Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny insists a fourth place finish does not constitute a strong season by the Gunners' standards but has blamed injuries for their incredible New Year decline.
Arsene Wenger's side led the Premier League by two points in Feburary, but a remarkable run of form saw them win just twice in nine games and capitulate, leaving them to scrap for fourth place.
The Gunners could end the season with their first piece of silverware in nearly nine years when they face Hull City in the FA Cup final later this month, but the Pole has admitted their season has faded away.
"I never considered fourth place before the start of the season as a successful season and a good position," he told the Daily Mirror. "I play for Arsenal because I want to win the title every year.
"Injuries made a difference. You could see when Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey came back recently we started winning games.
"We have improved, and one thing we have learned is we are good enough to challenge next year, and hopefully add a couple of new players."
Whilst Arsenal's No.1 keeper would love to start against the Tigers' at Wembley, he has conceded that understudy Lukasz Fabianski has already earned that right after his penalty shoot out heroics against Wigan Athletic in last month's semi-final.
Fabianksi is out of contract in the summer and, after attracting interest from an array of European sides, the FA Cup final is likely to be his last game at the club.
"Lukasz has done so well he deserves to play, but having said that I'm a professional and I would love to play in the Cup final.
"I speak with Lukasz but I haven't spoken to the boss about it. There's no banter [with Lukasz].
"Look, we're both professional and we would both love to play in the cup final. It's the boss's decision to make, not an easy one, because there is a No.1 at the club and a goalkeeper who is the reason we are in the FA Cup Final."
No comments:
Post a Comment