Becoming Arsenal's No1 is not enough for rookie Szczesny

Down but not out: Wojciech Szczesny denies Luciano Becchio in the first tie at Emirates and is determined to silence Elland Road tonight
11 April 2012

There is a refreshing honesty about rookie goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny that should hold Arsenal in good stead for tonight's FA Cup third-round replay at Leeds, where such qualities will be needed to ensure they progress.

Last week's defeat at Ipswich should serve to sharpen the minds, as another lackadaisical performance littered with the self-indulgence that has so often been their undoing could result in similar embarrassment at Elland Road.

Szczesny has long been earmarked as a future Arsenal No1 and he has been given his chance to fulfil such potential with Manuel Almunia's fall from grace compounded by on-going fitness problems and Lukasz Fabianski's shoulder injury.

The 20-year-old is set to play his fourth game in 11 days and he has acclimatised well to first-team football while speaking candidly about his own game that suggests he has the drive to succeed at the highest level.

Most players of his age would simply express their happiness at being involved but Szczesny said: "I don't think my performances have been as good as I expect them to be. I always try to look at myself and analyse my performances in an objective way.

"If I make a mistake then I am aware of it and I see what my weaknesses are ­ — my distribution has been rather shocking recently but I am working hard on it. I am doing it every day to improve — it has improved but it still has to get better.

"Every day I go with the goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton and I have worked with the youth team goalkeeping coach Lee Smelt as well and tried to get the right technique.

"The boss has put some pressure on me because at the end of training he goes 60 yards away from me and wants me to try to hit him!

"We realise this is my weakness and I have to work on it and I am sure in a couple of months time it should be fine.

"When I was on loan at Brentford, I was doing a lot of kicking and after a couple of months I got used to it but when I returned to Arsenal, we tried to play from the back so I don't do it as much as I used to so I have lost the technique.

"I am sure when I get the technique back I will be kicking it into the opposition penalty box."

Szczesny's potential has shone amid the defensive concerns that continue to hamper Arsenal in their pursuit of silverware, with Laurent Koscielny feeling the effects of a gruelling introduction into English football and Johan Djourou stuggling for consistency following a year out after knee surgery.

With Thomas Vermaelen out for another six weeks and Sebastien Squillaci's intermittent availability, there has been considerable upheaval at the heart of the Gunners' defence.

Almunia, Fabianski and Szczesny have all had stints in goal too, leading to suggestions the disruption has inhibited a proper understanding — and any weakness in communication is sure to be tested in the white-hot atmosphere created by a sell-out Yorkshire crowd tonight.

"The results weren't as good as I expected them to be before I came into the side but I am enjoying my run of games," said Szczesny.

"I like to play regularly — I feel more confident with each game so I am trying to make the most of my chance.

"We looked like we were quite tired in the games I have played but the one thing you cannot fault us for is attitude — we tried really hard in every game and sometimes it didn't work for us.

"I tried to talk to my defenders as much as possible and give them information. It is sometimes hard when you play away and there is a big crowd behind you and you don't really hear a lot. I don't think there is a lack of communication around our back four.

"You can shout as loud as you like but even people who are six or seven yards away can struggle to hear you because there are 10,000 people right behind you. But you have to do it at the right time and try."

However, Wenger, who has never been beaten by a lower-division side in this competition, expects his side to cope with the atmosphere at Leeds, who will be backed by their first capacity crowd of the season, numbering at just under 40,000.

The winners this evening will host Huddersfield in the fourth round and the Gunners boss said: "I believe no matter what the team does, the fans will be behind the team at Leeds.

"On the other hand, we are used to that and that would not be any excuse for us. We have played all over the world, everywhere, in vociferous stadiums.

"I don't think that will be any excuse for us, it's natural and normal. What's important is that you show your quality no matter in what kind of environment you play.

"In the first game, what impressed me was the quality of their tactical discipline, the quality of their strengths in their commitment and their positive attitude every time they had the ball, they were direct but tried to go forward.

"We want to be sharper and more positive, we started the game a little bit off our usual level. That means first, mentally, you want to switch on much quicker."

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