Matt Turner says his “tremendous capacity to learn” is standing him in good stead as he continues to settle into life at Arsenal.
Having been selected for all three of the Gunners’ Europa League matches this season, the USA international is nailed on to face PSV Eindhoven tonight in what is likely to be his biggest test of the season so far.
Having spoken frankly on his arrival about the need to improve certain areas of his game – particularly his distribution with his feet – Turner is gradually growing in confidence.
Indeed, following last week’s clean sheet at Bodo / Glimt, manager Mikel Arteta labelled the keeper’s performance “phenomenal”.
While the praise was music to Turner’s ears but he recognises he still has a long way to go.
“It felt good, but it’s what, one game? For me, it’s about how can I take that to the next level. My goal is to take this to the highest level possible. Good performances are good, you tick the box, and then you keep going.
“Working under him [Arteta] has been fantastic. He’s somebody that challenges me. He figured out what makes me tick early on, I think because I’m super competitive.
“Sometimes the way we train can come with a bit of failure as a goalkeeper because you’re asked to take more risks than I have done traditionally in the past. It was challenging for me to adapt to that, but he always picked me up and told me to keep my head up even if I was frustrated with something don’t show it because in football and in life, there’s loads of failures.
“It’s really about how you react to them and how you pick yourself back up. He helped me ground myself into the team and then start to show my personality and get to know the guys, and now I feel like someone the guys can trust on the field and off it.”
He added: “The expectation is pretty clear for the model that we want to play, and that’s something that took a learning curve when I first got here. But I think I’ve done better. I think what’s been the M.O. of my whole career is that I have a tremendous capacity to learn.
“I’m not the same goalkeeper as six months ago, 12 months ago, or 18 months ago. I’m always learning, I’m always growing, and I’m trying to adapt to the demands of the modern game like most people my age, for whom things started changing for goalkeepers when we were around 22, 23 or 24.
“You’ve got to adapt, and you’ve got to be able to learn new tricks. I don’t think I’d be here if I wasn’t able to learn.”
Tonight, Turner will come up against a side in free-scoring form. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV have scored 17 goals in their last four matches and arrive at the Emirates focused on producing an upset that would see them overtake the Gunners at the top of the group.
Turner’s assessment suggests Mikel Arteta’s players know they are in for a difficult match.
“They are obviously a very high-powered squad and have scored a lot of goals. They’re always challenging for the title in their domestic league, and they’ve done well so far in the Europa League.
“We’re the top two teams in the group, and we know that they have a lot of individual quality. A couple of dangerous players up top, their left winger (Cody Gakpo) has, I think 10 goals and 13 assists, and you don’t just turn your nose away from that. It’s stuff you have to consider.
“It’s going to be a very physical game from a very good team, and we expect that, but we want to take all three points.”
You’re doing fine mate, surpassed Petr Cech for footsie-skills already 😉
Top attitude.
If Zaha, Salah, Son, Top wingers in EPL didn’t trouble our resilience.. bring Cody Gapko on. We are the arsenal……
I hope he faces the same defence the EPL trio faced.
Wouldn’t mind seeing the aforementioned Mr Gapko in an Arsenal shirt someday.
He would just need to change his first name from Cody (which sounds a bit Spursy in my opinion) to Gabriel (which is Arsenal through and through).
This, for me, is the most crucial game for us before the World Cup. Win today, and the prospect of finishing top of the group is enhanced. That way, a draw next week nails it. That makes the last game against FC Zurich a mere formality; and that game comes before our trip to Stamford Bridge – a game I have high hopes on our ability to nick the 3 points again. So, a week rest for the big boys before Chelsea would help the cause immensely. We also avoid a two-legged round of 32 next February – and that… Read more »
I’ve a feeling it will be pretty tough against PSV tonight. We’ve done so well so far in October, but I detect signs of fatigue across the squad and there is still, what, four games in the month to go including tonight’s. That said, I’d rather look to get the result tonight than away to PSV so let’s hope we can do the necessary at The Emirates. Chelsea away will be another big test in my opinion. They are climbing up the table now (the so-called “big 6”, along with Newcastle – possibly a new additional member – now occupy… Read more »
Even if we win tonight, we need a result next week – at least a draw to be certain of topping the group.
I agree it will be a difficult match, so, the solution, for me, is to go with as close to our first team as possible. Southampton played yesterday, so their fitness level won’t be like Leeds who had a week rest. We can win today and Sunday too.
Yes, that’s true of course but Arteta would prefer to go to PSV having won tonight, rather than not having won which would just add to the pressure.
We can certainly win the games you mention but the number of matches we’re playing (as a squad, not just the first team) this month is, I’m sure, having an effect.
Will be an interesting fixture tonight. Good to see what Gakpo brings to the table too, could it be an audition for a potential transfer to Arsenal? We can only speculate. Let’s hope he doesn’t have too good a game for obvious reasons. COYG!
You never stop learning (hopefully) so that’s good to read. He’ll be tested against PSV though and it will certainly be his biggest game of the season to date so let’s hope he comes through it well.
Slight off topic, but I expect the following line up tonight:
Turner
Tomi Holding Gabriel KT
Sambi Xhaka
Saka Vieira Nelson
Nketia
Should be enough to win! COYG!!
I strongly suspect that there will be more of a first team flavour to the starting eleven. Or at least I hope so.
I think that you’ll probably be right about that. Arteta will want to get the points tonight, although I think it will be a tough game regardless, so is likely to go all out now rather than let top place EL qualification drag on any longer than necessary.
Agree. Maybe Marquinhos instead of Nelson but Mikel seems to want to give Reiss a chance to prove himself.
Close call!
Strong team fielded tonight I’m guessing to get it over the line.
Dude, just make ‘Clean Sheets’ your Holy Grail and you won’t go wrong. 👍