You won’t call him flappy again October 23, 2010

Confidence is crucial to all types of sportsmen and women, it’s a vital ingredient in making the magic step towards World Class ability as opposed to World Class talent.

I have done nothing but back Fabianski since the day I saw him play for us in the Carling Cup a few years back against Wigan.

I was sitting in the Clock End Upper at the time and directly behind our goal with the Pole in it when he made the greatest reflex save I have witnessed live at a match.

Here it is.

Now, believe me, a youtube clip in real time or super slow motion, could never do that save proper justice, it was almost superhuman the way he got back up after saving the first to clip the rebound onto the crossbar and save the goal.

The boy has it, whatever it is, just trust me, he has that superstar quality… it just has not been enveloped in that magical confidence dust in the past…. but it appears that penalty save in Belgrade a few weeks back has led to a sprinkle or two of the magic stuff over the Pole.

I openly, and proudly, encourage all the abuse you wish to chuck my way on this one, as I’m quite sure plenty will be directed at me, but you will be proven wrong.

Oh yes you will!

Almunia, barring injury to Fab1, won’t be playing for us again anytime soon, with Mannone off to Hull on loan, it’s between Fab1 and Chesney for the Number 1 slot in the team.

I like that concept very much.

Forget talk of new goalkeepers, it’s over… I was partial to the idea of Schwarzer in the Summer, we very nearly had him, Wenger certainly wanted him as a stop gap whilst the two Poles developed a little more, but it was not meant to be.

The confidence shattering Chavski Semi-Final, Wigan away, Porto away….. those examples of games in which Fab1 was given a sporadic chance to step in and deliver were blows to the boy, deep blows, look at the way he celebrated that Belgrade penalty save, he knew that was the moment it was about to all change for him.

Wenger knows, the staff at the Club all know just how good this fella can be between the sticks… Wenger has persisted with him, and the last few games has paid dividends.

I think it’s going to take some hellraising strikes to beat him from now on in.

That is my prediction, it will take some amazingly, clinical finshes to beat him now as his confidence is high and growing game by game.

As the title suggests, you won’t be calling him Flappy again!