Arsenal Vs Spurs: Bernd Leno is making a believer out of me

I was a little cautious about Bernd Leno when he first arrived at Arsenal last summer. However, with his recent performances, the most recent of which being in the 1-1 draw with Spurs, I am becoming a believer.

Bernd Leno was signed for approximately £20 million last summer. He was one of the first additions of the post-Arsene Wenger era at Arsenal, ushering in a new period between the sticks. Petr Cech had been a faithful servant, but mistakes were becoming more prevalent and concerns about his long-term security persisted — those concerns would be vindicated when he announced his intention to retire earlier this season.

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Initially, I was a little cautious regarding Leno’s arrival. I was not necessarily doubting of his quality, I just wondered whether he would be the consistent, top-tier goalkeeper that the Gunners have been searching for ever since the days of David Seaman and Jens Lehmann.

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My thinking was simple: he has quality, but I want to see him play for a year or two until I crown him the future of the Arsenal goalkeeper position. He first broke into the team with a Cech injury. A few curious decisions, including a spilled haul versus Liverpool, arose my suspicions about his abilities.

But as the season has progressed and Leno has truly established himself as the starter, his form has improved, he has developed a greater understanding with his defence, and the phenomenal saves of his time in Germany started to appear.

In Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Spurs, Leno made one of the best double saves that I have seen all season long. After the match, the shot-stopper, of the save, said:

"“I don’t know what happened, everything was so quick. Sissoko shot, I didn’t see the ball, I just reacted: I think the best saves are always those when you don’t quite know what happens!”"

It was a terrific save, first to sprawl his legs wide to deny Christian Eriksen on the spin and then to leap up and fling himself to his left to deny Moussa Sissoko’s rasping rebound, flicking it up and over the crossbar with a tremendously strong left hand.

And this is just a part of the improved performance of late. Leno was excellent against Southampton as well, making four saves in total, two or three of which were of very high quality, including denying Nathan Redmond’s one-on-one just moments before Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal the lead.

It is these displays that are giving me hope for the future with Leno as the goalkeeper. I still have some worries regarding his command of the penalty area, his collection of crosses and set pieces, his decision making, and his often aimless clearances that leave strikers completely isolated. But in analysing his first season in north London, it is difficult to say that he has done much wrong.

In waiting for Leno to play his way out of the starting goalkeeper position, I am becoming increasingly impressed with him. He is making me a believer, and that is quite alright with me.