Arsenal Vs Chelsea: Give Bernd Leno a break

Bernd Leno has been on the receiving end of some brutal criticism after a critical error against Chelsea. But let’s not be too hasty in criticising the Arsenal shot-stopper, who has been brilliant so far this season.

A deep cross came in off a set piece from Mason Mount. Immediately, Lucas Torreira toppled to the ground. But while Jorginho was free at the far post, Bernd Leno came for the ball. A sigh of relief.

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It was a rather routine cross for a goalkeeper of Leno’s quality to claim. It shouldn’t have been too much trouble. But the ball flashed right past the Arsenal goalkeeper’s right fist, into Jorginho’s grateful lap, and eventually into the empty net. That sigh of relief turned into anguish and despair rather quickly.

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Leno has commanded his area excellently this season, so much so that his uncharacteristic lapse was all the more shocking. And yet, as the commentators ripped into Leno for a stupid decision, I was already drafting this article about why they were wrong.

Gianni Verschueren of Bleacher Report wrote this about Leno after the glaring error:

"Mikel Arteta’s first win as Arsenal manager seemed just about in the bag until his star goalkeeper Leno completely misjudged a cross on Sunday, handing Jorginho the equaliser on a platter.It was an unfortunate mistake from the German, who has perhaps been the team’s best defensive player this season. It wasn’t his first blunder, however:Leno is barely mentioned among the division’s best goalkeepers, and while the substandard defenders in front of him play a major part in his lack of success, the frequent mistakes are a major mark against him.It’s an area of his game he has to clean up fast, or Arteta may start looking for a new goalkeeper in January."

Leno’s error was egregious, that’s absolutely true. Per OptaJoe, Leno has made seven errors leading to goals since the beginning of last season, more than any other player in the Premier League. The criticism of his mistake was swift and sweeping.

However, while that is a disappointing record, he has also led the league in saves over that same period. Additionally, four of those seven errors were shots he saved that rebounded to an opposing attacker and only two of them have come this season, the other his spilt save to Christian Eriksen in the North London Derby.

But as Verschueren says, Leno has been Arsenal’s defensive — if not outright — player of the year so far. He has been excellent in his distribution, strong when commanding his area, and beyond all that, he has been an incredible shot-stopper. His mistakes, which occurred primarily last season, have been few and far between, and when they have, it’s often down to his defence, such is the consistent pressure that he is placed under.

Arsenal have the leakiest defence of any non-relegation side in the league this last year-and-a-half, bar none. Leno has been the sole reason that it is not worse. It is impossible to ask for perfection under the intense pressure which he has faced, and he has put up a fantastically strong showing of himself despite that. His mistakes occur, simply put, because he faces so many chances that he cannot be 100% successful in his dealing with them. He has the talent — and recently the consistency — to be considered among the best keepers in the league. The thought, then, that Mikel Arteta, or anyone in their right mind, would want someone other than Leno minding the Arsenal net is ludicrous.

So please, everyone, let’s take a deep breath. Leno has been brilliant this season. The problem with conceding goals is not his burden to bear. If anything, he is the sole reason Arsenal aren’t battling for relegation. Replacing him should not be a concern whatsoever. Instead, the club should make sure he stays for as long as he possibly can. And once they build a capable of defence in front, the best of Bernd Leno will come to the fore.