Wenger rubberstamps Fabianski as Number 1



Arsenal's new Number one

 Following Tuesday night's 2-0 Carling Cup win over Wigan, Arsene Wenger declared emphatically:

"My policy is to stick to the squad I have. We will not be on the market," Wenger told the club's official website. "I want to keep my squad and I want to continue with these players. We will not be on the market unless we lose some."

The Arsenal player who would have expelled the biggest sigh of relief at those words would be Lukasz Fabianski, who has anxiously been keeping the goal since Manuel Almunia exited with an 'elbow injury' after the West Brom defeat at Emirates in October.
Wenger has dodgedly kept faith with the 25 year-old Pole since then and his performances betwen the sticks have as well improved dramatically. The Pole was an object of derision since he arrived at the club two seasons ago from Legia Warsaw; not for any ulterior or personal motive but for his laughable displays which either made us lose games or conceed comical goals. One that sticks in the mind prominently was the cheeky penalty he conceeded against FC Porto in the Champions League Round of 16 last February, at the Estadio Dragao, when he picked up a backpass from Sol Campbell and thus gifted Porto a cheap, unnecessary, stupid and donkeyhead penalty. We lost that game 2-1 but turned it around 5-0 at the Emirates two weeks later.
This season, since the 'disappearance' of Almunia, he has seized his chance  - with two hands.
Gunners everywhere, me inclusive, have watched with mouths hanging open as Fabianksi has resisted gallantly betwen the posts. His displays in away games such as against Wolves and Everton were particularly outstanding. From an object of ridicule and sometimes, even hate, he has settled down to show us what he's got and earned our respect - though grudging.
But he deserves the benefit of the doubt.
That we are third on the log at the moment is due largely to our away form in the league. And that form, highlighted by five wins, has been built on Fabianski's heroics between the sticks.
The unassuming Pole himself knows that he has won over not-a-few converts. In his words:
 "I think you have to use every game you have played in a positive way, even if you have played badly.  You have to always make some conclusions from every single game. Going through that difficult period helped me to become a better 'keeper".

What a change of tack from 3-4 months back at the tail end of the transfer window with rumours circulating thick and fast of Wenger's interest in Fulham's Mark Schwarzer. Indeed, Wenger wanted Schwarzer but a diffeence of opinion over his true worth, coupled with Mark Hughes' recalcitrance scuppered that deal.
Four months into the season, the Frenchman has clearly seen enough to convince him that Fabianski at least deserves a fair chance.
Which is why he isn't thinking of buying anyone at least until the summer. Further still, he has come out in praise of 'Flapianski' and his words must be sweet music to the young Pole.

"I am personally convinced he is a world-class goalkeeper, potentially, and of course when you have that potential you want to transfer that into competitive games. I can only give him the opportunity to give him games to show what I believe about how good he is. I believe he has a very strong attitude, very strong response and he works very hard in training, so he has an opportunity to show his massive talent. I have massive faith in him and I think I have shown this historically. I am convinced he will become a great goalkeeper."

'Great' may still be far off in describing him for now, but he has quietly laid the foundations for such a lofty accolade someday. Like him or hate him, he seems set to man the sticks for a long, long time time indeed.