Szczesny - He is the One and Only

[Pilly]

I can't wait to hear Merson try to pronounce his name.

[LDB]

i can't understand this. what difference does it make who we were facing? a brilliant save is a brilliant save, whether it was drogba that shot it or francis jeffers!! szczesny was very composed, made brilliant saves and looked very assured. that's all i need to know!

At it's most base level you are correct - a great save is a great save.

But that isn't all that is involved. The quality of the opposition is everything. Many players look great in games against weak oppo but look shite against the top sides when facing technically superior or fitter/faster players. There is also the inflated confidence level a player may have knowing he is not facing a top team. Also relevent is the ammount of pressure a top side will put you under.

That Toon side did not come at us and get into our box the way the chavs or manure will in a PL game. Shezny would have been punished by Drogba for example for that early mistake. Against a weak team you may get away with a couple of mistakes but against the best you will get punished almost every time.

I remember playing footy for my school at under 15's and being asked to sit on the bench for the under 17's. A bloke got injured and I was thrown on and I just couldn't believe the difference in pace and quality. I was fucking lost out there.

I'm not getting carried away by Shezny's talent yet because I have not seen him dominate his area when facing the best in the game. He may well do it, but he hasn't yet.

The quality of the opposition is very important in judging how good a player is.

totally agree on this, cant compare the pressure on the goalie in the game last nite, and a Man U or Chelski match, they are WAY more fysical in those games.. specially in the box.

when thats said, i still believe he could be a great keeper for us in the future, especially with the dominance he has showed in the box so far!

Nice to see your great British xenophobia is alive and well!!

At last! So many people confuse my xenophobia with racism, its refreshing that at last someone has got it right

[1989]

because of my Polish connection i have probably followed chesney`s development more closely than the average gooner.

For those who have only seen him once or twice, totally understand being conservative in their judgement about him.

i would go the opposite extreme - i would do exactly as with cesc and get him to sign 8-10 year contract if possible. ( incidentally, i would do the same with jack and, if fully recovered, aaron) This boy is the real deal. Given a run of games he will rapidly establish himself as a world class goalkeeper.

It may be tough on flappy, given he has done little wrong in last few games, but , quite simply , chesney is a better goalkeeper by far and I would have no hesitation in making him our no. 1 goalkeeper. Sometimes in business it is necessary to be ruthless and Wenger can be on occasions.

For me, last night, the only surprise about his performance was the slight misjudgement early on when hecame rushing out of goal -everything else was predictable.

remember -ROLY KNOWS

I second this post.

Chesney is a brilliant prospect, he's far far better than Flappy already and will only get better. I'd make him no 1 now before he decides to fuck off.

[treygoony]

Bye bye Almunia

[donaldo]

Wenger is so mad when it comes to keepers what odds that if Flappy gets injured he would bring back Average Al.You wouldnt put it past him

[I Hate Hleb]

I'm no fan of Manuel but let's get one thing right: Almunia was/is injured. He hurt himself while making the penalty save against WBA. I saw him holding his elbow directly after making the save and for parts of the second half.

Now whether he gets his place back or not when totally fit - and I think Fabianski deserves to keep it - is one thing. But to say Wenger is using Machiavellian-type behaviour on this particular subject (although I realise he's not adverse to it) is giving him way too much credit!! After all, he's put his preferred No.1 straight back in goal once he had returned from an injury in the past.

[REB]

I'm no fan of Manuel but let's get one thing right: Almunia was/is injured. He hurt himself while making the penalty save against WBA. I saw him holding his elbow directly after making the save and for parts of the second half.

Now whether he gets his place back or not when totally fit - and I think Fabianski deserves to keep it - is one thing. But to say Wenger is using Machiavellian-type behaviour on this particular subject (although I realise he's not adverse to it) is giving him way too much credit!! After all, he's put his preferred No.1 straight back in goal once he had returned from an injury in the past.

you may be right but i think wenger has used the injury as an excuse to drop him . and he has done it as you say in the past with lehmann when he wasnt happy, its more then likely the cynic in me but i think almunia isn't as injured as wenger says he is and im hoping he never comes back into our first team,sad as that makes me to slag off one of our players.

[supergeorgegraham]

Nothing has changed regarding Fabianski. Yes a few good games do not erase all the mistakes he has made.
I will never trust him so it doesnt work. Alumnia is finished end of.
Sczesny looks good and should be our first choice keeper. He looks calm and able to do his job well.
At least give him a try. Fabianski is a disaster waiting to happen.

[1989]

Nothing has changed regarding Fabianski. Yes a few good games do not erase all the mistakes he has made.
I will never trust him so it doesnt work. Alumnia is finished end of.
Sczesny looks good and should be our first choice keeper. He looks calm and able to do his job well.
At least give him a try. Fabianski is a disaster waiting to happen.

Agreed. With Flappy, form is temporary shitness is permanent.