with which you air your views, adds to the power of your feelings! I bet a conversation with you Jack is a life enhancing experience.
Wenger is an erect PENIS. Wenger is huge, hairy and bleeding CUNT. But one Gazidis is a shitty stinking ass-hole.
Your the stinky arsehole.
Now fuck off..
Your mother is a huge Hairy bleeding cunt who spit her erect penis cunt of a boy out of her disgusting hairy bloody twat she used to smash some ugly scouser or her brother to make u you ignorant fuck
Jack Wamba you are a little boy up past his bedtime… that said now why don’t you fuck off and play in the traffic !
I still say give Wenger till the end of the transfer window let’s see what happens because we now have a beter chance cause of champions league qualification there’s a betterchance of new signings
Sad to say but if Sir Alias Furgusmoan had been our manager in 2005 he’d have built on the invincibles rather that dismantling them. Good coaches assess their needs in May, enter the market in June and integrate new recruits into the side in July. We make macho noises about signing top players when season tickets are up for renewal, then panic buy in August from what’s left on the shelves at Poundland.
Plus ça change…
I think it’s a shame what has happened to Szczesny, and Arsene Wenger should take some of the blame. Goalkeepers don’t come into their prime until their late 20’s and I think that Szczesny was promoted far too early. He has also suffered because he has played behind a very erratic defence. If Wenger hadn’t bottled the Schwarzer transfer, Szczesny would have had 2 years developing under a senior keeper.
Dats all speculations.i dont see casillas as an arsenal player
‘he’s now earned a reputation for being rash, error-prone and mentally-weak’ im sorry but that is complete assumption, i think most arsenal fans feel that szczesny is a work in progress, he may not be the complete article now, but he certainly has the potential to be an arsenal great in the years to come. The problem i think is that szczesny is not ‘quite’ there yet, hes close, but he still makes the occasional error, which is down to his training and mentality. Most arsenal fans believe we need another keeper to compete with him, he may well come through as an absolute world beater in a few seasons, but lack of competition for the number 1 spot has maintained his sloppyness. If we get in the worlds best goal keeper and szczney loses his spot completely, he will go, and we will miss out on potentialy a very very good goalkeeper, he poseses many of the traits top goalkeepers have, he just needs to reduce his personal error rate and increase his decision making.
WENGER IS SICK MENTALLY,WE NEED A NEW COACH
JUDE are you totally mad !! Arsene Wenger s among the best coaches in the world, make no mistake. Stop talking utter rubbish and get behind the Club as true supporters do.
He was sittin havin a cup of coffee while everyone went on a shoppin spree n by da time he realised it was his turn all the good stuff were gone!
All this talk about a new goal stopper is rubbish, what we need is strong back four to protect the goal stopper, why always look on the negative side for comment? Mind you, those commenting about the weakness of Sczenzzy are the goal keeper’s enemies, the don’t love his sudden progress at a big club like arsenal. We are all human and prone to mistakes, nobody is exempted when this happen, please leave the young pole alone to face his career and not to run him done. ls Cassilas perfect at the age of 23?
Give some respect for wenger
Im a madrid fan came to this article and looking at some bullshit comments. When r u fans going to put some faith in ur manager
Jose mourinho was simply a c***t and we still respect him
how do u call ur self supporters
The professor is delude nd as usual he will buy the kinds of bendtner, Chamakh. I thing he should get UN paid leave.
GOOD DAY,LET US BE SINCERE WITH OURSELVES IKER CASSILAS TO ARSENAL NO WAY.WHAT QUALITY DOES DI MARIA POSSESS? CAN BENZEMA COME TO ARSENAL? WENGER SHOULD SERIOUSLY FACE WHAT IS REAL AND STOP DECEIVING SUPPORTERS.HE NEEDS TO SIGN 7 PLAYERS WITHIN 1 WEEK.AMONG WHOM I BELIEVE ARE OKAY FOR D TEAM CESAR,WILLIAM,MICHU ND CABAYE.THE 4 PLAYERS WONT COST MORE THAN £50 MILLION. PROF WENGER ACT FAST LIKE A WISE MAN,THANKS.
Szczesny is in doubt a good goalkeeper. He makes errors fine, no doubt about that. But I don’t think that’s the issue at hand now. Wenger is the best coach so far and I am proud to say it, buh he is too weak when it come to transfers. It shouldn’t take a man of his statues to be so weak in transfers. That’s just the problem I have with him. A goalkeeper shouldn’t be a priority now and even if he wants a new goalkeeper, I don’t know what’s delaying him to finalise a deal with Julio Cesar for months now.. That’s all for now. Up Gunnaz
I think we should try and get cassilas on loan,it can only help our keeper and we will be helping madrid as well since lopez has claimed his shirt for now.