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Arsenal Fans Need to Relax, Wojciech Szczesny is Still World-Class
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal’s match against Southampton was a complete embarrassment. Just about the entire team looked like they had just stayed up celebrating the New Year with copious amounts of champagne and other fun party favors.
But few had a worse game than the Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny, who was directly responsible for at least the first goal. The second goal could also be pinned on him, but it was a panicked clearance that had to be made, it’s not entirely his fault that the ball found it’s way directly to the opposition.
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Now, Szczesny is second on the list of Arsenal men who are being berated by fans (second only to Arsene Wenger). But this is completely unwarranted.
For one, he was (and has been) the victim of some seriously shoddy defending. The goal he was responsible for was on the heels of an awful defensive sequence by Laurent Kocielny and he was grossly isolated in the surrendering of the second goal.
People also forget that the Pole made some spectacular saves around the two mishaps.
Arsenal’s defense has been nothing short of atrocious all year and Szczesny has been left to deal with the consequences. Despite not being able to maintain a clean sheet, it’s widely accepted that the majority of the goals Szczesny has given up have been of the “nothing he could have done” variety.
Not only that, but Szczesny had just had an absolute fantastic game at West Ham that earned him our Man of the Match.
David Ospina is set to start for Arsenal against Hull City but this is far from a dethroning. With how many games the Gunner’s have played, even keepers need a break, and Ospina is healthy now and as such, will need some playing time.
No matter what interest the Gunners may have in the 21-year old German Loris Karius, Szczesny is still the man. He is a fierce competitor and any competition will simply propel him to improve.
Yes, the Pole can be erratic at times, but he’s been steady for us amidst a season of defensive embarrassment. To call for his head after one bad outing while not giving him his due credit for his West Ham outing is incredibly shortsighted and reeks of a fan base that just wants to see everything changed immediately under the false impression that we’ll suddenly be better.
Stay the ship, Arsenal! Szczesny is still our man. Agree or disagree?
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