Former Gunner Jens Lehmann says that Arsenal have signed a good keeper in compatriot Bernd Leno, but has urged him to take more risks in order to develop further.
The Invincible, who was let go by the club this summer when Arsene Wenger was replaced by Unai Emery, also believes Liverpool’s expensive goalkeeping signing, Alisson Becker, has a lot to prove to live up to that price tag.
On Leno, who cost Arsenal a club record fee(for a keeper) of £22.5m, he said, “Bernd is a good keeper, no doubt about that.
“The question is: Can he show more than he did in the past? He must take more risks and continue his development. He does that – good.
“If he fails to do so – Arsenal will look at a new keeper in one or two seasons.”
Quite what he means by taking risks, we’re not sure, but hopefully it’s not coming miles out of his goal and not getting anywhere near the ball.
The Gunners aren’t the only team to have spent big on goalkeepers this summer. Chelsea have just splashed out a world record £71m on Kepa Arrizabalaga, while Liverpool spent £67m on Allison who, just two seasons ago, was understudy to Wojciech Szczesny at Roma.
“Alisson is certainly a good player, but not a world-class keeper you’d expect for this price, said Lehmann.
“He has not given any proof of it. I see many keepers playing at his level. He’s 25 now and made 100 professional appearances so far, 50 of them coming for Roma last season.
“I am always interested to see whether those players can actually become world class. You must ask yourself why they only played 50 matches in six years as a pro.”
If Leno is a success then we can sit back and collectively exclaim, ‘What a magic.’
Leno is an average signing. I’ll keep saying it. Anyone who thinks he’s better than Alisson needs to get their heads checked. There were better keepers we would’ve gotten from Bundesliga. This transfer window has been a 3/10.
It’ll be a very long season
I agree he is an average signing.
But he can be made better with the right tutelage from mad Jens or otherwise.
He has an opportunity with Neur’s performance in the world cup. Tierstegen is ahead but he can claim second with good performances and start to climb up pecking order.
The weight of your first paragraph alone….
I’d rather judge based on performance. He’s been quite good in the bundesliga tho….. Wouldn’t term that average
Unduly negative comment! Leno looks like a very solid signing to me. The ball seems to stick to his gloves.
As to the transfer window look at Spuds, Manure, Chelski. Those are the teams we are competing with for the CL places. Who have they signed?
The last 2 already have better squads. and can actually defend a goal.
The fact that Spuds have signed no one and are a better team is shameful.
Chelsea have added Kovacic and Jorginho to a squad that was already better than ours
Manure added Fred. Still stronger than our squad.
We will be competing with Everton and Wolves for europa league spot
Bar hazard, Williams and Azpilicueta, I wouldn’t trade any of our players for theirs
Who the fuck is Williams and where the fuck in Kante.
Crumbs who fell out of the wrong side of the bed this morning!!! You remind me of Perkin from the kids programme The Flumps – watch the episode call “cloud” ?
You must have a Crystal ball or something, I’ve never seen someone talk so much about something they know nothing about. Let the season start 1st before you start talking crazy
Lehmann was an ‘average signing’ too. Always behind Kahn, and from the media we know he’s a little crazy, not the keeper we wanted, not one with the right profile. Well, now he’s a legend, a great signing, keeper with character, we need someone like him…….
Give him a chance before deciding if he’s an average signing.
I never rated Lehmann and always saw him as a liabilty and the weak link in a great team.
Thierry Bergkamp….wow. just wow. That is some statement re Jens.
You only have to look at cech to see Leno is a good keeper. Has significantly raised his game cos he knows he has real competition now, which he has never had before at Arsenal.
Yawn.
Risks like charging out of your area in a champions league final?
That paid off. The free kick went off target and we led at halftime
Too soon man. Too soon.
Damn Lehmann knows how to stick the knife in to a keeper lol i hope alisson doesn’t read this. But again how is he worth 60+ and szczesny is worth peanuts
Hype
Because Szczesney was being sold by Arsenal.
Because welcome to Arsenal.
If we aren’t selling to Barca or City, our players are sold for peanuts
BUT, that being said, with our new negotiators, give them some more time to improve on this. I think it’s only fair
Im okay till it doesnt affect my pocket. I just want to watch good football. Dont wel all? What do u guys want.
Too soon man. Too soon.
Reverse psychology?
More risk? Counter intuitive coaching method by Jens.
The Mad Jens school of goalkeeping just opened.
I’m sure he knows what he’s talking about.
Beats me why people still think that spending 22m is considered as spending “big”.
It’s peanuts.
I bet 22m would be such peanut in your bank account
You gotta love Lehmann
TBH, seems like a meaningless advice.
Talking for the sake of talking..
Any new signing plot guys
We didn’t sign any big name players or spend insane money on a keeper but if Arsenal can play like a team we have the quality to shock a lot of doubters, Not sure of the order but if what I’m seeing so far is correct Arsenal top 4!
In context to where the prices of keepers are today with Allison and Kepa way over 70m mark, I think we did reasonably well with Leno early and under 30m Issue in terms of adding at Cback complicated by bloody Mourinho. He kept prices higher than they should then did not spend. Maguire still at Leicester and they have reinforced with Soyuncu Mina went in the end to Everton but for 27m which is a lot considering risk but there is equal upside. Boateng is now being sought by PSG and they still have the rest of their window to… Read more »
Koscielny was nowhere near as bad as Mustafi has been in each of their first seasons. Kos made some absolute howlers to ruin good performances but you always thought if you cut them out he could be great. Muatafi has made similar howlers…but while playing poorly in general too. Way worse.
More typical santori nonsense….and yet you will still slate other people for being biased & seeing what they want to see..amazinv really.
Soyuncu signing for Leicester City for only £19m!!
I’m so so worried about our back line this year, we really need another body in there. Hopefully someone more experienced than Soyuncu, but nonetheless we need someone at least!!
Jens displays the poise, professionalism, discipline and brutality of a rare kind of psychopath.
The time has come when we need to start asking more from this useless arsenal board, spending 70m, won’t take this club any where, for God sake just look at how much teams who just gained promotion spent, look at Fulham who spent over 100m, improving their squad, all we get at our beloved arsenal are bunch of average players, what stopped us on pressing on Anthony martial deal? If this trend of buying quantity not quality continue, we will soon become a mid table team. The earlier this board make proper investment, the better. What pains me more is… Read more »
What board? It’s all in Kroenke’s hands now
I wonder why Arsenal isn’t going for free Bernard or Feeling Martin. We are a little light at the wings.
Gelson
Teams who just gained promotion have spent a lot because they don’t want to be relegated. Newcastle and Brighton ran away with the Championship the season before last and yet both of them struggled to stay in the PL. Wolves and Fulham are trying to make sure that doesn’t happen to them, and fair play I guess. Emery was brought into the club to try and improve the players we have. He would have been told the limited budget he would be working with and unless something got lost in translation he would be stupid to accept the job if… Read more »
Teams who just gained promotion have spent a lot because they don’t want to be relegated. Newcastle and Brighton ran away with the Championship the season before last and yet both of them struggled to stay in the PL. Wolves and Fulham are trying to make sure that doesn’t happen to them, and fair play I guess. Emery was brought into the club to try and improve the players we have. He would have been told the limited budget he would be working with and unless something got lost in translation he would be stupid to accept the job if… Read more »