Manuel Almunia: The Best of the Bunch?

Good morning. This one will have to go in the "extremely swift" category as it needs to be fitted in to the short time I have before I have to get out the door for work. 

These problems could be easily avoided if somebody would just swap my wages and those of Ashley Cole around, thereby providing us both with more appropriate wages for our ability, hard work and class.

Until that happens though, I'm stuck with trying to crowbar a decent update into a short space of time. 

Let me start by saying that I am fully aware of this incident with Cesc and the crowd in Spain and him saying he wants to see them more often etc. I intend to give this absolutely no attention whatsoever.

I must admit, I am growing very weary of the Fabregas saga. Not weary enough to want to give in and sell him to Barcelona just to end the situation, but nether the less weary enough to ignore irrelevant things like this incident (or this piece of stirring   by a former Barcelona president).

Unless something significant changes in the situation, I don't see what there is to say about Fabregas or Barcelona that hasn't been said before, so we'll move on.

Manuel Almunia isn't feeling too worried about being forced out of Arsenal. Credit where it's due, if he plays every game as solidly as the Celtic game then there isn't a goalkeeping problem at Arsenal.

The problem is that consistency isn't there. I'm not sure about the comments the manager made a little while ago about him getting nervous in big games, because whilst he's made some costly errors in significant games, against top opposition he's tended to come through for the team.

I'm thinking particularly of Champions League ties against Manchester United and Barcelona which could have been over early in the first legs if not for Almunia.

It is clear that Arsene Wenger now has reservations about him, and I think both he and Fabianski make the defence nervous, which doesn't help a defence which isn't the most airtight to start with.

Is the situation unsalvageable for Almunia? I don't necessarily think so. Remember that he has had one poor season following two solid ones as number one. It isn't unthinkable for him to regain his confidence and his form. I know the thought makes a lot of fans' toes curl, and I would certainly rather see a new face in goal, but giving Almunia another chance would certainly be better than installing Fabianski, or even either of the two youngsters as first choice.

I know Szczesny has a lot of fans out there, but whatever way you slice it, at 20-years-old he has a lot of lessons to learn. The Arsenal first team goal is not a good place to learn them. As we've seen, a massive spotlight gets shone on our goalkeeper at the slightest suggestion of a mistake. I don't think that's a positive environment for a promising keeper with a lot to learn.

Bacary Sagna   has some sensible things to say. He says the squad needs to work on concentrating on closing games out, after the near repeat of the Wigan capitulation against Celtic. I would agree, but I am rather more forgiving of the Celtic game because firstly Arsenal still won, and secondly pre-season is about getting that sharpness back. You have to expect some silly things that wouldn't normally happen to come to pass whilst that process is completed. 

Sagna is positive in the rest of him comments and seems excited for the start of the season. He also has kind words to say about Marouane Chamakh, although he spoils it a bit by saying he looks like Emmanuel Adebayor.

To finish off this morning, it looks like  Sanchez Watt   may be returning to Leeds on loan, and confirming what we basically already knew, Cesc Fabregas and Robin Van Persie   will not be playing in the final friendly of Arsenal's pre-season next weekend.

That's your lot then, speak to you tomorrow.