- Wojciech Szczesny will receive a heavy fine for smoking in showers
- The Arsenal goalkeeper lit up cigarette after 2-0 defeat at Southampton
- Szczesny has infuriated members of Arsenal’s first-team squad
- Arsene Wenger would be keen on signing Petr Cech or Hugo Lloris
Wojciech Szczesny is fighting to save his Arsenal career with Arsene Wenger actively seeking a new No 1.
Szczesny infuriated his manager on New Year’s Day by smoking a cigarette in the showers after the 2-0 defeat by Southampton at St Mary’s.
The Pole will be fined heavily by the club for this serious breach of discipline, but it is the goalkeeper’s performances on the pitch that are causing Wenger greater concerns.
Wojciech Szczesny will receive a heavy fine after smoking a cigarette in the showers at Southampton
Szczesny goes walkies as Southampton’s Sadio Mane (not in shot) scores past him
Szczesny is again beaten as Dusan Tadic scores Southampton’s second goal on New Year’s Day
Szczesny’s decision to spark up following the clash against Ronald Koeman’s side is even more bewildering given his performance that day.
To say he was already on Wenger’s bad side is an understatement. He was, arguably, at fault for both Southampton goals.
So, what possessed the goalkeeper to smoke in the dressing room after such an inept performance? There’s a time and a place. This wasn’t it, particularly given Wenger’s disdain for smoking.
This is not, however, the first time Szczesny has irked Arsenal’s management team with his attitude.
Cast your minds back to 8.22pm on February 19 last year. Szczesny had just been sent off in the Champions League last-16 first-leg clash against Bayern Munich, leaving his team-mates to play the remaining 53 minutes with 10 men against the reigning European champions.
You’d have thought Szczesny would show some degree of regret to his colleagues that night.
Ask those behind the scenes at the Emirates Stadium that evening and you’ll hear a very different story — one that still rankles with certain members of the first-team group.
Perhaps Szczesny finds it difficult to accept when he’s had a bad day at the office. Smoking is a sure-fire way of leaving your troubles behind.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is losing patience with Polish goalkeeper Szczesny
Szczesny’s team-mates were said to be unhappy at the Polish goalkeeper’s seflie at White Hart Lane
Those who know Szczesny will tell you he has an unshakable belief that he is destined to become one the best goalkeepers in the world.
Some would call it self-confidence. Others would call it cockiness and arrogance. Certain members of Arsenal’s first-team squad would plump for the latter descriptions.
His demeanour at the club’s London Colney HQ often rubs his team-mates up the wrong way. Some players — even members of the backroom team — find him hard to stomach.
Wenger, his staff and some senior first-teamers were not impressed when Szczesny took a selfie with Lukas Podolski and Kieran Gibbs on the White Hart Lane pitch following their victory against Tottenham in March.
His attitude and professionalism is being questioned again after his latest faux-pas.
No matter what they say publicly, managers will always make allowances for those who are indispensible to their plans. It seems Szczesny has used up his allowance.
Arsenal scouts have been instructed to identify goalkeeping targets ahead of the summer transfer window, a clear sign that Wenger has run out of patience with the Poland international.
It now looks certain that a new shot-stopper — in addition to Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin — will be a summer priority for Wenger.
Petr Cech would certainly be on Wenger’s radar, so too would Hugo Lloris. Whether Chelsea or Spurs would entertain selling to their local rivals is another matter.
Wenger would be keen on signing Petr Cech or Hugo Lloris if Chelsea and Tottenham were prepared to sell
Morgan Schneiderlin is also likely to be on Wenger’s summer transfer wishlist
Szczesny may still be able to turn it around — he’s done it before.
Having lost his place to Lukasz Fabianski towards the end of the 2012-13 season, Szczesny eventually reclaimed his position as the club’s first-choice keeper.
And he looked the part for large parts of last season, justifying Wenger’s decision not to sign the new No 1 that looked a certainty in the summer of 2013. But those lapses of concentration that have dogged Szczesny’s career are re-surfacing.
David Ospina replaced Szczesny in last Sunday’s 2-0 FA Cup third round win over Hull City, and Wenger now has a big decision to make ahead of Sunday’s visit of Stoke.
Does he stick with Ospina or twist with Szczesny? Wenger’s decision will provide a huge clue as to whether Szczesny’s Arsenal career has gone up in smoke.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are confident they can complete the signing of Szczesny’s countryman Krystian Bielik this month.
The Gunners are hot on the heels of the talented 17-year-old midfielder and expect a deal to be completed, despite having an initial offer rejected.
