Thursday, 17 May 2012
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Turf Moor and Goalkeeping

By 2009/12/16 7 Comments

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Author:

Emmanuel-Eboue

Following Sunday’s win at Anfield it’s another tough League game tonight away at Turf Moor against Burnley. 

Personally I’m happy to see Burnley back in the top flight. They were regulars in the old First Division when I started watching Arsenal in 1968, usually played decent football and produced a lot of top players from their youth scheme. 

The first time I visited Burnley I couldn’t believe how such a small place could have a top flight team. The current population is less than ninety thousand, about half the population of the Borough of Islington. I just hope we travel home with the three points in our bag tonight. Having made up ground over the weekend on Chelsea and Manchester United we need to keep up the pressure now. If we were choosing a time to play in north-east Lancashire a cold midweek night in December wouldn’t be it, but it is what it is. These are the games we have to win if we’re to pull ourselves back into contention in the League. 

Our now expected “luck” with injuries continues with Denilson and Armand Traoré ruled out with knocks. Emmanuel Eboué is fit for selection however. Let’s hope the manager’s rant at half-time on Sunday at Anfield has stuck in the minds of the players. I’m afraid that Manuel Almunia again showed his fallibility against Liverpool. I am however becoming increasingly to the opinion that we may have just unearthed the long term solution to the goalkeeping spot in Polish youngster Wojciech Szczęsny. He’s been getting rave reviews for his performances on loan for Brentford. He was man of the match against Leeds United at the weekend. Last month he got his first full cap for Poland in a home friendly against Canada which means we’re in the highly unusual position of having two goalkeepers who’re full internationals for Poland in Szczęsny and Lukasz Fabiański. 

There are reports that Szczęsny, who is due to return from his loan spell at Griffin Park on 20 December will be loaned out to another English club or possibly to an Italian outfit. Let’s hope he keeps up his excellent current progress. 

Keep the faith! 

Arsenal u akhbar! 

vic@arsenalinsider.com

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Vic Crescit

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  • Berg10

    Although I am of a similar opinion to you regarding our No 1, it seems AW has assessed “it was a deflection” that caught him out, well boo hoo, he should have anticipated that, there was plenty of space for him to run in to and leap like a Salmon, maybe a good kick up the arse (literally) would make him realise what jumping means. He’s a nice lad but too dopey.

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  • embryo

    Almunia just isn’t good enough for a team that wants to win the EPL and the UCL. he makes too many mistakes and doesn’t inspire confidence in his defenders, i thought Vito looked the part earlier this season

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  • TJ14

    Am sure you are joking re Mannone. he had one good game. Every game after that there was at least one mistake which usually led to a goal.

    Almunia is going through a bad patch and if it is an outfield player, you would take them out of the team. The same rule has to apply to the keeper. Time for him to be rested.

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  • M.E.

    Success begins at the back and the GK position is a specialist position behind the defenders. There is only 1 GK among the first eleven players on a pitch and what he does good/bad on pitch is magnified. We cannot replace a GK as regularly as other outfield players during a game, so the first choice GK has to give a good (if not great) account of himself regularly.

    Concerns:
    1) A reliable, consistent first choice GK. Can Fabianski/Mannone/Szczesny step up to give a direct challenge to Almunia?

    2) Song (CM/DF) and Eboue (RB/utility midfielder) off to ACN. Are their positions easily replaced temporarily from within the squad ? (e.g Eastmond, Cruise, Coquelin) Otherwise what? Change in tactical positioning of players? Loan/Buy from outside?

    3) What about RVP’s long term injury? Eduardo & Bendtner looked more comfortable playing with another strike partner upfront (ie a conventional 4-4-2) than a 4-3-3 (with rotating forwards). Currently, Nasri(RW/CF)+Arshavin(CF/LW/RW)+Walcott(LW/CF) with Vela & Wilshere (at cover), until Rosicky & RVP returns. (or we get someone in Jan)

    Current (minus injuries) centre midfield trio of Song+Diaby(Merida)+Fabregas(Ramsey)

    Backfour: Sagna+Gallas+Vermaelen+Silvestre(Eboue)

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  • harper

    I’d agreed, TJ, except that Almunia’s only recently come back from a long rest, and still shows no sign he’s improved from his displays at the start of the season. Mannone did well but relying on him for the rest of the season is just as risky as relying on Almunia, he’s much too young and inexperienced. I’d put in Fabianski for a few games, tho as a young keeper he’ll make errors too. We don’t have any great options (tho I do rate both our Polish keepers as future top class keepers).

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  • harper

    Re Burnley — is there a nicer manager in all of English football than Owen Coyle?

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  • D

    Wenger is useless. His team is useless. We need 5 quality internationals all 6 feet plus. Uselss C***s fed up with that lot of Arses. I’m off to Rugby League. I hate this waste of my life

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