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The Goalkeeping Situation


Francis Coquelin

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Arsenal starlet Wojciech Szczesny has warned he could be forced to leave the club if he does not get a chance in the first team.The 20-year-old enjoyed a hugely successful spell on loan at Brentford last season, but he is yet to make the breakthrough into the Gunners' first team.The Polish international is behind Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone at Emirates Stadium and, with Arsene Wenger still thought to be in the market for a new keeper, he could be pushed further down the pecking order.Szczesny has conceded he is losing patience at his lack of first-team opportunities and that he will consider leaving if the right move becomes available."Despite our talks before the season, Arsene Wenger seems to forget he has a goalkeeper named Wojciech Szczesny in the team. He is avoiding me at every occasion," Szczesny told Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza."Wenger told me to fight for a first-team place, but then he didn't include me in the squad for the Carling Cup game."My friends told me not to worry, that it's a marathon, and not a sprint. But a marathon isn't about running in the same place for three years."I'm ready to play at the highest level but I need a club that believes in a 20-year-old. In Arsenal there's no such bravery. My main goal is to play for Arsenal, but if there's a move option, we'll have words."
Now this story broke first on Jamie Sanderson's YoungGunsBlog who deliberately misquoted Chezzers because he was pissed about Sky Sports and The Mirror, in particular John Cross "stealing" his quotes.jamiejoke.pngthey're going at ithttp://twitter.com/YoungGunsBloghttp://twitter.com/JohnCrossMirror...but there's also a contradictory comment on the blog from a alleged Polish fan confirming that the quotes are genuine.
I’m from Poland and these quotes are rather true. There is full interview with him.sport.pl/pilka/1,73556,8403721,Wojciech_Szczesny__Zasluguje_na_wiecej.htmlThe weirdest thing is that he said “Wenger won’t let me go to the other team on loan because he needs me” Need for what? reserve league? I thought at least Carling Cup will be his.
thoughts?
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The article is correctly translated, but I went on the "Gazeta Wyborcza" website to find the article and there is some parts they left out:Reporter: Maybe, just like last season, you will be loaned out?WS: I want to, but the manager tells me I am needed at the club.Reporter: You said that it seems like the manager forgot about you, and now you're saying that he says he needs you. There seems to be a lack of logic there.WS: I agree, but there is nothing I can do. Before the season started, I was told to forget about a loan deal, so I tried fighting for a spot, but it doesn't seem like I'm being noticed.Reporter: Before the season, you thought you would be closer to the first team, because Almunia was to be sold, and Fabianski would be number one.WS: Before the first game, I was sure Fabianski would start. He played the most friendlies and made no mistakes. I found it odd when Almunia was the number one keeper against Liverpool. I'm not interested in fighting for the third spot at any club in the world, I don't believe I should be a keeper playing for the reserves. I expected more at Arsenal, because I was told I had a chance, and that's why no offers interested me. I did not mess up in any of the three friendlies I played during the summer.Reporter: And now there's no chance for a loan deal?WS: I would listen to offers, but the manager doesn't agree, but the season already started and teams already have keepers. I'm in a difficult situation. (Then the part about not being included in the squad against Tottenham).Reporter: When does your contract run until?WS: June 30th. We spoke three times about extending, but right now the club is showing a lack of interest, so it's hard to show enthusiasm when talking about an extension. I want to sign a contract, but not if I'm going to be in the reserves again.Reporter: Maybe you're not being promoted because you haven't signed a new contract yet?WS: I came to London when I was 16 years old, wanting to fight for a first team spot. That hasn't changed, but it's hard for me to want to stay when I feel like I'm not wanted. It would be easy for me to sit on my ass and get mad at the whole world, but I have a strong character, I can handle it. If I get a chance, I'm going to show I should have gotten it sooner and that I should be getting them more often.I'll take a look at the translated article one more time thoroughly and see if anything was mistranslated or if they added anything that wasn't there.Link to the article in Polish: http://www.sport.pl/pilka/1,65080,8403721,Wojciech_Szczesny__Zasluguje_na_wiecej.htmlEDIT: There was a second page on the website with the interview continued that I missed. Here is the rest:Reporter: But you're not looking to move away from the club?WS: I am ready to play at the highest level and I need a club that is not afraid to play a 20 year old. Right now that's not the case at Arsenal. (Talks about work permit, etc.). Not long ago my best friend from Arsenal was sold to Atletico Madrid, who was at Arsenal for 5 years and was purchased for 1.8 million Euros. Right now I am not allowed to negotiate with another club. I will be able to sign a contract with any club in the world on January 1st, and I won't say right now that I want to leave, because it will only cause trouble for myself. I repeat: my goal is to be the number 1 at Arsenal. If the chance arises, I will not even think about another club. But I'm waiting for something more then someone saying at a conference that "One day Wojtek will be number one".Reporter: Where did you get the information that you may play against Tottenham?WS: I saw that some intelligent Reporters said that I earned my chance and I should play, but their opinion is not the managers opinion, and he can play who wants. I respect his opinion even though I do not agree with it.Reporter: Maybe the problem of Polish keepers at Arsenal is that the club has not won a trophy for four years and the pressure is huge?WS: If you want to win, you have to play the best players, and not the oldest. To win the title it would be nice if the best keeper was playing.Reporter: Which is?WS: Prior to the season I thought it was Lukasz (Fabianski).Reporter: Not long ago Legia Warsaw wanted you on loan.WS: I would have love to have gone to Warsaw for a couple of months. If I could pull Legia out of the s-hit they are in right now, that would mean that I have succeeded at every club I have been at. But I know the manager does not want me going to Legia.
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The thing is he has every right to be upset about the situation. Almunia and Fabianski have made mistake after mistake for the past year and a half, Mannone got some game time last year but Sczcesny still is yet to be given a chance. He can see our goalkeeping situation is a joke right now yet he still cant get a game of course hes going to question his future at the club.

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Szczesny has had one season in the reserves and one in League One. As impressive as his loan stint was, he is not done enough to be first-choice for Arsenal F.CThe fact he wasnt allowed to go out on loan mixed with Wenger's comments about him, should reassure him that he has a good future and in the back of Wenger's mind there is a chance he will be used this season...If the Carling Cup game was at home, and not a derby, he'd have been involved.That said I dont know why we didn't send him or Vito out on loan months ago.

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Arsène Wenger agrees that Wojciech Szczesny deserves a chance to show what he can do - but he has reminded the Polish keeper that he has time on his side.The 20-year-old earned rave reviews for his performances on loan at League One outfit Brentford last season and he featured for the Arsenal first team during pre-season.However, Manuel Almunia has kept goal since the Premier League campaign got underway and Lukasz Fabianski got the nod for the midweek Carling Cup win at Tottenham.Szczesny's frustrations were reported in the media and then repeated back to Wenger at his pre-match press conference on Thursday. The manager has said in the past that Szczesny "will one day be the Arsenal No 1" but he urged the keeper to be patient."He is right, he deserves a chance but the keeper is in front of him, Vito Mannone, deserves a chance as well," said Wenger."You can only play one goalkeeper. It's part of their job as a football player to live with competition and decisions."Impatience is a characteristic of youth. What they forget when they are 20 is that they can play until they are 40, whereas a normal player can only go to 32 or 34 if it all goes well. What they lose at the start they gain at the end of their career."That said, Wenger is keen to keep Szczesny at Emirates Stadium."We will talk to him about a new deal. We rate him and we want to keep him," said the Frenchman. "When you have educated a player like we have with Szczesny, who arrives at the age of 16, it is a long-term investment which costs a lot of money, so you want to keep the players."HOWEVERLukasz Fabianski was not at fault for Robbie Keane’s equaliser during the Carling Cup tie against Tottenham, according to Arsène Wenger. The Polish keeper has come in for criticism from sections of the media after getting hand to Keane’s shot but failing to divert the ball away from danger.Arsenal went on to win the tie 4-1 after extra time and Wenger was quick to defend Fabianski for his performance on Tuesday night. “You can't blame him for that goal because he touched it and when a goalkeeper touches the ball you always think he should stop it,” said Wenger “But if he dives and doesn't touch it nobody speaks about it. “First of all, the goal was offside and apart from that I think he had a sound game.”

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Szczesny has had one season in the reserves and one in League One. As impressive as his loan stint was, he is not done enough to be first-choice for Arsenal F.CThe fact he wasnt allowed to go out on loan mixed with Wenger's comments about him, should reassure him that he has a good future and in the back of Wenger's mind there is a chance he will be used this season...If the Carling Cup game was at home, and not a derby, he'd have been involved.That said I dont know why we didn't send him or Vito out on loan months ago.
Almunia, Fabianski and Mannone havent done enough to be first choice either with the first 2 taking steps backwards everytime there trusted.You have to understand Szczesny is looking at Almunia and Fabianski's countless blunders, his impressive loan spell and thinking if he isn't getting the chance now when will he. If you can give Eastmond, Lansbury and other youngsters a chance, regardless of position, than it'll play on his mind.
“You can't blame him for that goal because he touched it and when a goalkeeper touches the ball you always think he should stop it,” said Wenger “But if he dives and doesn't touch it nobody speaks about it. “First of all, the goal was offside and apart from that I think he had a sound game.”
What does he even mean here, Wenger loves chatting sh*t.
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I'm gonna trust Wenger concerning the Flapianski statementWe know Flapianski is a decent GK but his confidence is shot beyond all repair, i'm guessing this was his last chance.Thats the whole reason he wasnt given the #1 shirt, wenger had enough of Manuel but Flapianski scared him so much during pre-season that he had to stick with Al.Wenger must know his confidence is shot and he's done at this level he just likes to protect these weaklings like they his kids.Consign this guy to the rubbish shoot

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I don't think you can say regardless of position tbh.I think Wenger has earmarked the goalkeeper position as his long-term, but Wenger doesnt want too early promotion to the position to ruin him.Fabainski is an example of high cost errors, that have effectively ruined his career as he has no fans trust.If Almunia f*ck ups again and is dropped, and Fabianski f*cks up and Wenger is not in a window to buy a keeper, he'll promote Szczesny before Mannone, in the meantime its is a age ranking ting.My only issue is Szczesny needs to be playing now, just not at Arsenal in 2010/11. Should have gone out on loan in the Championship this season, find a lower level club in the Prem next season, and then took the Arsenal spot the summer after, unfortunately because of the current two jokers, Wenger obviously wants him close by rather than out gaining experience.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Vito Mannone: "I love London, but I play little. I dream of Milan. I never lose sight of Milan, they have been my dream since I was a child. Last year I played nine games and with me, Arsenal never lost. I get annoyed when I don't play, the other two don't do that well."Mannone saw Chesney hyping & then get promoted to number 3, and thought wait one damn minute...

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Smh at the first.../

Wojciech SzczesnyPoland Under-20s 0-1 Germany Under-20s, October 10Wojciech Szczesny played the full 90 minutes for Poland Under-20s as they lost 1-0 against Germany on Sunday. Cenk Tosun scored the winner in Wloclawek after 63 minutes to give the Germans the win.
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