Friday, September 7, 2007

Jens Lehmann believes he is still number 1 at Arsenal

Jens Lehmann, Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper since the 2003/04 season seems to have lost his first-choice status at the club after 2 high-profile errors in Arsenal's first two league games. He was taken out due to a reported injury, and his replacement, Manuel Almunia, seems to have played the better of the two in his absence. The veteran shot-stopper was recently backed by Germany coach Joachim Löw to play as the first-choice international 'keeper, but his position at the club has been called into question.

Nonetheless, Lehmann, who reportedly sought a move away from Arsenal during the summer, remains confident that he is still the best goalie at Arsenal, and had no qualms telling this to the press.

"I feel I am the number one at Arsenal and Germany, although I know I have to train hard every day to justify this.

"I have not played recently because I could not play," he said. "If I am injured, then obviously another man plays.

"If he is a superman who stops everything, then I may not play again, but from experience, I know I have played constantly and I am not worried that I will not play again when I am fit."

He also displayed some of his characteristic temper in an outburst towards the press in which he said: "Your interpretation really annoys me.

"You write something and then you read it again and think that you were right, so then you ask me what I think of it.

"Don't ask me how I should interpret your interpretation.

"You were in England (for Germany's game against England last month) and have read the English press, which I don't read. If I did read it, then I would go crazy.

"The English exaggerate everything and how can you understand such an interpretation?"

All that I can say about all of this is that I sincerely hope that Lehmann is dropped from the squad. I think we should give him a chance to regain his top spot in the Carling Cup, but our team is too promising to be held back by errors from the goalkeeper. It may seem a bit harsh to say this, but he is getting old and he is becoming less and less reliable through the past few seasons. Let Almunia hold the spot until Fabianski is good enough or sign a new 'keeper. Lehmann is way past his prime.