Wojciech Szczesny: Should He Come Back As #1?

[redwhiteAustrian]

I've been asking this question to myself for a very long time now, as there have been some incidents in the past, and some evidence at the moment, that I can't quite get my head around, regarding Szczesny.

We've signed a good WC performer in Ospina during summer as competition for Szczesny, according to rumours we're after Cech now, and according to stats, we're amongst the teams which allow the least amount of shots on target, yet we've only had three or so clean sheets this season. Makeshift defense or not, I don't know whether the problem lies elsewhere? Why did we concede so many, despite letting the opposition create so few chances against us?

I've no intention to play the blame game now, or pick Szczesny out after the calamity of yesterday, him costing us quite a lot penalties so far with stopping so few, but something's not right there I'm afraid. There are a number of questions for me, in regards to him, but the most important one is:

Has he improved since he first broke into the side in 2010?

I must admit I don't see that.
His kicking is still abysmal at times, his shoot-stopping is decent, he is comanding his area decently as well, but I really miss some world class attributes, attributes that should've been developed to a certain degree now, after four full seasons as our number one.

 

[bingobob]

If you asked me to answer the question 6 months ago I'd say yes but yesterday provided me with perspective.

I watched the game with my brother, a united fan, who said remember when everyone laughed at DeGea whi laughs now. Schzesney can be good in part but never consistently out side of last year other than that his form is erratic at best which isn't good enough.

 

[Penn_]

He'a very overrated and regressed ever since his confidence evaporated. Without the command of area his just an average GK. Clearly hasn't pushed on as Wenger has made him to comfortable and we're stuck with it till he leaves.

 

[CurryFlavoured]

He's a talented enough keeper but he's braindead with a calamity always around the corner. He's generally a very good shot stopper, but with anything that requires brainpower (e.g. deciding when to come for a cross, or when to come off your line) he's very inconsistent and a bit of a joke at times.

Kind of like the Gibbs situation at LB, he's a good young player who should improve, but for a club supposedly going for the title he isn't good enough yet. I still reckon he'll be here for a long time but my hope from a few years ago of him eventually becoming a WC goalie has faded a bit.

 

[Hunta]

He thinks he's ****ing Neuer, his mistakes are nothing new but he did have a spell of actually doing the basics well and looking a very good GK. He's lucky Ospina isn't injury prone or he'd be sat out now.

Just one of many in our team who are actually just average.

Szczesny, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Arteta, Cazorla.

All start for us nearly every game.

 

[Suave Gooner89]

Just one of many in our team who are actually just average.

Szczesny, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Arteta, Cazorla.

This.

I called Gibbs average once and was harangued for doing so.

 

[Lakersgooner24]

He has potential but is inconsistent. I was very excited about his prospects when he first emerged but I am disappointed with his progress so far. I'm never fully confident with him between the sticks since it feels like he's always prone to a blunder. He was dependable early on last season when we had a good stretch of form but he hasn't consistently been at that level since then. Hopefully the arrival of Ospina can spur him on because it felt like he became complacent once he was established as the #1.

He's a good shot stopper but his distribution is atrocious and it seems like he and the back four need to communicate better. I like that he is confident (although it seemingly approaches Bendtner level at times) but he has to realize that he hasn't accomplished anything yet.

Atm, he's quickly falling behind de Gea and Courtois who are all of similar age. De Gea has improved greatly since his first year and it seems like Courtois has been quality from the start and is only getting better.

Btw, when was the last time Szczesny won points for us off an incredible save? I don't remember many times where he's stolen points for us. Liverpool several seasons back? RVP last season? Genuinely curious.

 

[Lady_Gooner]

Yup agreed. If we're conceding nearly everytime we have a shot on target the keeper needs to be looked at.
Why did he come out yesterday? Gibbs was in control

 

[GOONER1991]

Don't like Szczesny, his attitude is awful. Consistently shows overconfidence without actually having the talent to back it up. Decent keeper in comparison to what went before him in Almunia, Fabianski etc, which gets him by, but he doesn't actually do anything particularly well.

 

[fabo]

Szczesny is just not very good, is the simple answer. Never has been and never will be a top class GK.

One of the big weak links in this team, Gibbs being another. These two are far too comfortable, handed a spot in the team, barely any improvement.

 

[Proof]

Last season Szczesny kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League. There's so much someone who plays in his position can do.

I'm fine with him as our first choice, the GK situation should be the least of our concerns though. We almost won the league having Manuel Almunia in the goal.

 

[Suave Gooner89]

I'm fine with him as our first choice, the GK situation should be the least of our concerns though. We almost won the league having Manuel Almunia in the goal.

GK is the most important position.

We didn't win the league because of Almunia.

 

[a_fourteen]

I like Szczesny. Nothing wrong with him.
I also thought Martinez was decent last night. He's a big lad, comes out well and his distribution is good too. Don't see us buying a keeper for a while.

 

[Proof]

GK is the most important position.

I don't agree with that. If that was true then the goalkeepers would be the highest paid players in the world. You can win the league with Szczesny in goal.

 

[dysphoria]

He thinks he's ******* Neuer, his mistakes are nothing new but he did have a spell of actually doing the basics well and looking a very good GK. He's lucky Ospina isn't injury prone or he'd be sat out now.

Just one of many in our team who are actually just average.

Szczesny, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Arteta, Cazorla.

All start for us nearly every game.

this. gibbs is clueless, mertesacker is definitely past it and cazorla looks like he's lost all belief and pace.

For me, arteta still can do a job when necessary but not for 3 games a week.

 

[Crooner]

Don't have an issue with gibbs, cazorla or mertesacker. Blaming metresacker when no one is doing the work in front of him. Two fullbacks go forward, then the midfielders need to stay deep but we consistently see them in front of the box. We should have more central defenders at the club. Cazorla is ozils backup, gibbs is consistent and a great lb is not a major issue.

There's a malaise at the club, woj was incredible last season and he had more work to do. I think wenger has tried to change too much this season. We clearly had something good last October, but in the last twelve months the shift to a pressing game has taken all the steam out of the team and exposed or defense, not helped by lazy midfielders either.

Shocking how badly the whole team has regressed. Despite my criticism of chambo he has really found consistently lately and is the only player to have improved.

 

[Lady_Gooner]

Cazorla is hardly özil's back up when he plays most games. Glad chamberlain is pushing him out the team, he's bang average now and brings nothing to the team.
Also I think woj had less to do last season because kos& per we're in such good form. He's been exposed this season now we have injuries though, he's also average.

 

[Vinci]

Szczesny was solid for large spells last season, but this season you feel like he will drop a clanger at any given time.

For the amount of trust and game-time he has gotten, no he hasn’t improved enough. After nearly four seasons in goal, he should have been a more reliable goalie.

 

[GDeep™]

The issue here is that you have a young player learning on the job. He's very young for a GK, the highs, lows, struggles etc are all expected.

We saw it with Theo. Obviously the hope is that it pays off in the future, and the player becomes WC.

 

[GDeep™]

The Emirates era is littered with young players thrown into the first team long before they were ready - Clichy, Gibbs, Theo, Song, Diaby, Denilson, Ramsey maybe etc.