Arsenal v Atletico – Petr Cech or David Ospina?

There is the age-old discussion about whether Arsenal should play their very best team when they face Atletico Madrid over the two legs of the Europa League semi-final, with the first one coming tomorrow night at the Emirates. The Gunners will need to take a reasonable win from this one before going over to Madrid for the fiery second leg.

So we all know that Arsene Wenger has an agreement with David Ospina to play all Arsenal’s cup games and the Boss has stuck to that agreement up ’til now, but should he now switch back to Petr Cech now we are in the semi-final? Cech is widely acknowledged to be our best and most experienced keeper, and the Gunners legendary keeper David seaman thinks that Wenger should stick to the best. “For me he needs to go with his strongest team now,” he told ESPN FC. “I don’t know what agreement was made with Ospina as to why he always played in the Europa League and the Champions League. But for me he has to go with Cech, because he’s the No. 1 goalkeeper.

“And now we need to focus on that Europa League, because obviously that’s the only way we’re going to get back into the Champions League. The semifinal against Atletico Madrid is going to be really difficult, so for me he’s got to go with Cech and play his strongest team.”

In the weekend’s game against West Ham, Wenger played Ospina between the sticks. But the question is; Was that to give the Colombian a good warm up before playing tomorrow? Or was it as consolation for missing tomorrow’s game?

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13 Comments

  1. Ospina is equally a good goalkeeper. He deserves his spot in the starting line up. He’ll play tomorrow

  2. Tricky one. Both good keepers, but not without their respective weaknesses. I think they’d be equally as good. The bigger issue will be getting it right outfield against Atletico, and maybe going shopping for a new top-quality goalie at the end of this season.

  3. Salzburg is already qualified for CL.
    Athletico will qualify from La Liga.
    Marseille is almost qualified in France.
    Arsenal is the only semi finalist who
    absolutely needs to win to qualify for CL football.
    With this also being Wenger’s last season the motivation
    is greatest with Arsenal and that should be enough to win the comp.
    That’s why Wenger’s leaving was announced early
    because if the team wins the Euro he could have put
    forward a strong case for a contract extension.
    It is still quite possible the board will do a u turn
    “from fan pressure” should Arsenal win the Europa.
    This is not over yet 🙁

      1. Hopeful/worrisome yes, or paranoid at most, but not delusional. I’ve seen stranger things happen, and I’m one of those people that saw ufo’s, only four or five metres above my head …they were the ones they call Fu-fighters/orbs.

    1. @barryglik

      Wtf! “It is still quite possible the board will do a u turn “from fan pressure” should Arsenal win the Europa.”

      Have you been smoking something naughty? Fan pressure is what FINALLY got Wenger out! We are not going to suddenly reverse our thoughts on Wenger based on the EL.

  4. Barry Glik -what on gods earth are you smoking.The man is gone.He was SACKED by the Owner.Why do you believe he would be given the opportunity to be welcomed back by winning Europe’s Second tier cup competition?If we were in the Champions League this season and produced results like Liverpool he would still be in a job.But we aren’t because of his failings and even this Board eventually realised he was not able to do the job he was very well paid to do.For Gods Sake man.He is Gone.Get Over yourself

  5. I read about our GK coach leaving when Arsene goes, how the heck did he last in his job, before you say Wenger I was being rhetorical. Cech should have been the best we’ve had in a long time, he prob was but not by much and not in this or last season. The experience he brought should have been worth his weight in gold. Remember Seaman, it was hard watching him in that last season but he was 40 or close. He had some excellent days, I remember one that he had no chance it seemed but he leaned back and somehow his fingers hit it further than an Ospina punch, just enough to get it away from goal and danger. Can’t remember the game but I remember seeing a fair amount of clips, it was near the time of A Cole on goal-line doing a splits to stop the ball passing. Glad that Gerry Peyton fellow is going, also whoever coaches our back-line. I said it loads of times but here goes again, Fergie was especially great because he was such a great judge of character, that’s the one area Arsene completely failed in the end ..pity.

  6. OSPINA IS THE BEST. Cech is a finished material we are not looking at goalkeeper one,we are looking who is gona mek our day bright Ospina is the man. Cech has silly mistakes infact he cant see properly

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