Brilliant Lehmann

Arsenal Football Club has a proud tradition of great goalkeepers and when Jens Lehmann first signed, doubts were expressed in some quarters about his suitability to succeed David Seaman. Not any more. Anyone who watched Arsenal last season, and especially their spectacular progress to the final of the Champions League, or witnessed Germany’s brilliant showing which brought them to the very brink of World Cup glory, will know how much each of those sides owed to their goalkeeper.

And anyone who was at Old Trafford on 17th September 2006 to see Arsenal dominate the game and end Manchester United’s unbeaten start to the season (in itself a delicious irony for Gunners’ fans) will appreciate the massive contribution of Lehmann to that victory – in particular the bravery that enabled him to prevent Ronaldo giving United the lead from seven yards by taking a shot hit with immense power full in the face, and the miraculous 86th minute fingertip stop from Solskjaer, when the United substitute was so sure he had equalised he had already turned to celebrate. The latter was an absolutely stunning piece of goalkeeping and already a certain candidate for ‘save of the season’, from a player who has earned his place as one of Arsenal’s greats.