YOU rarely achieve much with a suspect goalkeeper.

Over the last two decades, the only example of a team carrying a keeper to the title was probably Manchester United and Mark Bosnich in 1999-2000.

Then, again, United were such a class apart at the time they ended EIGHTEEN points ahead of runners-up Arsenal.

The current Gunners outfit, who take on Spurs at The Emirates tomorrow, aren't in the same league.

They have four goalkeepers on the books - Vito Mannone, Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski and teen Wojciech Szczesny - and none, for one reason or other, look up to the job.

It's a strange situation for a club that down the years had huge characters like Jack Kelsey, Bob Wilson, Pat Jennings, David Seaman and Jens Lehmann between the posts.

Even Jimmy Rimmer and John Lukic were a rung above anything they have now.

Keepers remain Arsene Wenger's blind spot - remember Richard Wright and Rami Shaaban? A situation even more worrying for Arsenal fans than his failure to replace Sol Campbell.

Look at their rivals and there's no comparison - Petr Cech (Chelsea), Edwin van der Sar (Man Utd), Pepe Reina (Liverpool) and Shay Given (Man City).

In fact, you would be hard pushed to find a Premier League club WITHOUT a better keeper than the four at Arsenal.

Arsenal's problems started with the demise of Lehmann in the European Championship year of 2007-08.

For three seasons, the experienced German proved a solid if eccentric replacement for the legendary Seaman.

But Lehmann's form deserted him in the autumn of 2007, Almunia came in and, despite the problems directly in front of him, did well enough to even suggest he might be the answer to England's own goalkeeping concerns.

Now, though, his game is in crisis after missing the last 10 games since letting in four at Manchester City.

But the real damage was done in the previous match at Old Trafford where he needlessly brought down Wayne Rooney for a penalty, then failed to take control of his area as Abou Diaby headed a spectacular own goal - and a match Arsenal should have won was lost.

There has been talk of a chest infection, though others claim his confidence has gone.

And then we have Mannone. The Italian made his name with one outstanding game at Fulham but, even then, his tendency to push the ball into danger areas was apparent.

He had some shaky moments against Blackburn and Birmingham but it was his blunder for the first West Ham goal on Sunday that really set alarm bells ringing.

Rather than pushing Alessandro Diamanti's free-kick round the post, he battered it back into play for Carlton Cole to start the Hammers' shock comeback.

As has happened with Arsenal before this season, mass panic broke out.

At a time when William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen are attempting to create a viable partnership at centre-half, the last thing they need is a goalkeeper they don't trust.

Arsenal desperately require a goalkeeper not only of ability but one who, like Lehmann, talks to his defenders (even if they don't like what he is saying).

Until they do, they will continue to throw away the points that, in a very mediocre season at the top of the Premier League, could win them the title.

Almunia may get one last chance at rehabilitation tomorrow.

Arsenal fans will be hoping he doesn't let it slip through his fingers.

well if the sun says so it must be true :coffee:

stopped reading at

TBF, our keepers are crap.

:coffee:

But to say the majority of PL sides have a better keeper, thats just not true..


1. Bolton
2. Villa
3. Liverpool
4. Chelsea
5. Utd
6 Citeh

Thats probably about it..

Rob Green

Joe Hart

Better then our 3

We could do with a really good keeper.

But that article's shit. You can't just gloss over Cech's errors by saying there's 'no comparison' to Almunia.

Joe Hart is crap.

Reina apart, wouldnt have anyone else above Almunia

Don't think you'll find too many people in the world that would agree with your statement.

Cech has fallen from his high perch. But I would still bank on Cech getting back to his high level, than Almunia improving anymore to bridge the gap.

Van der sar, albeit old, still is a calming influence in the side.

Reina - has been great since last year.

Given - not much to argue about, he's very good at what he does.

there are many GK that are right around almunia's level.


I still think if we're a top 4 club with title winning ambitions, there shouldn't be even three Goalkeepers ahead of ours.

Imagine if in every position, our player came in 4th. What a poor excuse for a squad that would be.

Even if the clubs' rankings change for each position, we need to be better than 5th or 6th in GK.

What a load of uninformed, alarmist clap-trap. We don't have a supreme store of great keepers but to say not one of them is up to the job of keeping in a title-winning side, that's similar to the crap that's sputed round here.

None of them ARE up to it to play in a title winning side though! So far Almunia and Mannone have made more collective errors than most would have in an entire season.

We should have kept Jens tbf

almunia at his best is good enough to be our keeper...the others aren't and Almunia hasn't been at his best for quite some while

It's a bit of a joke that we trust our third choice goalie to be our starter just 10 odd games into the season..I think it's pretty obvious that Wenger doesn't trust any of our keepers in that moment of time..I mean keeping Almunia out for 3 or 4 games..jesus

We should really go for a high profile keeper..Neuer and Adler are outstanding prospects

I think calling our keepers crap is being kind tbh.

Fergie's been looking at Lopes, Adler and Neuer apparently...nice to see someone plans ahead and recognises the need for replacements.

As far as I'm concerned, Almunia is good enough to play in a title-winning side, is Valdes noticeably better? Van Der Sar was hardly a beacon of great keeping when Man U won their 3 titles as well.

It's bollocks concocted to sell papers and sensationalise every slight problem into a crisis, there's no more thought gone into this than the 'Arsenal are ruining the England team' articles a few years back.

Not to say I wouldn't like to see a new keeper in, Almunia has been a little dodgy this season although his previous form is pretty damn good so it's not a priority.

There's no doubt we could do with buying an experienced, solid keeper. And so could every single one of our rivals. If there's one going - great, lets get him. If not, lets go with Almunia because he is not 'crap' by any sane man's standards.

Watching the 4-4 <_< Almunia was responsible for at least 2 of their goals maybe 3.

Almunia is decent but he doesn't do what a top keeper does - make a match winning save.

Very rarely does he win us a game.

Manuel was poor in that game, not match winning saves as such but definitely responsible for the Bent goal (their 2nd). Bentley's one he should've done better with as well.

Hope he (or on the off chance he doesn't get his place back Vito) keeps it together tomorrow :pray:

Almunia does a great job of f*cking up in big games, it's his speciality. :good:

Man Utd semi final first leg is testament to that

So is the CL final, Spurs 4-4 and Man U game earlier this season :good:

Almunia. :lol:

Awful player/haircut/dog/clothes

CL final? :doh:

Dont think anything more needs to be said

:haha:

He should've stopped the winning goal.

We'd have lost anyway though so meh.

For the 891542789345278904523789034527083452nd time: THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL WAS 4 BLOODY YEARS AGO!