There’s some good news to start this quiet Sunday off and that’s the new deal signed by Wojciech Szczesny. He’s in it for the long-term and says:
I am very pleased to have signed a new contract. Arsenal is like my family and I’m so happy to be committing my long-term future here. I’ve been at this Club for over seven years now and I’d just like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their support towards me during my time here. I’m so proud to be an Arsenal player and am looking forward to helping our Club towards success in the years to come.
I have to say I think this is a fantastic move. At 23 he’s still so young for a goalkeeper and although he’s had some teething troubles – perfectly understandable too as he built experience on the front lines – the potential has always been obvious.
Being dropped last season made a real impact on him. It sent him a message that if he allowed himself to become complacent, which I think he was without ever being playing really badly, he’d be out of the team. And to be replaced by a guy who hadn’t played in over a year? That must have hurt.
He had some good fortune when Fabianski got injured, but since regaining his place he hasn’t looked back and he’s been much improved. There were vital saves at the tail end of last season which resulted in priceless points, and although he had a bit of a moment on the opening day against Villa, he’s been fantastic this campaign too. He’s solid, consistent, and looks to have matured considerably over the last 6 months.
As I said, he is just 23 so there’s a lot for him to learn still, but I think he realises that now. That he’s got to stay focused if he wants to make the best of his career. Also, the fact that he can combine his goalkeeping talent with a character that’s very hard not to like makes him a favourite to me. He’s got that bit of madness that just sets him apart from the rest. Now and again that’s probably going to come back to bite him in the arse, but for the most part it’ll serve him well.
I don’t think there’s been a better keeper in the Premier League this season, getting him signed up for the foreseeable future is great news.
So what other exciting things have happened since yesterday? None.
Some people are all a-flap over Mathieiu Flamini cutting the sleeves off his shirt. That’s where we are folks. People are worried about sleeves. While I certainly like the tradition of all the players wearing the same shirt (short or long), are we really that desperate for something to argue about that this is an issue?
Soon we’ll be castigating those players who aren’t clean shaven. Then the ones whose hair is long, damned hippies. As for those guys who leave their shirts un-tucked, well, straight to the transfer vortex for them.
The very essence of the slow news day. Have a good one, till tomorrow.
