Arsenal: Don’t screw up a good thing with Bernd Leno

Arsenal have made very few poor decisions thus far into the season, but they are on the brink of making one against Crystal Palace. Stick with Bernd Leno!

Arsenal are on a role, in case you haven’t noticed, and, slowly but surely, the matches are getting more and more comfortable. It isn’t just the attack that is carrying the team anymore, it’s the whole package, defense included.

The streak started with Petr Cech in goal, but against Watford, he was forced to make an early exit due to injury, and Bernd Leno stepped in to preserve the win and the clean sheet. He has given up just two goals in the subsequent four matches, proving that he does, after all, have what it takes to be the No. 1 keeper here at the Emirates.

But the looming return of Petr Cech was always a question. What would Unai Emery do when his original No. 1 came back to challenge his current No. 1?

For some, it was simple enough – Leno is younger and he hasn’t screwed up, so let him keep the job. That’s the school of thought I belonged to as well. Leno is the future, and the future came early, so just let it be here.

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The counterargument is that, since Cech was doing quite well before he got hurt, and hadn’t technically lost the job, that he should be given the job back irregardless of what Leno had been up to.

I respect that line of thinking, but in the midst of a twelve-match win streak, where getting younger and replacing old players hasn’t had an effect on the streak, I can’t help but feel that Unai Emery would be sullying a good thing if he were to stick Cech back into the driver’s seat. Not because Cech doesn’t deserve it, but because Leno does too. And if they are both doing well enough, then why not go for the younger option who has been carrying the team these past four and a half matches?

Whichever one happens, I doubt it will have much effect on the club itself. But Leno would have to feel hard-done if he gets pushed aside after such a job well done. It’s impossible not to. he was already getting impatient before, I can’t imagine that would be any difference if the decision is made to start Cech again.

The key here is that Cech was available to face Sporting CP, but Leno did. Which leads many to believe that this must be because Cech is back in line to start against Crystal Palace. I don’t like that. But As long as the streak continues, I can’t complain too much.