Written by armourysquare.
I had felt that we are missing something for the upcoming season, that we have something unmarked or rather unchecked in our “Check List.” Then, suddenly it all “clicked” and I found the missing piece of the puzzle.
I do not know what has been wrong with Mr. Wenger this summer. We have sold 3 defenders and brought in only 1. After Saturday’s show against Legia Warsaw, I seriously think we require at least 1 more defender, and 1 more goalkeeper. But in this post, I am going to be talking about the latter.
You know, our defensive crisis, pertaining only to defenders can still be solved in the short-term. For instance, if Tommy V is injured, we can bring in players like Song to fill in and Diaby or Denilson can take up the CDM role. I am quite vocal about this approach, but it can still be done. But, what are we going to do about the entire goal-keeping issue? You know, when I look at Manchester City, I say that there is not much difference between Goalie choice #1 and Goalie choice # 2 (I mean Joe Hart and Shay Given are both in the same league of top-class goalies).
Now, when you look at Arsenal, we certainly have the same condition. After 15 rounds of intense fighting, Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski end up giving each other a double K.O. So, we can’t even decide who is worse……Its a TIE!
I didn’t realise something, almost 3 months have past since the season ended. Why have the club not bought a decent goal-keeper yet? A good goal-keeper can even pep-up the defence, thus increasing it’s confidence. We conceded 41 goals last season. Technically speaking, each game we concede at least 1.08 goals per match. Now, I am not saying all these goals are the keepers fault, but they are to blame for many.
I mean, look at Almunia against Manchester United, both at Old Trafford and the Emirates. He screwed up by giving away the penalty against Rooney, and he put the ball into his own net after Nani ripped through majority of our defence. Look at him in the Champions League against Barcelona. In the 1st half, he was on steroids….but in the second half, he decided to be his own self-again…charging to early, getting caught in no-mans land and watching the ball chipped over his abnormally large head….and it goes on. Recently, in a crucial tie against Birmingham, in the dying minutes instead of catching the ball or punching it upwards, he put it into his own net…and that cost us badly in the title race.
His partner in crime, Robi….I mean “Flappy” is no different. FA cup semi-final against Chelsea, on his birthday, he charged early, giving Drogba enough time to “round-him” and give Chelsea the winning goal. Last season, against Porto, he gave the ball back, so that they could start and score against us, against Wigan, his flappers could not catch the ball, and we lost our lead. Against Blackburn he got thrown around here and there…we lost! Against Legia Warshaw, we concede the 2nd goal because of him. I mean it is a series of mistakes.
How much should you spend on decent goal-keeper? Igor Akinfeev has shown an interest to come to Arsenal. He is a top-class keeper, who has champions league experience-investing in him would not be a bad option. Mark Stekelenburg, for the Netherlands is also not a bad-choice. Infact, anybody who can seriously boost up the quality of our goalies will do. What do you think, should we stick to our old goalies, the “Dynamic-duo” or should the club invest in some new keepers? Feel free to post your comments.
Please Mr.Wenger, buy a keeper who can give us confidence and satisfy us that he is good enough to be the “Last Defender.” Because, in my opinion if we don’t change our keepers soon, we are probably going to contribute most of “Football’s Funniest Moments” on Youtube , in May 2011. And that, be it funny, is going to be very ‘painful’ and very ‘disturbing,’ to watch.
