Category Archives: Vito Mannone

Arsenal: the keeper-incubator

It’s been quite a year for Arsenal’s keepers, what with Szczęsny sharing the Golden Glove with Čech and Fabiański’s role in in winning the FA Cup. Further afield, let’s not overlook Vito Mannone, who might not have ever fully convinced at Arsenal but has more than made a name for himself with Sunderland, having been named their Player of the Year. He’s no longer a Gunner, of course, but owes some part of his development to his time with the club. Taken all together, the three represent an embarrassment of riches at one position—if only it could last.

Conga line? Pecking-order?

We’ve come a long way from the Seaman days, having suffered Almunia and other fools along the way. Heck, even Fabiański has had to endure his own “flappy hand-ski” reputation, and Szczęsny has committed boneheaded errors in the past. I seem to recall one such moment from Saturday when a certain Polish keeper found himself in no-man’s land against Hull’s Aloko only to see the shot roll harmlessly across an open goal. Fabiański may have stopped a few hearts with that quixotic foray, but, then again, he did stop a few shots just to get us to that position in the first place.

More to the point, each keeper—Szczęsny, Fabiański, and Mannone—spent his formative years at Arsenal and owes his development in no small part to the time they’ve spent here. Mannone joined the club in 2005 age 18), Fabiański in 2007 (age 22), Szczęsny in 2006 (age 16). It’s no mystery why the first two have looked for chances elsewhere as Szczęsny has emerged as the club’s number-one, on his way towards becoming one of the best in England. It’s just not a position that sees much rotation for a variety of reasons, and if we’re training up keepers, they’re naturally going to want to play. There is no shame in seeing themselves eclipsed by the younger Szczęsny. For as much a credit as it is to our keeper coaches, it’s created a bit of a dilemma as Fabiański looks for his next club, with Schalke and Swansea rumored to be among the suitors.

His departure would mean that Damián Martínez is the only other keeper in the squad with first-team experience. Among his more-memorable appearances, for good or bad, would be against in the epic 7-5 win over Reading in last season’s league cup. What this suggests about his readiness to face, say, Man City or Liverpool is left to the imagination. In his defense, first-team chances have been hard to come by, what with the aforementioned trio standing in the way. Even the more-experienced Emiliano Viviano hasn’t seen a minute of action since joining Arsenal on-loan, and he looks to return to Palermo.

Where does this leave us, then? With Fabiański all but out the door and Martínez still not quite ready for prime time, we can ill-afford to go into the 2014-15 campaign with just one experienced keeper. Given the tricky balancing act that we pulled off this season, keeping two quality keepers more or less happy, whom can we find in the transfer-window to reprise Fabiański’s role, that of experienced, dependable (?) keeper who can challenge Szczęsny enough to keep him on his toes, step in when needed, and be content with that role? It’s difficult to imagine a keeper who’s good enough on one hand to step up on an as-needed basis and who’s humble enough to accept such a diminished role. I’m open to suggestions. Any ideas?

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Arsenal, home to the Prem’s three best keepers…

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The man between the sticks often cuts a forlorn figure. If his squad are doing well, he ends up with little to do but adjust the straps on his gloves, do some calisthenics, and perhaps chat with a few of the fans behind the goal. If his squad is coming to pieces, he ends up as the most-visible culprit when a goal gets conceded. Never mind whatever series of errors leads to a goal; it’s always the keeper’s fault once the ball’s in the back of the net. It’s a bit ironic then that Arsenal, famous (or infamous) for its attractive attacking style (for whatever it’s worth), might find itself developing a bit of a reputation as an incubator for the Prem’s best keepers. Before you scoff, ponder the names and their achievements to date. I’d challenge you to name a club that featured, at once, three keepers capable of as much as Mannone, Fabianski, and Szczęsny.

Of course, we can’t claim all three, at least not as current Gunners. We can, however, take credit for their development as each has spent the bulk of his career with the club. Mannone, for one, is no longer a Gunner, having left for Sunderland some nine months ago. Fabianski is set to follow him, with his own contract expiring in June 2014. However, there was once a time in the not-too-distant past when all three made significant if not vital contributions the the club, and the rotation they provided in the past, and the performances they’ve delivered to date, signify an impressive set of achievements.

First, Mannone. Last season, he made a mere thirteen appearances while Szczęsny, was injured—nine in the Prem and four in the Champions League group-stage. He conceded sixteen goals, a stat made a bit more garish by a 3-3 draw with Fulham, an 0-2 loss to Schalke, and a 2-2 draw with Schalke. Along the way, he managed to keep four clean sheets while helping us win at Anfield and draw at the Etihad. While not impressive on its face, it showed that he had potential and could deliver. With a few more confidence-inspiring performances, he could very well become a Player of the Year at the right club, and—oh. He already has. His performance at Sunderland this season, which has included clean-sheet wins against Man City and Everton, nine clean-sheets over all, and a goals-conceded rate of 1.4, has earned him that precise designation. That’s no small feat for a club that sits bottom of the table. Put it another way: Sunderland went 1W, 1D, 8L, -15GD before Mannone took over. Since he became the #1 keeper, they’ve gone 6W, 7D, 11L, -9GD. That’s a considerable mprovement even if it hasn’t saved Sunderland from relegation. After all, Mannone has only one job to do, and he’s done it pretty-damned well for the Black Cats.

Fabianski might still be a Gunner, but this may only last as long as the next few weeks. Despite his impressive contributions, he seems to want out, and it’s a credit to him in my book. By contrast with other want-away players, he’s angling for playing time. Like Mannone, he might be willing to move down the table in order to move up in the pecking order even if this means turning his back on Champions League play, among other perks. Better to be between the sticks than on the bench. For nearly seven years, he’s waited patiently for his turn only to get pipped by his countryman. Along the way, he’s been our man to turn to outside the Prem, turning in stellar performances in our march to the FA Cup final and filling in on short notice when Szczęsny was sent off in the first leg against Bayern and helping to hold the same to a 1-1 draw in the second leg. Last season, of course, he stepped up when Szczęsny was demoted, helping to propel us to five consecutive wins, including the now-famous clean-sheet win at Bayern. Most recently, of course, the man proved his mettle by stopping Wigan’s first two penalty-shots in the FA Cup semifinal to help deliver us to the final—but there’s now a debate over whether he deserves to play the final if he’s set to leave.

Last, of course, is Szczęsny. At the tender age of 24, he’s emerged as the first-choice keeper at one of the world’s biggest clubs, and he’s performed well enough to be among the best young keepers anywhere, so much so that he’s entered the debate for this season’s Golden Glove—despite being on the wrong end of 6-3, 5-1, 6-0, and 3-0 scorelines. Despite those debacles, he’s a very real contender for the Golden Glove. With Petr Čech missing the rest of the season with a dislocated shoulder, he’s frozen at 16 clean sheets. Everton’s Tim Howard has 15. Szczęsny has 14. If he can keep three more clean sheets and Howard concedes goals in two of three matches, the Golden Glove is his. Even without that award, Szczęsny has easily emerged as one of the best young keepers in the Prem. Others, such as Mignolet and de Gea, have seen a bit of tarnish for various reasons. Ever since losing his starting role to Fabianski last season, Szczęsny has emerged as a consistent, stable, even mature keeper. Gone, for the most part, are the distressingly reckless forays off his line. In their place, increasingly often, are game-saving stops at key moments. Did I mention that he’s only 24? His best is yet to come.

For as embarrassing as the riches might have been with three such keepers in the squad, we look to a future with only Szczęsny to rely on. Fabianski looks set to leave, and Viviano’s loan ends in June. If we could just find an ageing, wily veteran keeper willing to mentor the Szcz without demanding too much in the way of playing time, well, wouldn’t that be just peachy?

Thank you, Mannone; thank you, Man U…

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Each of them deserve a hearty thank-you from Gooners everywhere. Man U, of course, earn our gratitude by losing in horrific fashion, but a more-heart-felt thanks goes to Vito Mannone. In a delicious, delicious performance, Vito turned away Man U’s fifth and final penalty in the shoot-out to dump Man U out of the league cup, help Sunderland advance to the final, and remind his old mates at Arsenal of the risks of overplaying one’s hand in these tournaments.

Part of the glory of the FA Cup and league cup is the possibility that some club from out of nowhere, with a payroll dwarfed by each member of their opponent’s starting XI as well as that guy who pops to fix the corner flags, can slay a giant. Hell, it happened to us twice last year, as League Two Bradford knocked us out of the league cup’s quarterfinal, and again as Blackburn beat us at the Emirates in the FA Cup’s fifth round. However, those shockers feel like they were ages ago, coming as they did before we became the first Prem club to win at Allianz Arena and before we went on a ten-game unbeaten streak to close the 2012-13 season. Gone, it seems, are the soul-searching and angst, the calls for Arsène to be sacked or Ramsey sold.

How times have changed.

However, the portents are clear. Bradford knocked us out the league cup in a shoot-out, just as Sunderland did to Man U. Before we lose our senses in gleeful schadenfreude—trust me, there’s ample time for that later—let’s remind ourselves of what’s at stake. It’s easy to write off Coventry due to the morass that their owners have sunk them into. Relegated. Put into administration. Playing home-matches 35 miles away. However, there’s a lot of pride coming from Coventry, rightfully so, and, as happened in that cinematic classic Major League, the players and fans seem to have rallied around their hatred of the club’s owners. Spite can be some powerful, powerful stuff.

Therefore, Mannone’s save on Rafael’s shot, the one that meant that Sunderland would get to the final against Man City, might be one of the more-vital saves he’s made for Arsenal. No typos there. By denying Rafael, at Old Trafford no less, Mannone sent a beacon of hope to Coventry, yes, reminding them that the overmatched need not get overrun. However, he also sent ample warning to Arsenal, reminding us of the same. The warnings and reminders of Blackburn and Bradford may have lost a bit of their edge over the last twelve months, give or take, but a fresh omen from just two days prior to our match can snap minds back to attention.

Of course, I’m not in the locker-room or on the training ground, so don’t mistake me for being in the know about the squad’s state of mind. For all I know, Arsène is looking into ways to calm the players, so amped they are to go out and destroy the Sky Blues. For all I know, each player has taped to his locker an image from the Blackburn or Bradford matches, searing into his heart and eyeballs the memories, motivating him to go out and play pitch-perfect football en route to a 10-0 shellacking of Coventry.

However, it’s also just as likely that there’s a lot of “it’s only Coventry” and “this is just another in a soft stretch of fixtures” going about. Heck, we drew Chelsea in the league-cup and Tottenham in the FA Cup, each in the fourth round. From there, there’s bound to be a bit of let-down when facing a side that haven’t played in the Prem since 2001. Look around, and most of the predictions (mine included) are for Arsenal to win 3-0, if not more.

Pride goeth before the fall, as it’s been said. With that in mind, I’m thankful that Mannone’s save reminds our lads that anything’s possible, just in case anyone forgot. Thanks, Vito.

Goalkeeper Review (or "how badly do we need Cesar or Mignolet?")

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After slumming around a bit in the dark corners of the transfer-universe, I thought it might be a grounding experience to discuss stuff that has actually happened, rather than what merely might happen. With that then, let’s take a look at one area that caused a fair amount of hand-wringing during the season (resisting urge to make pun on hand-wringing and goalies using their hands…must…resist…).

UPDATE, 6/18/13: I was using whoscored.com’s stats earlier but forgot that they don’t include league cup stats. For full disclosure, I’ve crossed out the original stats and have added the complete stats instead. Sorry for any confusion.

Lukas Fabianski: C+

Record: 5 wins, no draws, no losses. (no change)
Avg. goals conceded: ~~0.75~~ 0.6

Across five appearances, Fabianski did very well for himself and sports some gaudy numbers. It’s a shame that he now finds himself out of contract with no prospective suitors at the moment. Would he swallow his pride and accept a return to the Arsenal bench? That’s a lot to ask for a man who helped to deliver a famous 2-0 win over Bayern and who earned a 7.02 rating from whoscored.com. Granted, other than Bayern, he faced Swansea, Norwich, Reading, and West Brom, teams that troubled us a bit more than they should have earlier in the season but whom we beat as we climbed back towards to fourth place. He had one advantage over the others: the defense in front of him was at its best for all of his appearances. He did keep two clean sheets, the other being Swansea, but otherwise didn’t do much to distinguish other than avoiding any howlers. It was only a rib-injury that knocked him out and allowed Szczesny to reclaim his starting role. At 28 years old, he’d appear to be at a difficult age for the role we’d need him to play, that of sage elder who can impart his years of wisdom to the at-times impetuous and inconsistent Szczesny. This role depends, of course, on having that wisdom at hand, and Szczesny needs more than “Don’t do what I just did” if he’s going to improve significantly. It’s difficult, then, to find a role for him, which is an awkward problem resolved by the fact that he’s out of contract. This might be the first time the following sentence: this undefeated goalie just isn’t good enough. He did the job well but not enough to distinguish himself. I hope he lands on his feet somewhere.

Vito Mannone: D

Record: ~~3 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses~~ 5W, 4D, 4L
Avg. goals conceded: ~~1.11~~ 1.23

Vito had ten games in which to prove his worth as Szczesny worked his way back from injury incurred over the summer with the Polish national team, and he just didn’t do it. He managed a 6.53 rating at whoscored.com. Conceding 1.23 goals per game, however, just isn’t good enough. Some of those goals were clearly not his fault, as many came through defensive errors as our team as a whole struggled to establish itself early in the season. Too often, though, he was caught out of position or made mincemeat of what could have been a crucial save. Exhibit A would be his muff of a save against Norwich. The initial shot, while spicy, was one he should have smothered if not deflected out of bounds. Instead, he deflected back across an open goal for Holt to finish. Whereas Fabianski at least showed some degree of consistency, I couldn’t look at Mannone after seven or eight games and feel settled or secure. It’s not that Mannone ever did anything horrifically bad, but he too often seemed caught off-guard and too rarely was in the right place at the right time. He’d be better off moving to a smaller club where the pressure is not quite as high. He’s only 25, young enough as a keeper to offer another club a decent keeper. If he stays at Arsenal, he’ll have to settle for occasional appearances when Szczesny needs a rest or is injured. If he’s ever going to develop into a stronger keeper, it won’t be on Arsenal’s bench. Maybe a loan would give him a chance at first-team action. Then again, with a contract set to expire in June 2014, harder questions will need answers sooner rather than later.

Wojciech Szczesny: C-

Record: ~~15 wins, 7 draws, 7 losses.~~ 17W, 8D, 8L
Avg. Goals conceded: ~~0.96~~ 0.94

There’s a moment from The Simpsons when Homer learns that he’s defeated Barney Gumble to become an astronaut. After Barney somehow gets drunk on non-alcoholic wine, the head of NASA says, “well, Homer, I guess that makes you winner by default.” So it stands with Szczesny: winner by default. After a tumultuous year that saw his father lash out at Arsene for rushing boyo back from injury too soon, our first-choice keeper did come back to mind the sticks well enough to help us win our final six games. He handled being dropped after the 2-1 loss to Spurs with dignity and grace, but it’s still hard to see a dramatic improvement in his performance–not that players can suddenly go from good to great. He’s only 23, a veritable babe in the woods, especially for keepers. Then again, he’s made 108 appearances in three seasons, and at some point, we do need to see some improvement. Like Mannone, his contract runs out in June 2014, so the upcoming season is a make-or-break one for him. His whoscored.com rating of 6.79 feels a bit generous, although he did claim 11 clean sheets on the season. Where would he be without the improved defensive organization in front of him over the last six games of the season?

If he’s serious about laying claim to the starting spot, we need to see more desire, more focus, more performance. We need a keeper who will demand organization and tenacity from the players in front of him and who will lay into them when he gets hung out to dry, whether it’s a PK, a missed assignment, a botched clearance. I’d even go so far as to say he needs to piss a few people off. When he does concede a goal, I want him to be too busy pointing out who did what wrong to bother fishing the ball out of the net. We need a keeper who demands perfection or something pretty darned close to it, someone whom everyone else is afraid to let down, and I’m not sure Szczesny is ready to claim that mantle. Maybe it’s from his age or callowness. Maybe it’s just not in him, period.

Who should be our #1 GK?

I started out thinking I’d end by recommending we try to bring in QPR’s Julio Cesar as someone aged and skilled enough to accept more of a mentor’s role to help bring Szczesny along. He’d perhaps be grateful to have been saved from the Champions League that he’d accept a lesser role on the pitch. Now, however, I wonder if we need a more-direct challenge to Szczesny, someone like Mignolet who can come in and do more than just jostle Woj from his complacent stupor (if that’s what it is…) and do one of two things: force/inspire the lanky Pole to become the keeper we’ve all been waiting for or replace him as that keeper.

I want to believe in Woj; I want him to be our keeper, but I want to go on more than faith and loyalty when I do this. Am I being harsh? Would we be better off with someone entirely new, or someone who can prod and support Woj? Cast your vote and weigh in below the fold.