Is it time for Szczesny to return as Arsenal’s Number One?

Wojciech Szczesny did lots of silly things while he was at Arsenal, but you have to remember that he is still very young for a goalkeeper. Now he has spent two season’s on loan at Roma and is considered one of the best in the League. Perhaps a comparison could be made with Thibault Courtois who grew in stature at Atletico Madrid before coming back to Chelsea?

Szczesny is now more accomplished, more confident, and probably much more settled after getting married last year as well. He currently has one year left on his Arsenal contract (like half the squad!) and this summer will be decision time on his future. He has made a long and frank interview and it is worth a read, so here it is….

“I came here after a terrible season,” Szczesny said. “I was in a bad moment. It was a good chance for me to re-launch my career.

“Coming here and having a fresh start, new challenges, new league helped me to mature a little bit as a player.

“My best season? I’d say so, yeah. In terms of consistency, it definitely is. In terms of quality, I feel at my best.

“Am I the best goalkeeper in Serie A at the moment? It’s a big statement to make. There are goalkeepers on an unbelievable level here.

“I wouldn’t dare compare myself to Buffon, not as a man and not as a keeper. I’d never make that statement, no.

“Roma’s season? It’s been a little bit up and down, but mostly up. In a few important moments we lost important games that we shouldn’t have lost.

“I wasn’t playing but we got knocked out of the Europa League in a way that shouldn’t happened.

“There were were some bad games, but when I look at the season overall we’ve been very consistent.

“Difference between Roma and Juve? I don’t ever want to say that my team is missing something.

“Roma can absolutely compete at the top level in Italy and win trophies. The size of their squad is a difference, they have 25 players that are ready to play every week and that makes a difference over a season.

“It looks like they always know they are going to win. They have a mentality of real winners.

“I really appreciate that as a professional and when things don’t go well, they still come out on top.

“That’s made a difference but in terms of quality, I don’t see anything that we’re missing.

“Playing with Totti? A little bit unreal. He’s a player that I watched as a little kid.

“As a young kid of eight or 10 years of age you never dreamed that you’ll share a dressing room with those kinds of players.

“It was the same with Buffon when I first played against him. I never thought I’d get the chance to play such a legend. It’s been unreal.

“Staying at Roma? I’m happy here. I feel I’ve grown as a goalkeeper but for me the time to make a decision will come in the summer.

“For now I’m an Arsenal player, as soon as my loan finishes, I have to come back [to London]. I’ve always said I’d love to be back there.

“Like I said, what will happen definitely won’t be decided now but in a month or two months’ time.”

Maybe he is now ready to be the replacement for Petr Cech? He is only 27 years old and could still have many, many years at the top ahead of him.

What do you think?

12 Comments

  1. Ospina will definitely depart, as he wants to protect his international spot. If Szczesney is prepared to fight Cech for his spot then why not bring him back. These decisions are why a Manager is paid what he is paid to do. Currently we have 6 keepers (Cech, ospina, szczesney, martinez, macey and iliev) born 1995 or before. With only 25 players being named in the squad and other good young keepers like Huddart and keto available as under 21s you would think that 3 or even 4 of that 6 might not make the 25. I wouldn’t say that Goalkeeper is our main issue going forward, although thoughts have to be given to cech’s longevity, the international aspirations for keepers like ospina and szczesney and the ambitions of martinez and macey

    I think things will become more clearer once ECL qualification is decided, not just further keepers, but for the club, the manager, all the players and in some respect the supporters. I for one cannot attend Sunday games, so with even more to look forward to (or not) I have to evaluate my decision to attend matches.

  2. Physically, he resembles Cech more than Ospina. None of our goalkeepers were consistent in the predictable 4-2-3-1 formation. But I have faith in the new system and we need an experienced goalkeeper to compete with Cech, in which he can be the main competitor.

  3. Lets get a quality keeper to compete with Cech

    Coutois or De Gea would be a good choice

  4. I don’t like the guy, he might be a good keeper but I am afraid his judgment will be a distraction for the squad.

    I am an Ospina fan and would hate to see him leave. Sure there are better keepers than Ospina but ask yourself if there is any chance Wenger and Arsenal will be able to go out there and get them? Also, we need to spend our precious money on more pressing positions.

    With Sanchez leaving we need to spend our money on a top striker and winger we simply can not go back to rely on Giroud.

  5. I hope Szcz does not come back.
    He got the blame for Arsenals defensive
    meltdown a couple of seasons back.
    After Vermaelan was sold Wenger failed
    to honour his promise to replace him.
    When Koz and Mertz got injured Wenger
    played Sagna Chambers Monreal even Debuchy at CB.
    In front of them Arteta was old and slow. Wenger
    still had Diaby in the medical room so Arsenals defense was shambolic.
    But it was Szcz alone who got the blame.
    In January Wenger panic bought Gabriel who got injured immediately
    and last minute loan player Kim Kalstrom was out injured for 6 weeks as well.
    The whole debacle was Wengers fault yet Szcz got all the blame.
    And remember Szcz was golden gloves with Cech the season before.
    As luck would have it as soon as Ospina replaced Szcz
    Mertz and Kos returned to full fitness. Miraculously outcast Coquelin
    was recalled from Charlton and produce phenomenal performances.
    On the right Bellerin suddenly emerged as a brilliant wing back
    and Monreal on the left also produced stunning form.
    Ozil returned from injury too.
    Arsenal went on to rack up a long unbeaten run to the end of the season.
    Arsenal then ditched Szcz for Cech while perennial failures Ramsey
    Chamberlain Gibbs Walcott and Wilshere were kept on so too
    old hacks Arteta Rosicky and Flamini.
    Wenger and the Arsenal fans kicked Szcz in the teeth
    and will do so again at a moments notice.
    Szcz has since fought back and established himself as number 1 at Roma.
    Roma helped Szcz resurrect his career and are in the Champions League
    next season so Szcz would be letting down his Roma mates if he left there now.
    Thursday night football at Arsenal may persuade Szcz to stay at Roma.

    1. I have not seen szc now..but from what i know about the guys, i prefer ospina…ospina is a great gk…other option could be schmaichel..i love that guy, and if we want him we have to move quickly, before man ud go and get him

  6. Well, we are missing a joker in the pack.
    Even though this kid is bang average for a keeper, he has the same heart and passion as most Gooners have.

    Get him back in the dressing room at least, his character may influence heart and passion for this club.?

  7. It doesn’t sound like anyone has been keeping tabs on him, I haven’t anyway. Talking about the keeper I remember I would say no he is prone to erratic behavior and like Ospina he has handling issues which just puts pressure and nerves on the team. But he’s been gone for a good while now so he may have improved in the areas that needed doing. Italian teams in general are capable with dealing with aerial balls, our defenders back then needed more help and less problems from the GK. I wouldn’t want to write him off because that would be unfair seeing as I haven’t seen his performances.

  8. I think that if ospina leaves, he should be the one competing with cech for our no.1 spot! He is having a phenomenal seaon with roma and is improved a lot since he left . He is also Gooner and loves the team ! Wenger bring him back

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