Question:

UEFA Champions League Report: Fabianski to replace Almunia for Arsenal’s game against Partizan

by  |  earlier

0 LIKES UnLike

UEFA Champions League Report: Fabianski to replace Almunia for Arsenal’s game against Partizan
A joker replaces a clown and Wenger is still happy. For many, this statement may seem derogatory, but such is the sorry state of Arsenal’s goalkeepers that one just can’t find any better examples.
Arsenal travel to Serbia tonight to take on Partizan Belgrade in their second match of the UEFA Champions League, and after the injury to Manuel Almunia, Arsene Wenger has put his faith in Lukasz Fabianski on the night.
Fabianski and his young teammates will be without their inspirational captain Cesc Fabregas, as well as Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott. They will face the music tonight in Serbia as they look to build upon their 6-0 opening
night victory.
Arsenal were gob smacked at the weekend at home when Premier League minnows West Bromwich Albion took a shocking 3-0 lead and eventually managed to beat the Gunners at home 3-2. Arsene Wenger’s side will be looking to bounce back
from that dismal defeat tonight as a win would put them in pole position for qualification to the next round of the competition.
Partizan came through three rounds of qualification matches to book a berth in the group phase of the competition, and the side from Belgrade is in good nick and has domestically notched up 5 wins out of 6.
Wenger would not know whether to thank Almunia or to curse him for getting injured for this all important clash as the Spanish goalie was responsible for at least two of the goals that Arsenal conceded at the weekend.
The man replacing Almunia is also no stonewall himself, as he too has made some catastrophic blunders in the Carling Cup, FA Cup, Premier League and the Champions League during his time with Arsenal and has single handedly lost
the match for his team in the past. His derogatory nickname of ‘Flappyhandski’ exists for a reason.
But ahead of tonight’s game in Serbia, Wenger is confident that his youngsters and especially his goalie can rise up to the occasion and come home with a win.
Wenger said "As a manager you can give a chance to a player who is good enough and I believe in his talent. He gets another opportunity to show how good he is. I want him to show how good he is. There is only one way to show confidence
in a player and that is to put him on the pitch and give him his chance."
Stadion FK Partizan will be in buoyant mood as the Gunners visit the den of the ‘Grave Diggers’, who will look to extend Arsenal’s unwanted record of not winning an away fixture in this competition since last September.
Brazilian born striker Cleo will lead the line for the side from the Serbian capital. He has scored 11 goals in Europe this season with 8 of them coming in the qualifying campaign.
Partizan lost their opening game against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk but will be looking forward to make amends tonight even if they face a stiff test from an injury ravaged Arsenal team.
A win for both sides is of pivotal importance for different reasons; one is trying to get in pole position for qualification into the knock out rounds of the Champions League while the other is looking to open their points account
in the competition. One man under massive pressure will be the man standing in between the posts for Arsenal as after blunders at the weekend by his own partner in crime, Almunia, Fabianski has to deliver the goods for his team or else the fans and supporters,
who are already short of support for both their goalies, may even start demanding the sale of both Almunia and Fabianski.

 Tags:

   Report
SIMILAR QUESTIONS

Question Stats

Latest activity: earlier.
This question has 0 answers.

BECOME A GUIDE

Share your knowledge and help people by answering questions.