Gunnerblog

Fabianski flaps at his Arsenal future

130 guns May 4th, 2010

Blackburn 2 - 1 Arsenal (Van Persie 14, Dunn 43, Samba 68)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction

It’s getting harder to remember, but not long ago this looked like a promising season. Now, with one win in our last eight games, we’re in danger of not only obliterating any memory of our ‘title challenge’, but even of losing our automatic Champions League qualification.

It’s clear we are struggling with injuries. Yesterday Gael Clichy, Nicklas Bendtner and Tomas Rosicky joined a list that already included Almunia, Vermaelen, Gallas, Fabregas, Ramsey, Denilson and Song. Our back four contained only one first-choice player, Bacary Sagna. In midfield, Emmanuel Eboue coped admirably in an unfamiliar central role, whilst Carlos Vela was handed his first Premier League start of the season on the left flank. Remarkable that Eduardo, who Arsene Wenger claims is back to his best in training, still couldn’t get a look-in.

And in goal, of course, was Lukasz Fabianski. We’re told Almunia is injured but most suspect that he’s simply being rested to give Fabianski a stance to stake his claim for the shirt. Well, so far it’s proving about as successful as most of his attempts to claim crosses: Fabianski has underlined his reputation as a calamity keeper.

Arsenal took the lead with a Van Persie header from an old school near post flick-on corner, Samir Nasri’s flat delivery being turned on by Bacary Sagna before the Dutchman nodded it in to the roof of the net. From that point on, we barely created a chance of note until sub Andrey Arshavin fired the ball straight at Robinson ten minutes from time. By that point, we were 2-1 down.

To say Blackburn had targeted Fabianski probably constitutes an understatement. They may aswell have painted a big red circle on his head. The problem a nervous goalkeeper has is that it creates a cycle: opposition teams see his weakness and look to exploit it. It means he has to constantly combat that special treatment. He can’t just go back to his preferred game. Yesterday Blackburn took every opportunity to catapult the ball high in to the area. For a while, Fabianski coped admirably. But the law of averages alone suggested it couldn’t last.

I’m not sure he can be held too accountable for the equaliser - a push in the back by Jason Roberts went unnoticed, which meant his punch didn’t get sufficient distance, but Arsenal then switched off and allowed David Dunn too much space to tap in at the far post. The fear that gripped Fabianski overwhelmed the rest of the players too - they were so engaged with his predicament that they forgot their more basic responsibilities, and the lead was lost.

Whilst Fabianski can escape a degree of criticism on the first, the second was a trademark rick. As a devilish corner arrived right under his crossbar, and Arsenal’s defenders waited for the keeper to claim the ball, he simply stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. Christopher Samba couldn’t believe his luck when the ball came off his head and hit the net. Fabianski sat in the goalmouth in the knowledge that he’d made yet another headline hash of it. Oh, and Arsene: Christopher Samba cost £450,000 from Hertha Berlin. We could do with a few of those.

Fabianski’s form reminds me a bit of Alexandre Song’s disastrous early displays. He looks miles away from being ready, but Arsene is insistent that his talent will flourish. Maybe he’s right, but it took Song a good two years of first-team football to get to where he is now. Two years of Fabianski mistakes would be too costly for us.

There’s a reason goalkeepers don’t peak until their mid-thirties. There’s a reason United pick the ageing Van der Sar over promising Ben Foster. It’s a position where experience is key, and vulnerability all too debilitating. Arsene would be wise to look at getting a year or two from someone like Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer. The frustrating thing is we know he’d probably rather discover some francophonic unknown.

Fabianski is one of several players in yesterday’s squad who it’s hard to envisage remaining at the club much longer. Mikael Silvestre’s deal expires in the summer and there’s no talk of an extension. Armand Traore is inferior to both Gael Clichy and Kieran Gibbs, who (along with Johan Djourou) was fit enough for the bench yesterday. And Carlos Vela, almost two years on from that electrifying Carling Cup form, looks worse at 21 than he did at 19. He signed an new deal in December, but one wonders if that was simply to ensure a decent fee for a player who doesn’t look cut out for the rocky landscape of English football. A good World Cup could make him a saleable asset.

And what of Eduardo? Once a predatory goalscorer, now simply a last hurl of the dice. In a game where we lacked precision and penetration, he was given just twelve minutes. With Chamakh set to join Van Persie and Bendtner ahead of him in the queue, one wonders how much longer he’ll be willing to remain on the sidelines. Or indeed how much point there is in paying him vast sums of money to do so.

What was most frustrating about yesterday’s game was that the players really didn’t seem to care. Yes, it’s still unlikely that Spurs will pinch third place, but in this season of all seasons it could happen. But that’s not the point: whether we have something to play for or not, every game demands a professional attitude and a will to win. That was our ninth league defeat. It’s only two fewer than Liverpool, who’ve spent the season being rightly and roundly mocked.

It’s Cesc Fabregas’ birthday today. Whispers suggest the captain is close to full fitness, and might be an outside contender to play against Fulham. At this rate, it looks as if he might be needed.

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