Who Should be Arsenal’s Starting Goalkeeper This Season? by Goonerboy
Good day gunners far and wide, so there was a friendly against Aston Villa which we lost – it was only a friendly but the truth is, it was a classic Arsenal thing to beat Liverpool a few days ago and then lose to Aston Villa, I don’t care who started the match, there is still so much work to do for Arteta and I hope he gets enough support.
Speaking of Arteta, I honestly do not want to be in his position right now as far as our goalkeeping situation is concerned. We have two top goalkeepers at our disposal and it’s going to be a big headache for him to decide who the number 1 should be.
Of a truth, Leno has been a top and impactful player for us and also one of the best goalkeepers in the league but boy, Martinez has been such a revelation for me, and if I were the coach I would continue with Martinez.
Martinez has not even played up to 3 games for Arsenal that I have seen that he is ALL ROUND a better goalie than Leno.
To be fair to Leno, he had to work with a terrible defense in front of him and has bailed us out a lot of times but luckily for Martinez, he came in at a time when Arteta has made us a bit more solid defensively- I think we need to highlight their qualities so we can see who fares better.
LENO
Good shot-stopper
Good with his feet
Fair ball distribution
Average aerial dominance
Average height
Not commanding of the box
Prone to error
MARTINEZ
Good shot-stopper
Better with his feet
Very good ball distribution
Better aerial dominance
Better height and build
Commands his area better
No error committed yet
I don’t think I have to start explaining the above, but I feel more confident with Martinez in goal because in the EPL, you need a goalie that can deal with set-pieces and crosses very well and this is one area Martinez comes out on top again, he makes the best decisions, does not overdo the play from the back thing, he is more vocal and has more presence, has been waiting for this chance for 10 years plus he is an Arsenal fan. I still blame Leno for our Europa league exit (Go and see the highlights again).
Believe me, I do not hate Leno, but I just don’t think it will be fair to Martinez if Leno automatically gets starting shirt just like that, Martinez has proven himself and is in a good form, let him keep his place until he proves otherwise, this will assure him him that there is a level playing field and he has a chance to be our number 1 in the future, need I add that he was so pivotal in us winning the FA cup and the Shield?
So come Saturday against Fulham, I want to see Martinez in that goal.
What do you think?
Goonerboy
Martinez all the way
As the man in possession,Martinez will I am sure start against Fulham.
Martinez is slightly better than Leno to me. But to keep them both happy one should play home games and the other away games.
it is hard to have it that way. it should be based on the different leagues
give chance for Martinez for more games, we will see amazing skills. he will swallow the boall..
Even though I agree with you that Martinez should start, you can’t pin the Europa exit entirely on Leno, the back pass wasn’t good one, and Aubameyang missed a glorious chance as well. Leno in my opinion is one of the best in league, but it’s seeming like Martinez might be better, if given a long run of games. I do hope we keep them both, with one for league games and the other for cup games (Europa, FA, and league cup).
AY75 brother Leno caused us that game, yes Aubamayang missed a glorious chance but he was the one scored a glorious goal for us in that match, all Leno needed to do was just play it long but instead decided to try something special.
Martinez has always been better in the air than Leno. What caught my eye was his decision making and also brilliant saves. To me that is what makes a great goalkeeper
There are so many good shot stoppers which Leno is one of. Leno has always been poor with his decision even before we signed him. He is one one the best shot stoppers we signed him with hope of developing him and coaching out some of his errors. But you need more than been a great shot stopper to be called a great goal keeper. So far there if we are been fair im our assessment Martinez has done better work and deserve his place. He also bring much needed calmness and protection to our average defenders
@Pepe thank you, that is what I keep saying, any keeper can be a good shot stopper, stopping shots doesn’t make you a good goalkeeper, you need to be good in the air and also your decision making need to be 100%, because in this league if you make a wrong decision they will punish you. I still remember our game against Chelsea, we were winning till I think the 80th minutes, and just one cross, Leno couldn’t deal with it, we ended up losing that match, I felt like crying that day because our defense that day played a very good game but there keeper let them down.
Your basing your stats on when Leno had to play under a different manager .
Leno having to face upto 30 shots per game and under pressure all game because of tactics and bad coaching .
Martinez facing half the shots per game Leno did because he was playing under a manager who actually knew what he was doing .
Both great keepers but Leno easy decision for me .
Yes Dan kit, i was even expecting the usual from you ‘There’s a reason why Martinez is 2nd choice and Martinez will never be first choice ‘. I will say what ken1945 used to say, It’s Arteta decision not ours.
“I was expecting the ususal from me “
What having opinion ?
I stick by what I believe mate ,atleast I’m not a fair wether fam chopping and changing every 5 minutes for the flavour of the month .
Oh and because Kev said it it must be true 😂
No not because Kev said it but because have seen it with my eyes, regardless how good you think Leno is, he’s still not up to what a complete keeper should be, with Martinez we can see what a complete keeper should be, a keeper that is good with his legs, can good in one on one situation, have good reflexes, and to top it all good with set pieces.But if you think Leno is the best in the league then it’s your opinion brother.
leno all d way martinez is good but leno should remain our number 1
emi mst start to maintain the momentum of the winning team
I remember when we first bought Leno then, I was so excited that’s why I choose the name Lenohappy, but I remember Kev always saying Leno is error prone, I remember Arsenal against spurs, Erik Lamela goal, it was a simple shot that Leno should have held on to but instead he decided to push it towards Erickson and he tapped it in. Am not saying he is a bad keeper but he’s not as good as some of us make him out to be.’ Bernd Leno committed 8 errors that leads to goal last season, the most of any PL player in this time, even more than Kepa and De gea. He’s a good goalkeeper but not the best in the league.
Totally agree. Martinez instills more confidence in the defenders in front of him.
Very true.
Our coach MA we want Emillio Martinez between the sticks come 12th against, Fulham FC. Leno should play cup games and the Europa League.
Arsenal diehard💦
Martinez should start and be judged on an extended run of games.
His aerial ability is superior and provided the ‘who comes for what’ scenario is sensibly arranged between him and the defence then, as an overall defensive unit, confidence should increase with fewer chances given at corners and free kicks.
Honestly don’t think there’s an argument. Martinez the man. Leno now second choice only issue now is what’s in his CONTRACT!
Good to see everyone, even on social media, has now woken up to Martinez’s qualities. Like Goonerboy said, until Martinez gives Arteta enough reasons to pull him out of the starting 11, I say it’s a no-brainer that Leno should bide his time on the bench.
Both keepers going nowhere this season.. who starts what is entirely up to MA.. but we have two world class goalies I think we should sell one next summer and improve the playing squad further. Oh and no surprise if Leno starts he is equally as good or dare I say it better than Martinez.. Dan Kit made a strong argument which I agree you can’t judge Leno under Unai as the difference in the system was very clear let’s not forget Martinez had game time under Unai will you take that Martinez under Unai over Leno under Unai? Answer is no.. we are yet to watch Leno get a run of games with MA then we can judge but not taking anything away from these two guys.. excellent goalies Arsenal never used to this luxury of two world class goal keepers.. I think we can get above 50m for either one of them.. I don’t think we can have both of them beyond this season.
I don’t understand leno under unai obsession
leno under arteta was still the same leno nothing changed
A good shot stopper, weak in the air and occasional error prone. just like the europa league exit. Let’s stop painting things like we never saw leno play under arteta And besides if you think arteta tactics will help increase his(leno) profile then you have to rethink because under arteta he is not expected to make 30+saves per match what he needs is concentration, better reading of danger and making important saves when required and thus far if we are not been unbiased we will see that this are the qualities that Martinez offers more than him.
The fact is emery actually helped build his cv as one of the best shot stoppers because he actually had so many of them(shots) to save in a match and that helped his statistics alot
Spot on. Dan Kit and his obsession with Unai Emery. Where was he in the 22 game unbeaten run or when we made it to the final of an European competition for the first time since 2006?
I really wish to see Martinez carrying on where he left because he’s a strong and brave short stopper
God bless Dan kit and Quincy, some fans can be narrow minded and present consious..and Mr author, Martinez will never be as good with his feet as Leno, kicking it long when under pressure doesn’t mean he’s better at it,it means he’s not ready to take the risk.and for the Europa exit, if Leno’s pass went through and gave way to a goal,I guess you would be singing his praises. Let Leno play under a manager like Guardiola and see wonders, Arsenal fans are never satisfied, always wanting until replacing good with average.
Well i am yet to see a goalkeeper who doesn’t kick it long. At the end of the day it comes down to decision making knowing when to pass it and when to kick it away. Martinez is a very good ball playing goalkeeper. I can’t remember leno as good as he is going 10 games without an error leading to goal and that is not a coincident. As it stands no one is saying Leno isn’t great but what we have seen from Martinez shows he is just better it’s just this simple
@Pepe, l hope you were alive during the 18 games unbeaten during Unai Emery’ s period. Therefore, go and count the errors ! We have incredible fans nowadays.
Blaming Leno for Europa exit and loss to Chelsea is madness..y can’t you blame the attackers for not scoring more than a single goal. Great goalkeepers always have a crazy moment..why do we love Jens Lehmann? Didn’t he cost us the champions league? Hypocrisy!!!
Remember this is just the different making sometimes the goalkeepers
Watching champions league final and the saves nuer makes is incredible this things decides games
Martinez was perfect that’s the one of the reasons we won the fa cup and shield.
If leno had similar performances arsenal would have go further in Europa and perhaps won it.
What is my point the less error prone your keeper is the better chance you will have at silverwear..
Making error and been error prone are two different things every human makes error.
Jens lehmann made an error leading to goal doesn’t make him as error prone as leno
2 Trophies.
End of….
Leno still spilling shots against the Swiss.
Martinez “the Collector” should start the season as number 1 for all the above.
Am not worried that AFC will cough up another one in injury time with him at the back, and Arteta tightening up the defense.
Simple really.
I agreed that Big Marti should continue for now but I can’t assimilate the fact that Marti is better than Leno with his legs, Marti is better on set pieces, anywhere MA will decide
It’s a No brainer Martinez is currently doing well until he does otherwise
I like Leno so much but Martinez l think makes our defense comfortable, is commanding, better distribution, better decision making, better with ball at his feet, very good in the air .l think he excels Leno in Key areas
I say Martinez starts first game and make Leno earn the spot back . It will mean Leno step his game up a notch and that can only be a good thing. Massive respect for lenos effort in a absolute shambles defence under Emerys watch but survival of fittest leads to evolution
Can’t agree more..
Not saying Martinez shouldn’t start but belittling Leno cos of Martinez form is bias..and didn’t Martinez almost make an error leading to a goal before the season ended? Can’t really remember the match but I remember him kicking it straight at an opponent and the ball almost went in,I think against Liverpool or so. Stop the bias, Martinez is excellent but saying he’s better than Leno is biased. Even going to the extent of saying he’s better with his legs huh!! Wow.. and @ Pepe, was neuer not at the world cup? Keepers can’t always bail a weak team out, it will later show
We better not sell him to Villa!!! I’ll be well pissed off!
Martinez for me. We look less stressed playing out from the back and he is a part of that. Leno hasn’t done anything wrong; it’s just my personal preference. Neither should be sold. Mikel Arteta is instilling healthy competition to progress the team. Selling either removes that.
Martinez