Champions League: Barcelona - Arsenal 3-1, 8 March 2011

One player's bad luck is another's good luck. During the Championship League match Barcelona - Arsenal Wojciech Szczęsny was ruled out by an injury. Manuel Almunia took his place in Arsenal's goal and used his chance well. He made 8 saves. Quite an achivement when one has to face players like Messi and Villa.

Quite surprising how it all happened. Manuel Almunia was ruled out by the injury of an elbow at the very beginning of this season. Łukasz Fabiański took his place and stayed as No. 1 till the fatal injury of an shoulder caused that he is not going to play in this season any more. Wojciech Szczęsny was next in the line and was doing well, but now he is going to face at least six weeks break.

It was said that Almunia might leave Arsenal in the winter transfer window. It was not first time when he seemed to be just one step away from being send away. But he did stay. And if he is going to keep up the good shape I'm not sure if Szczęsny is going to regain the place in the goal easily. So far Almunia had two good performances - in the Championship League against Barcelona and in FA Cup against Manchester United. Both were lost by Arsenal, quite true, but the goalkeeper saved all what he could.

"For me it is clear that Fabiański is No1", states Arsene Wenger

Over last two weeks Łukasz Fabiański has been out of the game due to an injury. However, accoriding to the coach, it didn't change anything. He still considers him to be the first-choice goalkeeper, while Wojciech Szczęsny is the second-choice. Vito Mannone went on the loan to Hull City. Manuel Almunia is still injuried and might leave the club in the transfer window.

Arsène Wenger has reassured his goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański that the shoulder injury that has kept him out of action for the past two weeks has not affected his position as Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper. The Pole is not yet fit enough to feature against West Ham tomorrow but will be buoyed by his manager's suggestion that he will be thrust straight back into the team when he completes his recovery over the coming days, despite the solid displays in Arsenal's past two matches by his deputy and compatriot, Wojciech Szczęsny.

Fabiański began this season as Arsenal's second choice but has become a regular since replacing the erratic Manuel Almunia in September. "We live in a world of competition but for me it is clear that Fabiański is No1," Wenger said."

Read the full article at guardian.co.uk.

Premier League: Chelsea vs Arsenal 2:0, 3 Oct 2010

Łukasz Fabiański played the whole 90 minutes of Chelsea - Arsenal game and it was a really good performance of him. He made 5 saves in total, and allowed goals were not his fault.

However, I think he is going to be second-choice when Almunia comes back after the injury and therefore the Carling Cup matches will be the only ones he can be sure of the place in the starting 11.

Arsenal keeper crisis

Link to the article send by Monica08.

"Manuel Almunia has been left devastated after being frozen out at Arsenal.

Spanish keeper Almunia has yet to start in either of Arsenal's pre-season friendlies as Arsene Wenger looks to sign Mark Schwarzer to be his new number one.

And if Wenger cannot land the Fulham keeper, error-prone Lukasz Fabianski is favourite to start the season in Arsenal's first game of the season at Liverpool on August 15.

It leaves Wenger with the same keeper headache that he finished last season as Almunia has fallen out of favour but the club still does not have a first choice."

(...)

"Polish keeper Fabianski has started both Arsenal's pre-season friendlies and the feeling around the camp is that he is likely to get the nod for the new season."

(...)

"Wenger has high hopes for 20-year-old Wojciech Szczesny who the club believe can be the next big thing."

Read more full article: link

Łukasz Fabiański picspam

Read today rumours that Arsene Wegner want to bring Pepe Reina to Arsenal. Well, I think that it's not going to be Reina, but eventually there is going to be a new goalkeeper in Arsenal and Almunia is going to leave.

Some photos of Łukasz Fabiański from various matches.







Cardiff City vs Arsenal, 25 Jan 2009



Villareal vs Arsenal, 7 Apr 2010. Fabiański substitues Manuel Almunia in the first half. Remember this match, watched it in tv. Almunia was doing pretty good in the first leg match. In the second leg was tretead pretty hard by Villareal players and in the result injuried.







Arsenal vs Chelsea, 18 April 2009. I remember also this one, unfortunately. It was his birthday, the match took place at Wembley, which is something like a sentimental memory for Polish people.

Poland played elimination match againt England there, at 17 October 1973. The match was hard, but Poland managed to draw 1:1 with England, and Jan Tomaszewski who was in the Polish goal was invincible, except for the penalty kick. Poland made to the World Cup, what was a sensation, and Tomaszewski was named "The man, who stopped England" and "The hero of Wembley", greatly impressing the people not only in Poland but also football fans aboard. And one of English coaches called Tomaszewski "a clown" earlier...

What it has to do with Fabiański? For sure he wanted his prefromance to be as impressive as compatriot. But it was not his day, he commited several mistakes and genearally gave rather poor performance.









Liverpool vs Arsenal, 21 Apr 2009





Manchester City vs Arsenal, 2 Dec 2009. Helping Emmanuel Adebayor to his feet.







Arsenal vs Chelsea, 10 May 2010

Arsenal - Barca 2:2 31 Mar 2010

What a match! Great to watch for every football fan, but for a goalkeepers fan it was even better. So many stunning saves of Manuel Almunia! Although he was not able to stop Ibrahimovic, who eventually scored two goals for Barcelona, it doesn't changes the fact that thanks to his excellent performance Arsenal didn't lose any goals in the first half.



In the first fifteen minutes of the game he saved two very dangerous shots. It was his evening, no doubt.



He was invincible in the first half. However, at the very beginning of the second Ibrahimovic scored his first goal.





Almunia reacts after a lost goal



According to ESPN stats Manuel Almunia made 8 saves in the game. That's a lot!

On the opposide side of the pitch Valdes made only 1 save. Seemed to be a bit late when Theo Walcott scored the first goal. He also had to face a penalty. Was without a chance to stop it. Fabregas shot was perfect.







Puyol and Bendtner, Valdes in the distance



Theo Walcott scores



Victor Valdes reacts after Puyol is shown a red card





Cesc Fabregas scores a penalty which gives Arsenal a 2:2 draw in the last minutes of the game

Arsenal - FC Porto 5-0 9 Mar 2010 picspam

Arsenal team



Arsene Wenger







Abou Diaby and Ruben Micael





Abou Diaby



Alex Song





Manuel Almunia makes a save



Alvaro Pereira and Tomas Rosicky



Bacary Sagnaand and Cristian Rodriguez



Bendtner celebrates





Helton attempts to save a penalty





He was close...





Bendtner



Bruno Alves and Sol Campbell



Abou Diaby



Eboue and Bendtner



Eboue and Helton



Eboue against Porto's defence



Eboue scores a goal



Eboue celebrates





Foul on Eboue in the penalty area





Falcao and Campbell





Falcao



Fucile and Samir Nasri





Fucile





Hulk and Abou Diaby



Hulk



Nasri and Bendtner



Nasri scores a goal





Nasri celebrates





Nicklas Bendtner gets yellow card



Nuno Coelho and Samir Nasri



Raul Meireles and Bacary Sagna



Ruben Micael



Samir Nasri









Silvestre Varela and Andrey Arshavin



Valera



Sol Campbell, Falcao and Bruno Alves



Sol Campbell and Porto's defence



Theo Walcott





Tomas Rosicky





Valera, Arshavin and Clichy