Tag Archives: Emiliano Viviano

What does new Szczesny deal mean for other Arsenal keepers?

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Recent speculation that Wojech Szczesny had agreed a new contract with Arsenal was finally confirmed at the weekend when the club announced the Polish number 1 had signed a new long term contract.

Whilst it is brilliant news that we have secured the future of one of Europe’s best young goalkeepers – he is still just 23 – it has made me wonder what it means for the rest of the keepers at the club.

With him being still so young himself, the club are unlikely to have given him such lucrative terms (reported 5 years at £100k per week) if they do not have faith in him. It means they do not expect any of the other current senior keepers at the club to challenge him for number 1, and they do not expect many of the youth keepers to become anymore then back up.

Lukasz Fabianski is likely to leave Arsenal at the end of the season. His contract is due expire and, with him being 29 by the time the season is out, he has a decision to make. Either sign a new contract at Arsenal and remain as a number 2 for the rest of his career, ensuring he never plays for Poland again, or leave now, resurrect his career elsewhere, and challenge Szczesny for the number 1 jersey for his country. At 29 he will still have a lot to give. He will probably make the decision to leave Arsenal.

The signing of Emiliano Viviano was always an odd one. A decent goal keeper. A journeyman Italian, he began forcing his way into reckoning for next years World Cup after a string of magnificent performances for Fiorentina last year. Despite Arsenal paying a loan fee for him, he has since been relegated to Arsenal number 3, with Fabianski taking his place between the sticks for the League Cup. One can only think he was signed due to concerns over Fabianski’s injury record and, that with Vito Mannone leaving, Arsenal could not risk having a rookie on the bench. I would be very surprised if we make the loan deal permanent.

It is the future of the rookie goal keepers that interests me the most. Arsenal recently signed 18 year old Matt Macey from Bristol Rovers. His career has not even started yet, but at just 5 years Szczesny’s junior, he is already too old to be considered our next number 1. As he enters the years where it is important he players, Szczesny will be at his peak. And unless he is very, very special, you might as well write off his Arsenal career before it has even started. At best, the 6’6” keeper, who has already been playing under 21 football, will be a number 2 at the club.

Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

The signing of Matt Macey was already a strange one. With Arsenal already having Damian Martinez (21),  Deyan Illiev (18), Josh Vickers (17) and Ryan Huddart (16) in the ranks,  it is clear there is competition aplenty in the youth teams.

Time is probably running out for Damian Martinez. If Arsenal had faith in him, it is unlikely that they would have got Viviano in on loan. He was on the verge of being promoted to the 1st team during pre-season, but a decision to get in Viviano seems to spell the end of his Arsenal career. He failed to impress last season when in goal against Reading in the League Cup, he is now on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, where he has yet to play.

Deyan Illiev is next in line in terms of age. Signing late in the summer of 2012, the Macedonian played in a couple of the ‘Asenal XI’ pre season friendlies. Looking poor under the high ball, it seems he has already fallen behind Matt Macey in the pecking order of young keepers.

Josh Vickers was the man last season, playing more than any other keeper in our academy. He has since been loaned out to Canvey Island until the end of the season. It is unlikely that the club would let go a 17 year old goal keeper go out on loan if they had faith he would make it. Its more likely he will remain at Canvey Island on a permanent deal, with the younger Ryan Huddart overtaking him.

Ryan Huddart is the youngest of Arsenal 5 young goal keepers. Signed from Charlton in 2012 at 15 after a brilliant performance against Arsenal, he could be the one to push Szczesny in the future. Again, it confuses matters with the signing of Matt Macey. Why sign an 18 year old who effectively ‘kills’ the career of the 16 year old? Huddart certainly has a bit more time on his hand, and could well be breaking through ready to compete for the first team just as Szczesny reaches 30.

What is unclear is who will be Arsenal number 2 next season. With Fabianski out the door, will Arsenal stick with Viviano and make his deal permanent? Or will the seek a senior goal keeper elsewhere, who will know his job and future career will be Szczesny’s number 2? The only one in the current set up who might have taken the step up is Martinez, but he has fallen out of favour.

Out of the group, the 2 to get excited about are Macey and Huddart. They may well have a future at the club as Szczesny’s number 2.

The future will be reminiscent to when David Seaman was at the club, with youth goal keepers being trained to be his number 2, rather than having the ability to be 1st choice. Huddart and Macey attempting to break through could be similar to that of Stuart Taylor and Graham Stack attempting to become 1st choice in the early 00s.

It is unclear what Arsenal are currently doing with their young keepers. They seem to be simply buying anyone who has a decent game throughout youth levels. With Szczesny’s new long term contract, what is clear is that no one in the current Arsenal set up is likely to become Arsenal number 1 over the coming years.

Keenos

10 reasons why we will beat WBA + Tonights squad

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1.. We got Nick Bendtner…mainly due to the club forgetting to sign a real plan B to Giroud for this season. Everyone knows my displeasure for the man, but when he’s on the pitch he deserves full backing.

2.. Will be good run out for Arteta and Vermealen both returning from knocks.

3.. Out back 5 will be decent, with 3 of them (Jenkinson, Vermaelen and Monreal) likely to get a lot of games this season

4.. We have won the last 10 visits to the Hawthornes

5.. WBA haven’t beat us home or away in 3 years

6.. We have won the last 10 away games on a spin.

7.. We have sold just over 5,500 tickets for tonight, by far the best travelling support in the country.

8.. Gnarby should get another chance to show us what he’s got

9.. We really should go all out to win this, I’m slightly disappointed we wont be playing a full strength side, but there is no excuses the players on the pitch have enough to win this game.

10… Wenger knows, he needs silverware this season…

Team from – Per Mertesacker – Thomas Vermaelen – Mikel Arteta – Emiliano Viviano – Nacho Monreal – Mathieu Flamini – Lukasz Fabianski – Nicklas Bendtner – Carl Jenkinson – Ju-Young Park – Ryo – Chuba Akpom – Hector Bellerin – Thomas Eisfeld – Serge Gnabry – Isaac Hayden – Kristoffer Olsson – Alex Iwobi

Mesut Ozil – Good, but not good enough

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So the transfer window is closed. We finally spent some money. A truly world class talent in Mesut Ozil  (I am not going to put the silly little dots about his name) has joined The Arsenal for a club record £42.4million, but I sit here this morning with a bitter sweet taste in my mouth – although that might be the rubbish ocffee I have just made myself.

Whilst the signing of Ozil is a brilliant one. A world class player, just entering his peak, there is a feeling that we could have, no we should have, done more. The beginning of the Scouts Motto is a vow that ‘I will always do my best.’ It is clear that no one at Arsenal was ever a scout, because we have not done our best.

With a reported £80million to spend in this transfer window, we have spent just £42.4million of that. Add in the sales of Gervinho and more, we have raised circa £10million and free’d up hundreds of thousands in wages. A net spend of a little over £30million means there is plenty left in the pot. After last summers transfer window, Ivan Gazidas came out and said:

‘We also kept some powder dry so we’ve got the ability to invest if our manager finds the right opportunities in January.’

We bought a left back.

Now before I spiral too far into the pit of negativity, I am pleased with the players we got in. Emiliano Viviano, whilst I have never seen him play, reads like a player who could challenge Sczcesny. The press reported it as Arsenal signing a Seria B goal keeper. But the truth is he is Italian number 2, and last year was Fiorentina’s number 1 goalkeeper when they just narrowely missed out on Champions League football. The only slight worry is he looks a little like Manuel Almunia! However, why have we loaned him? We are Arsenal Football Club. We should not be relying on loan deals. With the money we have, if Arsene Wenger thinks Viviano is good enough, let’s go buy him and then make a song and dance about buying one of the best Italian goalkeepers.

We then have our 2 free transfer. Flamini and Sanogo. We know what we are getting in Flamini. And he showed what he can give to the team in the second half against Spurs. Going against the grain, I am happy with our midfield starters. Wither Arteta/Ramsey/Wilshere as the 2 central midfielder, and Rosicky/Cazorla/Chamberlain and now Ozil for the attacking midfielder, I struggled to see why we would need to go out and spend a £25million on Fellaini. Or big on a Bender or Gundogan. So the signing of Flamini is smart. It has improved the squad, and you know what you are getting. You know he will settle and he is good enough for the Premier League. And, in theory anyway, coming in on a free should have left money to spend on other area’s of the side.

As for Sanogo. He is a giant of a man and will come good. In his early games, I have been impressed by his movement and work rate. The guy has talent, but it might take him a year or so to get fully up to speed with the Premier League.

And that is the frustration. We essentially sit here with 1 senior striker. Yes, Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski can cover up there, but neither have been impressive when doing so. A bid for Demba Ba on the final day is not good enough. Especially when on loan. We still had another £40million to spend. Did we do our best to spend it? I think not. And in defence. Liverpool spent £25million early in the day on 2 talented young centrebacks. One of them the highly rates Sakho from PSG. Why were we not in for him? We had the money.

Yes, Mesut Ozil is a brilliant deal. One of the top 10 players in the world. And hopefully the signing of him will attract further players. But at the moment, it feels like I have been given a toy for Christmas with no batteries. And the shop’s do not open untill tomorrow. Except in this case the shop does not reopen until January. We failed to do our best. We are bad scouts.

Finally, how must Robin Van Persie be thinking this morning. Yes, he won the league title last year, but he left Arsenal to play with better players and win more. I said last year, Arsenal will win more trophies during Van Persie’s time at Old Trafford then Manchester United will. And now Van Persie looks around him and see’s Ashley Young, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverely and Nani supplying him. Whilst at Arsenal there Cazorla and Ozil. The two most creative players in Europe. I wonder if he is starting to regret the move

Keenos