Goalkeeper Thoughts / Pointless Squad Rules

So we didn’t buy a keeper.  The Schwarzer deal fell through because of Fulham’s inability to find a replacement on deadline day, and with their reserve goalie facing a lengthy spell out too it was a total no go.  For some reason we didn’t have any other targets lined up should the deal for the Aussie not materialise (I’m discounting the £14m Hugo Lloris rumours as extreme wishful thinking), which leaves us with a goalkeeping roster of Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski, Wojciech Szczezny, and Vito Mannone.

The hysteria that not getting Schwarzer has triggered in some quarters has been pretty embarrassing for me as an Arsenal fan.  Almost as embarrassing as signing him would have been.  Let’s be honest, he’s an experienced pro, and would have had a steadying influence on our defence, but he’s hardly the kind of keeper you’d expect to see in a team challenging for major silverware, he never has done before.

The reaction was borne out of frustration with our own keepers more than a genuine clamouring for the signature of a 37 year-old who lists Fulham, Middlesborough and Bradford City on his CV.  Okay he can also point to appearances at two world cups, and two UEFA / Europa cup runners-up medals, so he’s no mug, but is he really better than what we already have? 

Almunia had a good 2008/09 season, followed a pretty poor 2009/10, but that was a year disrupted by injury and personal issues including a bereavement in the family, which clearly messed with his head for a while.  This season he has started well though, the two goals we’ve conceded have been from open play with the ball on the floor, and neither were his fault.  He also put in a good shift in testing conditions against Blackburn, which will do his confidence no harm at all.  If we can just get another season from him of the Almunia 2008/09 vintage then we should have no complaints.

So those who say we have the worst two keepers in the league are way off.  We have a good (potentially very good) first choice, and a below average second choice, but I’m not going to talk about Fabianski again.

Since Wenger had decided to upgrade his first choice though, we should really have been aiming higher.

If the idea of Schwarzer was not to impede Szczezny on his way into the first team, I think it was misconceived.  We could always have sold a younger keeper on when and if he’s proved he’s ready to step up, and had the added security of being able to keep them if for any reason Szczezny doesn’t make it.  Wouldn’t it be better anyway for the young Pole to develop without the huge weight of expectation on him, and at his own pace?  Maybe even with a world class keeper to look up to and learn from?

Apart from the goalkeeping situation, the big news (!) has been the announcement our 25-man squad for the first part of the Premier League season.  In fact it’s a 20-man squad, with 50+ eligible under 21s registered just to be on the safe side!

Keepers: Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski, Vito Mannone (H) // Selected U21s: Wojciech Szczezny

Defenders: Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Gael Clichy (H), Johan Djourou (H), Emmanuel Eboue, Sebastien Squillaci // Selected U21s: Thomas Cruise, Kieran Gibbs, Havard Nordtveit

Midfielders: Abou Diaby, Alex Song (H), Denilson (H), Tomas Rosicky, Cesc Fabregas (H), Samir Nasri // Selected U21s: Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Henri Lansbury, Mark Randall, Craig Eastmond

Strikers: Andrey Arshavin, Robin van Persie, Marouane Chamakh, Nicklas Bendtner (H) // Selected U21s: Theo Walcott, Carlos Vela, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Benik Afobe

Because of our reduced squad of 20 we were only required to nominate 7 home-grown players, all of whom are overseas players who we got in young and brought through from the age of 18 or younger.  That gives the tabloids an easy headline, and something to beat Arsenal with, but it  fails to acknowledge the wealth of young English players coming up through the under 21 ranks at the club.  Walcott, Wilshere and Gibbs already capped at senior level, and countless others involved in the England set up throughout the age groups.

Finally, Sami Nasri is back in training earlier than expected after his minor knee surgery, and Theo talks about aggression and staying behind for extra training.