Jens Lehmann
Jens Lehmann is arguably one of the best goalkeepers (well he was an Invincible) Arsenal has ever had to this day over two spells. The famously mouthy yet agile German would stand on the goal line for the Gunners 200 times in total across two different decades.
In 2003 Wenger signed Lehmann for a bargain fee in today’s football money laundering world of £1.5 million. He couldn’t have asked for a better season where come May 2004 Arsenal had gone the whole Premier League campaign unbeaten after 38 matches, witnessing him hold his one and only golden Premiership. He also scored the cleanest sheets in the Premier League throughout the 2003/04 season. This was Lehmann’s fourth domestic title after grabbing the 1990/91 2. Bundesliga (second tier of German football) with Schalke 04, the 1998/99 Serie A crown at AC Milan and then the 2001/02 Bundesliga playing for Borussia Dortmund. Not long afterwards he received a bad name for an act of misconduct after kicking striker Soumaila Coulibaly once they’d clashed in the BVB penalty box.
Just before the start of the 2004/05 campaign Lehmann appeared in goal during the 2004 Charity Shield which was achieved after The Gunners whipped Manchester United 3-1 in style.
Lehmann ensured Arsenal lifted the 2005 FA Cup with his saving heroics, in the penalty shootout he cancelled out Paul Scholes shot before the Cup was handed over to the North Londoners following a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes. Many were unsure whether he would even reach the end of the season in goal yet alone single handily win the Cup for Arsenal, after a lack of form he was replaced midway through the season by Almunia who eventually stumbled,leading to Lehmann going back in goal.
In 2006 Lehmann reached the Champions League final with Arsenal which they hadn’t done before or since. In an irrational display of action Lehmann was sent off inside the opening 20 minutes after fouling Samue Eto’o before The Gunners were beaten 2-1 by Barcelona despite going a goal up in the first half. No goalie since or before has been sent off in the greatest European club competition final since or before.
This wasn’t the only accolade he recorded during the campaign he also destroyed the feat of the most consecutive clean sheets in the competition with ten. Despite setting new individual heights in Europe Lehmann was never able to get his hands on any silverware, he had previously lost the 2002 UEFA Cup at Borussia Dortmund after Dutch team Feyenoord secured a 3-2 victory over the Germans. He’d tasted jaws of defeat five years earlier when the 1997 UEFA Cup was lost to Inter Milan on penalties after drawing 1-1 over two legs at Schalke 04.
Ironically though, despite not being on the winners end in both 1997 and 2006 European finals, it was still enough for him to be voted UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year twice. He was also in the 2006 UEFA Club Football Awards being handed the Best Goalkeeper award.
After an injury plagued season Lehmann departed the Emirates in 2008 for German Bundesliga side Stuttgart where he went into retirement two years later. However, in 2011 Lehmann pulled his boots back on for The Arsenal after a goalie injury dilemma at The Gunners, his one and only pandemonium moment came on April 10th when Blackpool were dismantled 3-1 with ease. After this he hung up his boots for good being the most senior footballer to play for Arsenal in the Premier League whilst age 41.
In terms of international duty Lehmann collected 61 caps for Germany in a decade long career spanning from 1998-2008. He received two runners-up medals with his country at the 2002 World Cup and 2008 European Championships alongside two third place finishes at the 2005 Confederations Cup and 2006 World Cup.
Lehmann with a fierce reputation remains an “Invincible” after his impressive 2003/04 Premiership displays in goal.
He now owns the copyright on the word “The Invincibles”
Liam Harding
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Those who have been around many decades longer than Liam will KNOW FOR CERTAIN, that though Lehmann was a top class keeper, he was not anywhere near our best ever.
I rate all of SEAMAN, JENNINGS KELSEY AND WILSON ABOVE HIM. SEAMAN, JENNINGS and KELSEY a long way ahead too.
I know LIAM writes about many of our older players from way back.
But I very much DOUBT he has seen many at all in the flesh!
No one said he was our best ever 🙄