But who does he rate higher?
Sunday 23 November 2014 18:43, UK
Arsenal goalkeeping legend David Seaman has backed current Gunners gloves-man Wojciech Szczesny but insisted David de Gea is better.
Manchester United ran out 2-1 winners at the Emirates on Saturday with De Gea playing a starring role in the visitors' goal while Szczesny’s error contributed to the hosts conceding the opening goal.
But Seaman, a three-time Premier League winner in a 13-year spell at Arsenal, joined Kammy and Ben to run the rule over some Premier League goalkeepers.
The Pole endured a difficult afternoon on Saturday against United but has been backed to eventually come good.
Seaman said: “He’s not making bad mistakes. He’s making great saves. He’s a big guy and he’s getting better because he came off his best season last season, winning a trophy.
"I would have thought you could teach him the verbal side of things. It’s something that you learn. I didn’t go to Arsenal until I was 26 off the back of four years at QPR in the Premier League. I had all that experience and he’s learning at the highest level – the hardest level – and he’s only 24. People forget he’s still young and still has a lot of time.
“Some of his decision-making needs looking at. They need to get that on the videos and show him what he’s doing because sometimes he’s getting it wrong and that needs pointing out to him. At the moment, eight out of 10.”
United's young Spaniard has established himself as one of the league's best keepers after a slow start.
Seaman said: "I like him a lot. He really struggled when he first came, made a couple of mistakes but shows character. In a goalkeeper you look at how they are physically – can they cope with challenges all the time? Then reactions and shot-stopping are all guaranteed – people say to me ‘he’s a great shot-stopper’ but he’s a goalie, that’s what he should be! It’s the other stuff, like how you react from mistakes. He had a bad time when he first came but reacted in an unbelievable way. He’s learning fast and he’s at a big club which helps. I would give him nine out of 10."
After a standout World Cup, injuries have prevented him challenging Szczesny for Arsenal's gloves.
Seaman said: "It keeps Szczesny on his toes and that’s a good thing because you know if you have a couple of bad games there’s every chance you’ll be dropped. I had that when people like Alex Manninger came in and Richard Wright came in. I had Stuart Taylor pushing me as well. It was good because it gave me something to aim for – to be better than them, even in training. It just gives you an extra push.
"Ospina had a great World Cup. He’s a little bit small for an Arsenal goalkeeper but when he’s on the pitch he’s big – he makes the goal look small. Richard Wright, when he went in goal, the goal would look huge. Arsene Wenger said to me: ‘the goal looks so big when Richard is in it’. But Richard Wright was 6’0”.
After years as Szczesny's understudy a summer switch to Swansea has given Fabianski a run of games.
Seaman said: "He's had a good move. He's playing in the Premier League and is getting games. That's what he needed at Arsenal but he didn't get that. He had a spell where he had a wobble but he worked really hard on it. He worked on his game and the mental side of it as well. Like me, his last game for Arsenal was a cup final win! He played well in that and now he's showing what he's capable of. Maybe he's made Arsenal think. I'd give him seven or eight out of 10."
