Arsenal Vs Leicester City: Bernd Leno response essential

After a rough outing against Wolves in midweek, Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno rebounded excellently against Leicester City on Sunday. His response is essential in proving his mentality is that of an elite goalkeeper.

When Bernd Leno arrived at Arsenal in the summer, there were few questions regarding his potential and talent. In terms of traits, there was very little that you would want in a goalkeeper that Leno did not possess. On paper, he is ideal.

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Questions regarding the signing pertained to his mentality, consistency, concentration and propensity for errors, not his ability. For his detractors, it was Leno’s mind that was the problem, not his body.

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That is why I was concerned about his performance this weekend against Leicester City. Leno made two clanging error three days prior in the 3-1 loss to Wolves, the first rashly decided to try and clear a cross that he was always struggling to reach, allowing an easy header into an empty net, his starfish jump a clear sign of his panic, the second failing to deflect Diogo Jota’s low, angled shot around the far corner with a limp left hand. How would he respond?

Thankfully, Leno rebounded terrifically. Although Arsenal would lose to Leicester in embarrassing fashion, the 3-0 scoreline a perfect illustration of their incompetence, Leno played excellently, making a string of fabulous saves. At one point, he was a one-man team, denying the Leicester attacks without any help in front of him. Surely he deserves better.

But more than just playing well, for it to come in the immediate game after his worst performance of the season in which he made two glaring errors is extremely significant. Leno responded just as he needed, providing some proof that he is more mentally stable than his summer detractors, myself among them, would have had you believe.

In being a goalkeeper, making mistakes is natural. It will happen to all. The best goalkeeper in the world for the past half-decade is currently suffering through a pitiful period of form. What is important is how you respond to those mistakes. Do you have the resilience to rebound? Can you learn what you did wrong and make the according changes?

That is what Leno displayed here. Obviously, championing him after one game is as foolish as chastising after another. To properly analyse his game and his value to the team, you must take a far greater sample than just 90 minutes. But this was extremely encouraging. He did not shirk the responsibility of making errors. He stood tall, literally and figuratively.

This was precisely the response that Leno needed to make. It is the kind of response that a starting, number one goalkeeper makes. That is what Leno is proving to be.