Lehmann ready for challenge
German international Jens Lehmann is ready to fight off the challenge of a new goalkeeping recruit at Arsenal this season – just as he won back his place from Manuel Almunia last season.
With Almunia having fallen out of favour and currently suffering from a finger injury, Arsenal seem poised to sign a new rival for Lehmann before the start of the Premiership campaign.
Uruguay international Sebastian Viera is the most likely candidate, although no deal has yet been finalised, but Wenger is well aware that Lehmann is banned for the opening two Champions League group games.
That suspension was imposed after he squirted water from a bottle at the match officials after Arsenal’s last-16 exit against Bayern Munich last season.
Indeed, the two-game absence could give Lehmann’s new rival an early chance to stake a claim for a regular place, just as Almunia replaced him for several months last season.
However, the German international, who has also had a notorious battle for an international place with Bayern’s Oliver Kahn, is ready for the challenge.
“Everyone who wants to play at a high level has to compete for their place. I’ve shown that I can perform when I really have to, but I still have to show every day in training and in every game that I am still capable of doing it,” he declared.
“Every season is important for me. The World Cup is 10 months away and we will see what is going on in May. If you don’t perform well for your club, you don’t need to think about the World Cup.”
Lehmann, 34, looks back philosophically on his absence of more than two months from the first team last season, when Almunia was given a chance to replace him.
“I am used to having a winter break in Germany. That is what I had in England last season as well,” he observed wryly.
“Sometimes it’s not bad when you have a rest for a couple of games. You can recover and relax, then you go on, although maybe that was a little too long!
“But I think the most important thing is that I know about my skills. If I have to rest for two or three games, it will not bother me as the season is very long.”
As one of only a handful of players aged over 30 in a relatively young squad, Lehmann can bring much-needed experience, especially with Thierry Henry now attempting to captain the side from the attack.
“It’s not so easy for a striker to organise a team as he is dependent upon good passes and good runs from the midfielders and defenders,” added Lehmann.
“It was the same with Patrick [Vieira] last season though. As a goalkeeper, you always have to organise your defence independent of who is captain.
“Everyone has to lead a bit in their position. As long as everyone is organising well, talking well and playing well, then it will help Thierry a lot.”
