If you didn't think Arsene Wenger's life couldn't get any more dramatic at Arsenal Football Club—think again.
After Emmanuel Adebayor's run-in with Nicklas Bendnter and Martin Taylor's horrific tackle on Eduardo da Silva, Arsene Wenger has another headache to deal with after Jens Lehmann came out and publicly attacked the French manager and current first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.
The German international has insisted that if it were up to him, the Champions League quarter final against Liverpool would have ended much differently.
He believed that he could have been the difference between an early exit from Europe and being crowned with a Champions League medal.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper has been out of action for nearly the entire season after he was benched in favor of an in-form Manuel Almunia. He has cited his manager and his fellow team mate for what he refers to as a "tragedy."
"For me personally, it is a tragedy, particularly since I did not have a chance to prevent [the outcome of the match]. I have had such thoughts [about being able to prevent defeats] ever since [Arsene Wenger] took me out of the team following the 0-0 against Milan," Lehmann vented.
The result may be even harder to swallow for Lehmann as he turned down an opportunity to play first-team football with Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund, in order to fight for his place as Arsenal's number one keeper.
The lack of playing time has some critics wondering whether Lehmann is still worthy of keeping his post as Germany's main goalkeeper under Joachim Low heading into the 2008 European Championships.
In particular, Lehmann has hit out at his manager for failing to provide him with the opportunities to prove his worth to the club.
'I stayed here to win the Champions League and I saw good chances to play, but I have not had these [chances] and that makes me very angry,' he told a German football magazine.
The German almost looks certain to be packing his bags once the season is over as it doesn't look as if Lehmann has a role to play at the Emirates for much longer. Along with Gilberto, Wenger will most likely allow Lehmann to move on in his pursuit for first team football.
The outburst has some questioning Lehmann's professionalism in such a crucial part of the Premier League season. With the season winding down and his side trailing league leaders Manchester United by six points, one has to wonder why Lehmann had to call out his manager in such a dramatic fashion.
Critics and fans alike could understand his frustrations but perhaps Lehmann would have been better off discussing such a matter one-on-one with his manager instead of starting another media circus.
Despite his ongoing rant, Lehmann can hardly complain about Almunia's performance this season, or even in the latest Champions League match against Liverpool. The uncapped Spainiard has been at the top of his game this season and has done more than enough to convince the Arsenal faithful in his ability to command the area.
Many of the shots Almunia faced were either unfortunate or unstoppable as the match raced to emotional highs and lows.
Fernando Torres' goal and Gerrard's penalty at Anfield were hardly stoppable and it's highly unlikely anything else would have changed if Lehmann came on, especially considering how Lehmann has not played a whole lot in Arsenal's starting eleven for much of this season.
So, for Lehmann to comment on the situation like he did, seems a little naive and even childish in retrospect.
Whether you can sympathize or even agree with Lehmann's viewpoint, there's no question that you would expect better, in terms of behavior from a 38-year-old veteran who's also had experience at international level.
Generally, football experts and fans alike can understand that it's disappointing to not be starting, but to be calling out your own team mates and boss at this stage of the season is absolute ludicrous.
And for Arsene Wenger, it's just another worry for an Arsenal squad that could be in danger of coming away with no silverware after such a promising start to the season.
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2 months ago
Lehmann is unfortunate, he lost form at 38 years old. Almunia is 30. Although keepers regularly play into their late thirties, not many go on to 40, especially not in the EPL. Almunia is in great form and one of Arsenal's best over the three games against Liverpool. Sounds like sour grapes to me.
2 months ago
Joe - Wrightphillips is unfortunate, Gilberto is unfortunate, Darren Bent is unfortunate - Lehman isn't unfortunate. He made some pretty costly howlers early in the season and lost his place. I believe he said something along the lines of:
"If the coach had spoken to me before the start of the season then I would have been able to decide if I wanted to sit on the bench".
Does he really expect to be told in advance ? I think Lehman just talks a load of waffles...
from 2 months ago
Hey Salomon,
I take your point about the mistakes Lehmann made, but the rest of the players you mentioned are out of the team for the same reason as him, i.e. poor form. What I meant was that he is a goalkeeper at the wrong end of his thirties meaning it was unfortunate to lose form at this stage of his career. And he was unfortunate that Almunia has been so consistently good for Arsenal. It's also unfortunate that there is only room for one goalkeeper in the starting lineup (how many good keepers sit on the bench each week at the bigger clubs?)
Then again, maybe unfortunate is an inaccurate word and he's just a dodgy keeper who got dropped!
from 2 months ago
Joe - What i meant was that the likes wrightphillips, Gilberto and Darren bent all lost their places because of lack of form. So Lehman obviously but the other players lack of form wasnt costing their team victories. My point is that keepers have a pivotal role and a error can be costly, so if a keeper suffers a loss of form and eventually confidence, he MUST be replaced and its down to him to fight back.
Almunia hasn't looked all that great so im surprised why Lehman hasnt been given a shot but mouthing off every chance one gets is not really a way to fight back. He's 38 and on the bench, its time to move on for him....
from 2 months ago
Yup. Last point is spot on.
2 months ago
I think that although lehmann cant say much about what happened in the game because the goals were all pretty much unstoppable, he still has a point.
ansene wenger did say that if lehmann took his chances to win his spot back that he could get it back, but when he played very well in the spell when almunia was injured he did not get his chance back in the starting 11
2 months ago
He is a class A moron...ok well I'll try and be fair. He doesn't deserve to start! Is that better haha.
Thanks for sharing Tim.
2 months ago
Lehman is a joke. I always made fun of David Seaman for his hair and lip hair but my god was he an incredible goalie. Too bad he let in that howler against Brazil since that is all most people remember him by...the Spanish media once called him "a meatball with eyes"
Lehman is not a world class goalie. Correction: Lehman WAS a world class goalie. And now he proved that he isn't a world class professional. Professionals know how to deal with issues. This chump obviously doesn't. Reminds me of our back-up goalie who went crying to the coach because I was more in form and was doing better than him. Like seriously CRYING.
Not like Almunia is any better though. Wenger go buy Paul Robinson. Now wouldn't that be a crying shame....
2 months ago
what lehmann brings into arsenal's game is experience and order in the back line. he reassures his defenders and in terms of shot stopping ability... Lehmann comes on tops. on one v ones, its hard to call but in reflexes almunia would come on top. not like im in any position to judge them but lehmann was the one who helped arsenal reach the champions league finals and the 49 game unbeaten run. but you have to say that almunia is in top form right now but even in a slump... lehmann can still match him. both should have equal chances of playing.
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