Despite the fact that the Arsenal and Colombian international number one has played just over half the amount of Premier League games as his Poland international rival Wojciech Szczesny this season, David Ospina has kept more clean sheets and made more punches and catches.
A quick look at the stats comparison between the two on Squawka.com would not make pleasant reading for Shezzer, especially the total score made up from all the factors. Ospina´s 301 compared to his rivals´s meagre 40 explains exactly why there have been many Arsenal transfer rumours linking Arsene Wenger with a summer transfer move for a new keeper.
Most of them have been about the out of favour Chelsea man Petr Cech and he is a quality keeper, but then I saw this Metro report claiming that Cech could be set for a loan move to Southampton to cover for the injured England international Fraser Forster, and I realised that Forster is the keeper Arsenal should be targeting.
Add his stats into the Squawka.com comparison and you will see why. Until his injury Forster was leading all of his BPL rivals in the important areas like clean sheets and goals conceded, and this is his first season with the Saints.
He did a similar sort of thing at Celtic, setting all sorts of records for his keeping. It might take a little more than £10 million for Arsenal to get him, as that is what they paid for him a year ago, but with Cech available from Chelsea I don’t think it would be too hard to persuade them to sell. Forster, for me, is the better keeper and at 27-years old is only just reaching his prime.
What do you think Gooners?
I want to say we need a new keeper but I feel so harsh on Ospina in saying it. He hasn’t really done anything wrong so far.. Replacing Szczesny seems a little extreme too. He won the golden glove last year, but had a terrible game against Southampton.
I know what you mean mate.
OOooooooooooooooooospina has been fantastic for us and I don’t want him to be replaced, at least not yet when it isn’t his fault.
Szcz issue with me is his attitude.
NB52 had a simular attitude when he had ‘made it’ and then he didn’t need to prove himself anymore and look where he ended up.
I will be happy to eat my words and see Szcz fight for his spot, I will be over the moon if Szcz starts fighting again rather than appearing to be like “I’ve made it, it must be others not doing enough”…
If he doesn’t then I will not be sad at all to see him leave and I would hope we would go for an aged GK to allow Ospina to continue while having an experienced GK pushing him constantly. Someone like Tim Howard… 36 years old and as he plays for Everton he won’t be demanding the number 1 shirt and he may be happy to be stepping up, Everton are not having a great season this year so could be losing a few players…
Szczesny has a big problem with his attitude. But I do think it’s a little unfair to judge him on this season. The article mentions Szczesny’s stats, but It’s worth keeping in mind that whilst Szczesny was playing Koscielny was out and Coquelin wasn’t here. The team couldn’t defend for their lives, so of course Szczesny’s stats would suffer. The opposition had so many clear cut chances to score against us back then, so they’re more likely to score. Now, we defend properly. Any chances the opposition get are generally more difficult, easier to save. If you look at last season’s stats, Szczesny’s score is higher than Cech’s, De Gea’s, Lloris’ and Hart’s, but a distance too, in spite of the 6-0, 5-1 and 6-3 maulings.
Szczesny is a good keeper, he just has to sort his attitude out. Most goalkeepers have a sense of arrogance about them, but Szczesny is far too much so.
I’m more annoyed with his Father his always slating Arsenal whenever Szczesny F’s up blames the whole team never the secret shower smoker
You nailed it. Szcesny might get much more support from fans if he would just take responsibility for his mistakes…..
but he would benefit most if his idiot father would just SHUT UP.
Frazer Forseter is injured enough to make Southampton want our goalie to cover him up and then you want us to go for the injured one! Does it make sense?
Not only is he injured but out for a year!
I’d prefer Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen, unreal keeper for such a young age. I strongly believe he can be right on par with De Gea in the coming seasons. Won’t complain if Arsenal sign Cech though.
Stats for clean sheets and goals conceded are a defensive/team units reward and cannot be accredited only to goalkeeper.
Another thing i loved about Ozils free kick was watching Giroud charge straight toward their keeper in case of knock down, looked a man with mission.
I couldnt count the times that Coq just got in liv way blocking intercepting or just plain in their faces, you never realise just how truly important that is until there are goals being conceded and then people point out how all you needed was someone over here pressurising man so he cant make the pass.
Personally I would like to see a GK who has 2 or 3 years left and that is it.
Tim Howard makes a logical choice.
Not the best GK in the world but that just means Ospina doesn’t get replaced after such a fine FIRST SEASON.
Coming from Everton so the oppertunity of CL football must appeal.
Szcz needs to grow up a lot to earn back the respect he has lost from many Arsnal fans.
I’m very happy with Ospina. He was awesome at World Cup and awesome all season for us. I think the second best signing last summer behind Alexis.
I’d prefer Szczesny to stay and fight but if not then another quality keeper who can keep Ospina on his toes and play well in FA and League Cups.
Szcz looked vulnerable and nervous when under pressure. Made hurried clearances, then went for a smoke…. Wudn’t blame him but he now has a fight on his hands, and thus healthy…
I can imagine when Gnabry and AOC are bek,,, Walcott…. But competition is healthy… Noone is guaranteed a starting plec except..eeehhhhh Jek….
We go to Cech! He is still top top top for many years!! Frazer Forest is injury.
I Like Ooooospina, cech is tempting but the better one should be Anthony Lopes of Lyon
whoever wrote this article needs to learn about stats!
he used “total stats” which is absolute bollocks, sorry but admin please check some things out.
you can’t compare on totals like clean sheets bc shez and ospina have played far less games than foster. once you click on averages, ospina comes out on top by every stat. stop this nonsense hyping. get me a world class keeper or leave ospina be. he is better than foster. that said the stats on average, sczesny comes out last. but also he played at a time when our defense was shambolic.
please, author, get a grip of your stats. damn.
foster has played as many games as ospina and shesher combined. of course he has the most saves and the most clean sheets. bad journalism just really urks me.
No on Forster,
Yes on Cech
exactly.
hyping young players … ugh
and to think he’s better than ospina. please. i live in germany and we are very very skeptic – we don’t hype players. britain needs to pick up on it, it helps
Never seen City winning with Sagna in their line-up haha
We are arsenal!
since when did we start replacing players after ONE bad game!!
Szc is a very good keeper. He has saved us on many occasions. Plz don’t give up on szczesny… he will be back as our #1 soon and prove the doubters wrong
Cech would be awesome hes 32 which is prime for modern day keepers
Let southampton have the shower smoker
Cech provides experience and his trophy cabinet shows how world class he is
We need two very good keepers as you look at top teams with 2 keepers (Barcelona-Bravo and Ter Stegen, Madrid-Casillas and Navas)
The competition will mean any mistakes and the keeper will be dropped
In my opinion we should go all out for cech, a DM (Schneiderlin or Wanyama)
when did Cech became 32yo? thought hes 34yo?
signing Cech means will hv lots of competition。。。 cech, sheez and ospina….
we can rotate the 3 gks…..15 to 20 games each