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Arsenal keeper Almunia is itching for first-team place
Shot-stopper needs regular spot to help international chances
ARSENAL’S reserve keeper Manuel Almunia has declared himself one of the best goalkeepers in Europe and ready to play at international level.
He is itching for a regular place in the Gunners’ first team after spending most of his Arsenal career on the subs’ bench.
With current first choice Jens Lehmann’s future at Ashburton Grove far from certain, Almunia would jump at the chance to takeover.
He was between the sticks on Sunday as Arsenal fielded a team of reserves and youth players in the Carling Cup final against Chelsea, narrowly losing out 2-1.
It was the second cup final that Almunia has featured in, having come on in the Champions League final against Barcelona last year when Lehmann was shown a red card. Almunia described the 2-1 defeat as his “saddest moment in football”.
Almunia, once parodied for his apparent difficulty in claiming crosses, is now staking a claim for regular action in the first team.
But he has now had a big enough run in the first team to no longer be satisfied with a place on the bench.
He said on Saturday: “You can earn all the money in the world and play in the biggest league but if you are more than two years on the bench, you can easily get bored. You need to feel important. A lot goes through my mind when I’m on the bench for 90 minutes. It’s not easy.”
The 29-year-old shot stopper was plucked out of the Spanish league by manager Arsene Wenger two and half years ago.
He was virtually unknown in this country but Almunia now considers himself international class and ready to play for the Spanish national team.
He said: “If and when I am number one, I am sure that I will go on and play for Spain.” |
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