Wojciech Szczesny has confirmed that being benched in favour of Lukasz Fabianski was the kick up the arse he needed to pull his finger out of his err…arse.
The Arsenal number 1 was dropped last term following defeats to Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur in February and only regained his place in April when Lukasz Fabianski accidentally banjaxed his ribs falling on Norwich’s human hamburger Grant Holt.
Reflecting that he had perhaps become complacent during the course of last season, the younger Pole admitted it took Fabianski’s resurgence to spur him on to top form.
“He had some bad luck with injuries and I knew every single day that I was going to be playing on Saturday,” Szczesny told Arsenal Player.
“Subconsciously you maybe take it easier in your head and only give 98 per cent in training and not 110 per cent. It’s very important to have the competition.
“It wasn’t nice [to be left out] – you want to be playing every week. But then again, the most important thing is the team and that is what the team needed.
“Lukasz was in better shape at that moment in time, he came in and did really well. I worked really hard to get back into the team and when I did I thought I did pretty well. It was good decision by the manager.
“I worked on my fitness and sharpness and came in much earlier every day to work in the gym with the fitness coaches and the physios. There was a lot of stuff to be done – I realised I wasn’t in the best shape, but it all worked out pretty well.”
Outlining his aims for this season, Szczesny continued:
“Hopefully I can be the Club’s No 1 this season. It is important, I want to win a trophy for this club because that is what is missing in my career and I’m sure it is what the fans have been missing. It’s a big season.”
He’s looked pretty sharp so far this season and with Emiliano Viviano also challenging for a starting berth he’s no room to let his standards slip again.
Great great shot stopper, just needs to work on his decision making a little bit and we have our #1 for the foreseeable future.
close reaction saves are good, but he is often caught on his heels and concedes long shots far too easily. far from great yet, in my opinion.
He is talented, he got lots of confidence and he is a proper gooner! Szczesny will surely be a top, top, top goalkeeper with the right attitude
Hopefully this good attitude will encourage him practice his kicking, which is his weakest area.
He is talented and keep improving his skill.
One thing is significant is that he has a new competitor who is Viviano.
I hope he will become improved competing with that Italian.
I thought Viviano came across well in his first interview. Though he actually sounds mentally stable, which for a keeper is a little disconcerting.
Almunia was mentally stable too… shit.
Ijust don’t get why De Gea is the media’s darling. Seeing Szcz’s awesome double save from a Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool then) won me over for the foreseeable future!
a Dirk Kuyt penalty, i mean
Arsenal goalkeeper/defender a media darling? Ha, even when we win the league with the finest defensive record, it’ll be in spite of our shambolic defence, not because of it.
I take it you’re referring to the media’s narrative? You have to be blind not to see how good Kos, Per + Bac are together now.
I remember that game as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq3TqqkJIHU
And to think we wanted to sign Suarez, the diving little cunt.
Ah, just as I thought I’d forgotten those hideous away kits…
Cuz De Gea is spanish??
And there is no one better than De Gea in spanish young goalkeepers.
More importantly, it’s because he plays for ManUre, the media darlings–especially when Fergie was in charge. We’ll see if that treatment by the media will continue now that those miserable fucks are in their slow spiral into mediocrity.
It’s not that slow. Three games in and a non-event of a transfer window (I can say that with smug satisfaction following Wenger & Co’s spectacular last day efforts) and he already has them looking like also-rans.
careful with the word ‘spiral’ there.
Such a talent
I’d be interested if there was anybody with genuine insight into the standard of Viviano. As a back-up to Buffon you would like to presume he is pretty handy, Italy has a fine tradition of top draw ‘keepers at international level so to be their #2 is nothing to sniff at. However I was reading some (possibly ill informed) waffle on a couple of blogs yesterday where the suggestion was that he is a “punch everything in the 6 yard box” type of ‘keeper, the emphasis hopefully being on punching the ball rather than the player, though against Stoke in… Read more »
Szczesny is a pretty good shot-stopper. He’s got amazing reflexes…
However, his decision-making has been poor at times as we’ve seen with his gallivanting outside his area at times. With the increased competition for the No. 1 spot, he’ll definitely do his utmost in perfecting what he’s good at, and identifying and working on what he’s bad at. He’ll be around for a while if he keeps up a good fight to be the best at what he does, as he should be doing if he loves Arsenal
It wasn’t all that long ago that our goalkeepers inability to command their area from a corner, long ball or throw seemed to be a weekly topic on MOTD, and was exposed ruthlessly by certain cave dwelling northern teams so it’s really a testament to Schezzers presence that this has all but gone from the Pulis inspired bash ’em up Arsenal game plan. Plus the piano thing following the NLD was awesome.
Wee all need a kick in the arse from time to time. It helps us to grow and learn.
He also needs to work on his distribution. It has improved, but is still shocking at times.
Agreed, also some of his decision making has been borne out of panic it seems. His tendency to throw himself at a strikers boots is heroic – and did the business on old ape face in that derby – but too risky for my liking; a GK shouldn’t get so many cards.
But if he gets a short ban for accumulated cards at least we won’t be in a blind panic about his stand-in.
talking of the ape-face…
i just can’t wait to reiterate how Spurs’ partnership with RM culminated in-
ÖZIL!!!
truth is, most of those throwing at players that you mention was most often a result of our defenders’ mistakes. hope there’ll be less and less of that, though.
Decent bloke. No ego within him. Very good to see. We might be looking at the next best keeper in the world.
No ego?
Are you sure, he is a good keeper but he def has an ego(but he is likeable)
Szcz is the szcziz! To add to that first comment. Also needs to work on his distribution a tad.
Make no mistake, Sir Ches is a quality keeper and will only get better. And not only is he a proper gooner but he seems to be very self-aware and open to criticism. A quality many many footballers would do well to learn.
Uhm… With the signing of Ozil, can we take our hands off the hand brake?
Any news on his contract situation? I don’t want another nasty renewal situation going on or the uncertainties it creates.
Great reflexes, vocal, good at dealing with aerial attacks and he posses that all so important attribute like great keepers bfe him; a part of his personality is bat shit crazy 🙂 . Like others i agree he needs to work on his distrubution, which i hope will come with expierence.
“Norwich’s human hamburger Grant Holt” – Cant stop laughing…
True sportsman.
He’s a tremendous shotstopper as we have already seen, I however get nervous seeing him deal with setpieces. it’s like he wants to be superman. “fuck the defenders i’ll save your bollocks” and he comes rushing out….. like someone said, his decision making is abit questionable, he’s young so he’s still improving. he will be the best in the prem I mean joe fucking hart?
I like Szczesny and think he will mature this season. He has all the qualities to become a legend. Viviano is a good goalkeeper (he claimed 100% of the crosses he dealt with in Serie A last season) and will provide good competition. Szczesny’s contract expires in 2015. He loves Arsenal and knows that a poor showing this season will hamper his hopes for a new deal. But we should understand that he is just 23. He was thrown in at for the second half of 2011 without any experience. His first full season was the shambolic 11-12 campaign with… Read more »
The goalkeeping position is arguably the hardest one on the pitch. You can do nothing for 70 minutes as your team dominates the game. The concerntration can drop off and the ball comes to your end of the pitch and if you are not mentally switched on, you will conceed a goal. Against Fernabache he came out to save an attempt on goal, and had his neck studded for his efforts. He is brave, has the reflexes of the cat and he goads the spuds. What is there not to love about this guy! If he can focus on his… Read more »
Remember when it was almunia between the sticks?
We are so blessed to have ches
Alumunia is The only Arsenal player i actually loathed.
To think Wenger dropped Jens for Almunia.
Thank God for Sczc
I never loathed Almunia. I felt sorry for him. He tried hard but wasn’t ever at the level.
If there was an Arsenal player I ever loathed it was Emmanuel Eboue. All that feigning injury, diving, and wincing. He wasn’t a good footballer either. Never good enough for Arsenal and with an attitude that stank of pus infected goat scrotum. To add insult to injury, he buggered off every winter to the ACN.
If Szczesney can admit he became a bit complacent, then TGSTEL should release a book on how to be a total dick (and then piss off)
I think he was very lucky.. If not for fabinski injury, he could have been benched for lot longer.
I am glad he is back but there is no room for complacency now since we have vivano as a backup and maybe another one next year.
And of course, the defence has improved a lot as well. So, it should make things slightly easier for him.
Yes, he as much as said he knew he was lucky to get back in so quickly.
There is something fundamentally wrong with this article. If he had his finger up his arse and then got a kick up the arse, wouldn’t that just have lodged the finger further up his arse? And how do kick someone up the arse when they’re sitting on a bench anyway?
probably had his finger up his arse to stop the Arsenal number 1’s number 2 from coming out.
Love Szczesny, and the fact he’s half man half machine is even better. Let’s not forget he broke both arms, had to suffer awkward toilet situations, and still made it to be our no1!
It looks like he pulled his finger out and put it to good use learning the piano…come on super ches
Loved Szczesny’s celebration of Owl’s goal v Barcelona.