The arrival of Bernd Leno at Arsenal last week meant it was inevitable that one of either Petr Cech or David Ospina would have to go to free up a place in the squad for the German, and it appears that it is the Colombian who will be on the move when he returns from the World Cup.
Ospina has never been happy with being second-choice behind Cech and the fact that Fenerbahce’s president is in London talking to Arsenal is very significant, as he has been linked with a move to Turkey for many years. Even last summer Ospina made it clear that he wanted to leave. David said; ‘I told my club that I want to go to a team where I’ll play regularly. They know my intention.
‘If the right offer comes, then I’ll happily come to Turkey. My agent is taking care of transfer business. In fact, I’m happy at Arsenal but I have to play regularly.
‘I told them exactly that. Arsenal’s board told me they will not be making things difficult for me if the right offer comes in. Let’s see what the future brings.’
Wenger though refused him permission to leave and he was forced to stay and be our Cup Keeper, but with Le Prof now out of the way and Leno arrived, it looks like Ospina is going to get his wish at last.
I didn’t think that Cech would be leaving as his family have been happily settled in London for the last 14 years and his children are only 9 and 10 years old. But the question is; Will Cech be allowed to play his last season as our first-choice while Leno settles in?
Yeah -he wanted to leave that much where he was happy to still play second fiddle to Czech as long as he was earning the type of wages he was on.Nobody would have given him the same money on top of a transfer fee so that shows you how he was rated be any potential buyer.
He is a second rate goalkeeper who has continually proved his error prone performances would always prevent him being a contender for the No1 position.
And to think Wenger sold Schezny for peanuts to buy this mug.
Szcz wasn’t sold to buy Ospina.
Szcz and Peyton had a falling out and Szcz was then shown the loan door.
Kinda puts a new light on what Szcz said about learning more at Roma than he did after years at Arsenal…
Glad Peyton is gone, he must have been the worlds worst GK coach to turn Cech from a legend to a lump.
Ospina was bought to replace Shezney.In my mind he should have been understudy to Cech for a couple of seasons and he would have learnt and progressed into a top class keeper
But your bang on correct about Peyton.Cech obviously didn’t rate him and we have yet to have a GK improve and become consistent under his coaching.Says it all about Wenger and his Coaching standards at the Club over his final decade
When I read we signed Cech, the very first thing that went through my head was “YES! We get his GK coach as well!!!!!!!”
Then I read how we didn’t bring his coach… And seen Szcz sent out on loan…
I seen my dreams shatter into a thousand little pieces lol.
I really wanted Szcz to learn from the coach that helped make Cech great, if Szcz can share the golden glove with Cech when Cech had Chavski bus parked.. I mean Chelsea who defended well… That is an achievement which I feel has been over looked. Arsenal def… How did a AFC GK share the golden glove when our def has been such an issue?
I’ve never rated Ospina and when he scored the own goal against Olymp? That moment was the moment I was sure about my thoughts, I was sure that Ospina would never be good enough while we do not update our coaching. Maybe if we got a top coach in when Ospina joined… He was a few years younger and Ospina is a great reflex keeper… but time has drifted by and yeah… Leno is the future while hoping we have a kid who can develop into the next Seaman, big hopes for Macey or Martinez to fill lol.
There is another side to this story though Phil and Midkemma and that is Schzys disciplinary record.
This is being quietly ignored in your story of how our ex manager messed up again.
He was reprimanded at least three times as far as I know. Pl I can only imagine the uproar if the club had not disciplined him.
Quotes such as One of Wenger’s favourites etc etc would have run on here for ages.
My opinion is that Schzy did his Arsenal career in by himself by his own stupid actions.
Such a pity, because I believe he could have become our keeper for years. He loved the club.
By the way, regardless of his salary (aka Ozil Phil) the man has always behaved professionally and performed well.
Just like Cech, he has made mistakes, but I think Cech has cost us more games than Ospina pro rata.
Hi Ken-yes Schezny was a bit wild at times but surely that is down to the Manager to make him recognise his errors and make sure he learns how important discipline is.Lets face it we are not talking Paul Gascoigne hear who was totally uncontrollable.Wenger had confidence in Schezny to make him No1 over Fabianski at a young age.When his youthful antics were becoming a problem then a good mam-manager is needed.Wenger obviously felt differently.
And if double standards are to be brought to the equation I will quote you Alex Iwobi out on the lash on a FRIDAY NIGHT two days before he played in the debacle of the FA Cup tie at Notts Forest.Where was Wengers discipline here with this young player?
To me Wenger tried to make an example of a player who JUST COULD have been an Arsenal great.If he had sat him down and told him he would bo the understudy to Cech for a couple of seasons we would have kept a GK far superior to Ospina and who would have had the benefit of learning his trade from an undoubtedly World Class GK.
But then as the old saying goes ARSENE KNOWS
Absolutely agree with your Iwobe example, the player should have been sent home in disgrace.
However, that was his first misdemeanor as far as I am aware.
Schzny had been warned at least three times, so the comparison is a little tenuous to say the least.
While not covering my accusation about favourite players, you did accuse Wenger of not being able to take him to one side and coach him.
That’s a good point and one I agree with you on.
But as he is so often accused of running AFC single handedly, when do you suggest he had the time?
After all, his sole interest, it has been claimed, was to make money for Kronky and the board!
Finally, I also think he could have become a top keeper, his passion for the club was there for all to see, but to make Wenger the scapegoat for his stupidity is systematic of the blame game towards Wenger.
Odd isn’t it, how when I discuss Wenger I am told by some on here to move on but there appear to be different standards for certain others. Personally, in this free country, I do not care one jot who discusses whatever they wish; that being their clear right to do so. But I dislike double standards. Just saying! Impossible to avoid talking about so recent a past, without silly, imposed, restrictions on free speech.
Ken, But did he TRULY love the club MORE than his own immature lifestyle? I have to disagree, based on the evidence. The rest of your post I agree with. I have no doubt he enjoyed his time here and wanted to stay. But that is not quite the same as loving the club, as say Bob Wilson, McLintock and Adams do. The words love and hate are both used so often as hype. Liking something is not the same as loving it. He was immature, whilst here and though I also feel he should have stayed, as he always had talent, we have long needed more grown ups in the club, not fewer. He APPEARS to have last grown up. But life and time has moved on. Cech was always a mature man, even when still very young and that TYPE (rather than the Cech of today) is badly needed. It seems to me that Cech will be our number two keeper this season and I hope so too.
Jon, I think he did love the club and the fans with a passion.
He certainly took on the sense of our feelings for that lot down the road.
Basically then,we agree that the man was stupid to throw away a career with the greatest club in the world!!!
Jon, I take your point on Wenger and I guess your having a pop at me?
Rightly so mate, but I can only say that I always feel the need to defend the man whenever he is seen as the sole reason for everything/anything that’s gone wrong within the club.
From your point of view, I can see that you view it as double standards.
I promise you’ll not see me mention him again if he’s not accused of things that are not true
How’s that and let’s move forward with a passion for the new regime.
Ken, Just now read this and I think you know I much respect you as a long term and passionate fan, as I am also. We disagree fundamentally on the last approx 11 years that Wenger managed us. I warrant neither of us are actually keen to bring up the past but his leaving was a major club landmark, as was his managerial reign and it is bound to be discussed naturally in many conversations. As people who believe passionately in free speech , as I know we both do, we must accept each others perfect right to post as they wish. We can at least both write cogently with good punctuation and should perhaps settle for that. I know that on many far more life important matters than merely football, we have very similar views and I suggest that dwarfs in importance any difference we may hold on Arsenal. Perspective is a great healer I find.
Ken, if you are implying that Szcesny was sold because of his disciplinary record, why did Arsenal keep Wilshere for so long. As I recall he had worse disciplinary record including street fights.
Lance, that is what I’m suggesting as a personal view.
With regards to Wilshere, I have no idea.
Maybe the club felt that Jack had more potential?
If you go back to the shower incident, the timescale from then would seem to indicate that this incident was the final straw?
Yes, I think Cech would be instructed to start ahead of Leno in Premier League, Because Arsenal need experienced players in the back, since Koscielny is out and Mustafi might be transfer listed
Leno would provide a good competition that can take Cech’s place, if Cech doesn’t perform. With Leno’s arrival, I think Martinez would be sold, which is too bad because he is a good GK
We have no time to test Cech any more.That man is too old and his reflex are weak.Lets give Leno a chance
Cech/Leno format.
Clean Sheets: 8/9
Saves per goal: 1.66/1.19
Distribution accuracy: 73%/70%
Why do people say such stuff without checking for themselves first?
Simple comparison between the two players took me less than 5 mins.
Saves per goal doesn’t support your comment of Cech being too old and past it. Seems like he still has the knowledge to be in the right place and not rely on cat like reflexes, even though he has the physical disadvantage, Cech still makes more saves per goal than Leno.
Also please do not forget that our GK coach has a lot to answer for… Well, did. No longer as he got shown the door when Wenger left. Wengers loyalty with Peyton did hurt us when we lost Szcz who would have been our future.
Simplistic and not complete enough stats can give false outcomes. Cech is fast aging. Leno is coming into his prime in the next few years. We can all see Cech is now mistake prone.
I can do a full stat dump and it would still prove me right.
How do I know?
I already did it, haven’t you and everyone else?
Go on, post more stats and we can break them down, go on…
Happy to try and sound all smart but I challenge you to prove me wrong!
I total agree with you Cech is too old he conceded childish errors Last season . Wenger should have benched him and give ospina , this guy has been underrated never given game times how is he going to get used when they called him to the sticks he did well for the last two games we won that old man gave all the goals to the relegated teams . I still think Arsenal must let Cech leaves his reflexes are finished
Cech should stay, while Ospina should go and get a regular playing time. Leno should watch how premier league game is been played 4 the next season. Cech. Should stay considering his family in London. So Leno should be the man to lead the new 20180/2019 season.
Yes, Cech should stay as 1st choice.
Leno will need time to adjust to a new league and language.
Giving Leno time to settle but allow Leno the chance to claim starting spot, some players settle faster than others, once Leno is settled then he should be fighting for number 1 spot and that’s when the real headaches come.
Leno shouldn’t have the path to starter laid out at his feet with no challenge. Also Leno can learn from a GK that has ‘been there, done that and got the t-shirt”.
I mean, let’s listen to Cech honours…
EPL Title: 4 times
FA Cup: 5 times
ELC: 3 times
FA Community Shield: 3 times
UCL: 1 time.
UEL: 1 time.
This is vast experience of winning and we can have this experienced guy pushing our new signing, are we not lucky? I feel we are 🙂
Stats can be very misleading at times. E.g. how many times to Arsenal dominate possession in games, yet play awful, barely test the keeper, and lose!
If you’ve been watching Cech since he arrived here, I am not sure why you’re sticking by him? I am not saying Leno is an improvement or anything, as I haven’t seen him play, but have watched Cech for us, and he’s not been good enough. He doesn’t yet ANOTHER chance to be our first choice. Someone else deserves a shot.
You are a fool . Cech must be the 1st keeper . Which club are you supporting or wereeeer you watching . Didn’t you see the childish errors he made to the relegated teams ? He is old he just want to get salary and made us loose . Unai is not wenger he will benched just Jose in Chelsea
Gordon Banks has a World Cup Winnets medal.Why is he not our GK?Because he is too old and past his best.So is Cech and should only be first choice on form NOT experience
1.69 saves per goal compared to 1.19 saves per goal.
Saves per season: 78/44
Cech has the better stats.
Seems his form is better when looking at last season.
Phil, did I read that you have listed the community shield as part of his success story?
You’ll have Pires on here lambasting you next!!!!
No Ken I don’t believe I have EVER classed the Community Shield as anything other than a pre season friendly and a good day out at Wembley have I?Surely not. Some fans like to call it a trophy but even the Club do not feel this is the case as they do not have it recognised with all the REAL trophies around the ground.
Sorry Phil,I was so interested in your discussion with Midkemma I got the names round the wrong way.
He says that part of Cechs honours are 3 times community shield winner!!!
Funny how this ‘competition’ can cause so much disagreement regarding status when it’s really played in aid of charity!!!
Yes I listed it.
So what?
You decide what is and isn’t called an honour?
I have not said it is as big as the WC… It is an comp that he has won 3 times.
Find proof it isn’t and as long as it isn’t your gran saying so then I’ll consider the source and evaluate it again if needs be, if you can’t then STFU.
PHIL, Midkemma using stats for an older man from when he was in his prime is plain daft. You cannot educate some folks. FOR ANY STATS TO BE USEFUL THEY HAVE TO BE AN HONEST COMPARISON BASED ON LIKE FOR LIKE.
Really haven’t watched much of Leno’s games.. Know he was rated in Germany but his form dropped this past season.. Waiting to see how he performs in an arsenal shirt
Cech is the highest keeper to conceded many goals in Pl , you guys I don’t know may be you are diluted not seeing that Cech is no longer Cech . He’s finished and his time is over . Unai won’t play games and made him like a failure coach because of his childish errors , I like what he did by buying new keeper hope he got rid of Cech . I wonder why he decided to choose t- shirt number 1 if it was me I wouldn’t . Since he joined Arsenal what did he achieve ? Taking us to Europa twice , ospina made us won FA . Arsenal fake fans can’t see that Cech is finished look at his reflexes . I still rate Ospuna to Cech . Hope you guys were watching when he played & got clean sheet while he was injured .
Regardless of who the first choice goal keeper is, Unai Emery’s first task is to improve Arsenal’s defense in front of the goal keeper; ie from front to back.