Despite dropping his number one keeper for the last two games, the Arsenal boss has offered some encouragement to Wojciech Szczesny and even suggested that the Poland international could be back between the sticks for the trip north to fave Man City in the crucial Premier League clash on Sunday, as an ESPN report reveals.
It might seem a little unfair on our replacement keeper David Ospina, as the Colombian international has not conceded a single goal in those games against Hull City and Stoke City and has only just been given his own chance after recovering from the injury he brought with him to Arsenal from the World Cup finals, but it sounds like Arsene Wenger is really trying to build a strong competitive spirit between his two main shot stoppers.
On who would face Man City the Frenchman said, “I don’t know, I haven’t made a decision yet.
“I made a decision for today’s game. Szczesny is our No.1. He is competing with Ospina and [Emiliano] Martinez and that’s our job. We have to accept that.
“I don’t want to talk too much about that [Szczesny smoking] because the more I talk, the less I inform you.
“I don’t know [how Szczesny took being benched], but how can you take a decision? You know how you can take a decision.”
So it would seem that the boss is not holding any grudges against the young Pole and is giving him every chance to get back in the team for the weekend. He seems to want them to fight it out on the training pitch this week, which can only be good for both players and the team.
I do feel a bit sorry for Ospina though, and wonder if he had been tested a bit more in the last couple of games it would have put him in a stronger position, whereas we have not really seen what he can do. Who do you think should be in goal for the Man City match?