Costly: Manuel Almunia ponders his blunder
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is in danger of losing
his place to his bitter rival Jens Lehmann after Arsenal suffered
yet another dreadful defensive mix-up in their 2-2 draw at West
Bromwich Albion.
The 41-year-old former Germany keeper, who was brought out of
retirement last week as emergency cover for an unprecedented injury
crisis at Arsenal, looked on from the bench as Almunia charged from
his goal in the 61st minute to meet a long ball, only to collide
with Sebastien Squillaci.
The ball bounced kindly for Peter Odemwingie, who rolled it into
an open net.
Waiting in the wings: Jens Lehmann before the game
against West Brom
The Spaniard looked distraught by his latest gaffe and
Lehmann could now be called on to make a dramatic return in two
weeks' time for the home match against Blackburn.
Almunia - dropped after an error-strewn performance in a shock
3-2 home defeat against the same opponents in Sseptember - has only
returned because of injuries to Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech
Szczesny, but is now in danger of being axed again.
The error came just weeks after the awful confusion between
Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny gifted Birmingham their winner in
the Carling Cup final.
Arsenal fans again looked on in disbelief yesterday, but manager
Arsene Wenger, who failed to agree a deal for Fulham keeper Mark
Schwarzer last summer, declined to criticise his players.
'I don't want to go into individual criticisms,' said Wenger.
'The players who were involved know what dignity is about. What was
good was the reaction the whole team has shown with their fighting
spirit and it will be interesting until the end because we are
ready to focus and ready to fight.'
Almunia looked set to leave the club in the January transfer
window but Arsenal were unable to tie up a move.
He injured an elbow in the dreadful display against Albion in
September but came back into Wenger's team when first Fabianski was
ruled out with a shoulder problem and then Szczesny dislocated a
finger against Barcelona earlier this month.
MANUEL ALMUNIA (Appearances: 13)
Started season as No1 after failed bid to sign Mark Schwarzer
from Fulham but has suffered injury and horror shows against West
Brom
LUKASZ FABIANSKI (Appearances:
20)
Took Almunia’s place but was soon dubbed ‘Flapihandski’ and
replaced after shoulder injury
WOJCIECH SZCZESNY (Appearances:
17)
Showed promise but 20-year-old soon followed his elders,
dropping a clanger in the Carling Cup final at Wembley and getting
injured
VITO MANNONE (Appearances: 0)
Italian played last season but has been at Hull on loan this
term and, guess what, he’s also injured
JENS LEHMANN (Appearances: 0)
Brought out of retirement, aged 41, the former Arsenal keeper
(left) is Wenger’s only option if he’s ready to axe Almunia again.
The German is no stranger to gaffes himself, with his costliest
blunder coming when he was sent off in the 2006 Champions League
final.