Arsenal’s success within the Premier League period has largely been mirrored who they’ve had defending their web.
Stability between the posts ensued for the primary decade of Premier League competitors, with a seamless goalkeeping transition perpetuating their success.
After shifting to the Emirates Stadium, nevertheless, Arsenal’s goalkeeping place had change into considered one of chaos and instability till Mikel Arteta stumbled upon the person who might probably guard the Gunners’ purpose for the subsequent decade.
Listed here are the highest ten Arsenal goalkeepers of the Premier League period.
It was a whirlwind of a trip for the long run 2022 World Cup hero, who loved mortgage spells on the likes of Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham earlier than lastly incomes his massive break at Arsenal.
A decade after signing from Independiente in 2010, Emiliano Martinez earned widespread reward for his performances amid the membership’s journey to FA Cup glory, incomes a £20m transfer to Aston Villa off the again of his showings.
Initially signed as Jens Lehmann’s back-up, Manuel Almunia earned loads of minutes because the German’s type dipped and he finally grew to become the membership’s primary.
The Spaniard, nevertheless, remained Arsene Wenger’s main shot-stopper for a curiously very long time even when it grew to become clear that he wasn’t minimize out for the job.
Whereas a revered determine within the dressing room and a loyal servant, Almunia definitely wasn’t the most effective goalkeeper Arsenal have had on their books.
David Ospina was Arsenal’s primary for a quick interval, however he was solely signed to supply stiffer competitors for Wojciech Szczesny.
The Colombian worldwide finally earned the beginning job and proved to be a basically sound keeper all through his Gunners tenure. His small body, nevertheless, meant followers had been by no means satisfied by Ospina regardless of his regular type and he was rapidly usurped by Petr Cech in 2015.
His appearances had been usually restricted to cup competitions thereafter.
Alex Manninger hadn’t gained a ton of expertise on the highest degree when he was signed by the Gunners in 1997. Nevertheless, the Austrian keeper proved to be a dependable quantity two to David Seaman throughout his 5 years on the membership.
Manninger recorded six consecutive Premier League clear sheets in his first season and would go on to make 64 appearances for the Gunners. Richard Wright’s arrival from Ipswich signalled the top of his time in north London, though Wenger might need wished he held onto him.
Bernd Leno did little fallacious throughout his time on the Emirates. The Mikel Arteta challenge merely advanced past the German.
Whereas Leno was a wonderful shot-stopper who produced some of the outrageous double saves in a 2019 North London Derby, his limitations with the ball at his ft meant he was by no means appropriate with Arteta and his beliefs.
There have been excessive hopes for Poland’s present primary when he first broke into the Arsenal aspect following a powerful mortgage at Brentford in 2009/10.
Wojciech Szczesny had spent three years within the Arsenal youth set-up earlier than changing into the membership’s starter through the 2010/11 season. Regardless of some low moments – the 2011 League Cup closing and 8-2 defeat at Outdated Trafford stand out on this regard – the Pole carried out effectively after incomes the job.
He shared the Golden Glove with Petr Cech in 2013/14 however his type took a nosedive the next season. Though, he’d exit in fashion as he saved a clear sheet in Arsenal’s 2015 FA Cup closing win over Aston Villa.
Szczesny later blossomed into a wonderful goalkeeper with Juventus.
Petr Cech’s general time at Arsenal is not precisely seemed again on with a lot fondness attributable to his stark drop in efficiency in direction of the top of his spell in north London.
Nevertheless, for the primary couple of years, the all-time Premier League nice retained his excessive ranges of efficiency. He received his fourth Golden Glove in 2015/16 and helped Arsenal to FA Cup glory in 2016/17, though he really missed the ultimate attributable to damage.
The Czech keeper seemed outdated through the latter days of his Arsenal tenure, and he was finally succeeded by Bernd Leno because the Gunners’ primary after Unai Emery changed Arsene Wenger.
Eyebrows had been raised when Arsenal splashed £30m to signal a goalkeeper that had simply suffered back-to-back Premier League relegations.
Nevertheless, Aaron Ramsdale was Sheffield United’s Participant of the Yr in 2020/21 and Mikel Arteta recognized the Englishman as the person to carry down the fort in Arsenal’s purpose for the subsequent nevertheless a few years.
It did not take lengthy for Ramsdale to usurp Bernd Leno within the depth chart and he swiftly endeared himself to the Emirates devoted. The 25-year-old has performed a key half in Arsenal’s evolution underneath Arteta, with the goalkeeper embodying all the pieces the Spaniard’s challenge is about.
Jens Lehmann had the unenviable job of changing the membership’s greatest-ever goalkeeper in 2003 when he was signed from Borussia Dortmund.
Nevertheless, the German’s first yr in north London could not have gone any higher because the Gunners lifted the Premier League title with out shedding. Lehmann began each single sport that season, preserving 15 clear sheets.
His second wasn’t fairly so good as Manuel Almunia earned minutes, however he rebounded in 2005/06 as he starred amid the membership’s rise to the Champions League closing. Lehmann saved a exceptional ten clear sheets in a row within the competitors and went 853 minutes with out conceding a purpose.
His unlucky pink card in Paris signalled the top of Lehmann’s greatest for the north London membership, however he’d spend one other two seasons with Arsenal earlier than returning to Germany and even briefly returned for one sport in 2011.
After all it’s.
The membership’s greatest-ever goalkeeper is likely one of the best shot-stoppers England have ever produced, and David Seaman should be thought to be among the finest goalkeepers of his era anyplace on the earth.
Seaman was Arsenal’s primary for effectively over a decade, recording the sixth-most appearances in Gunners historical past (405) and profitable three league titles in north London. He was twice named within the PFA Staff of the Yr and twice additionally ended the Premier League season with essentially the most clear sheets.
Whereas Jens Lehmann briefly did so, no Arsenal goalkeeper has come near matching Seaman’s calmness and stability between the sticks.
