Szczesny is one of the brightest spots this season for me. It was hard to imagine just a few months ago that he'd get his big chance so quickly but he's taken it well. With Fabianski confirmed to be out for the season it looks like we've got a new No. 1 at the club for real.

What do people think about Snes's season so far?

Personally I feel petty relaxed about having him in goal. I think Fabianski is a better keeper at this point in time, but the difference isn't huge. Szczesny is definitely the one with the biggest potential of the two. His reflexes are out of this world. His biggest flaw is obviously his kicking but it looked vastly improved against Everton.

YoungGuns on Twitter, by the way:

Wojciech Szczęsny on the two scars he has from breaking his arms: "I tell people one scar is from the war, and another from a shark bite."

😆

Apparently it's taken from a (long) interview in today's Guardian. He talks about his dad among other things:

Wojciech Szczesny agrees. You don't have to be crazy to be a goalkeeper but it helps and it is not difficult to see where he gets it from. His father, Maciej, was a Poland goalkeeper who won the domestic title with four different clubs and Szczesny, the coming star at Arsenal, has a favourite story from his playing days.

"My dad got sent off for punching Roberto Mancini in the face," he says. "It was in the European Cup-Winners' Cup quarter-final in 1991 and if you look on YouTube you will have confirmation. It's a very clear punch. He just went straight through him. I can't wait to play against Mancini now. Maybe he will remember."

Sampdoria had just scored an 89th-minute goal through Gianluca Vialli in the second leg against Legia Warsaw but needed more to avoid elimination. Szczesny Sr grabbed the ball and Mancini, now the Manchester City manager, wanted it back. "The question for my dad was: 'Do you want to play in the final?'" Szczesny says. "But obviously being a nutter … it was: 'No.' Bang, he punched him. It was the last minute and he was suspended for the semi-final, which Legia lost to Manchester United. He wasn't very happy. I just hope that Mancini still remembers it."

More here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/04/arsenal-wojciech-szczesny

I'm delighted the way he's stepped in and is now being given a chance due to circumstances.
Although Fabianski appeared to shake his earlier wobbles the impression rests especially after the Newcastle game that- like Almunia- disaster is never far away, Szczesny has a clean sheet in that respect so he inspires more confidence.
I do think far too much is being made of his kicking that's not what he's there for, this is taking Wengerball multitasking to it's extreme and if thats all there is to complain about then it's not too bad is it?.
Ffs after all our long term suffering on the goalkeeping front since Lehmann left we should be glad that at last we appear to have a goalie that doesn't act like a fucking clown.

I think he looks simply dashing in pink.

Biggus wrote:

I do think far too much is being made of his kicking that's not what he's there for, this is taking Wengerball multitasking to it's extreme and if thats all there is to complain about then it's not too bad is it?.

Pretty much my sentiments too. It's not something that's hard to improve on either.

What I like most about him is how he, at the age of 20, comes straight into the first team of one of the biggets clubs in Europe and acts like he's been playing there regularly for years. I think it was asa who said that he could hear Szczesny shout at the defenders all the way up where he was seated in the second tier. He's completely fearless. He's got an ego as big as Bendtner's, but with the performances to back it up.

Couldn't agree more, Bigs. That Guardian interview is well worth a read, seems like a really smart, confident character to have in and around the rest of the team.

I think he has a very good chance of being a fixture for a really long time. I'd be surprised if Fabianski gets even a squeak of a look in by the time he returns.

Klaus wrote:

What I like most about him is how he, at the age of 20, comes straight into the first team of one of the biggets clubs in Europe and acts like he's been playing there regularly for years. I think it was asa who said that he could hear Szczesny shout at the defenders all the way up where he was seated in the second tier. He's completely fearless. He's got an ego as big as Bendtner's, but with the performances to back it up.

He doesn't shut up. 😆

Honestly, he's constantly barking orders at someone, if it's not warning one of his fullbacks that there's a man behind him, or telling them where the spare man is for the pass, he's waving his centrebacks forward with complete disdain ( 😆 ) because he's decided to kick it long.

He's also very vocal at corners, shouting to keep players concentrated, and then encouraging them when they do their job. He just gets the whole thing. You'd like him if you saw him up close Bigs, your kind of keeper methinks.

He deserves his chance.

Got to love the Chez.

It's great to have a goalkeeper with natural charisma and swagger again.

Err this is not a Bendtner thread.

I suppose that all GK at some stage will make howling errors so it then depends on how quickly they put them behind and accept that they are sometimes an inevitable part of goal keeping life.

I've always felt that Fabianski is too fragile on that level whereas Szczesny seems unbreakable.

Extremely comfortable with him in goal and have been so since he first took over in the game against United.

Remember how he loomed in goal just before Rooney took his penalty?
I'm convinced that contributed to the miss.

Biggus wrote:

Err this is not a Bendtner thread.

Really?

Shame his brilliant performance against Newcastle would almost go unnoticed due to the result.

Same for Walcott Arshavin and Diaby

4 days later

He played his first full match for Poland yesterday. Kept a clean sheet apparently.

Klaus wrote:

He played his first full match for Poland yesterday. Kept a clean sheet obviously.

Fixed that for you Klausie. 🙂

Looks like you fixed the thread title too! Cheers, ricksie.

Love this guy. It's great that we now have him and Jack - two guys who I'd love to see here for years!

yea they've got winner's attitudes and a bit of personality.