Arsenal's Szczęsny Shines On Full Poland Debut

Wojciech Szczęsny made his full international debut this evening as Poland beat Canada 1-0 in a friendly.

Midfielder Maciej Rybus scored for the hosts in the 19th minute to end a miserable winless streak for the Eastern Europeans. The two teams played out an eventful first half and chances were shared equally between the two teams. The North Americans nearly scored in the 30th minute but Man United’s Tomasz Kuszczak saved from Jaime Peters’ perfectly weighted cross.

As promised by the coach Franciszek Smuda on Saturday, Arsenal’s fourth choice ‘keeper, Szczęsny, entered the fray in the second half and did his credentials a wealth of good. The 19-year-old made two desitive catches on two tricky long balls. The son of a former Polish legend Maciej Szczęsny, Wojciech kept a clean sheet and this will surely enhance his chances of being first-choice for the mouth-watering Carling Cup clash against Manchester City.

Article By – Abdi Ali

39 thoughts on “Arsenal's Szczęsny Shines On Full Poland Debut

  • November 19, 2009 at 12:30 am
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    How do you rate his international position against united’s keeper? Is Szczęsny younger? And how do you pronounce his name? Arsenal.com sty – leee!

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  • November 19, 2009 at 1:13 am
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    “a former Polish legend Maciej Szczęsny”. Where did you get legend from he only had 7 Caps for his country the term legend should only be used for players with over 100 Caps for their country. Just dont want this guy to have to much expectation on his young shoulders. He is showing great promise though nice one.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 1:39 am
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    hi, a Gooner from Poland here. first, decent performance by Szczęsny. he is a good lad, and a talented keeper. Kuszczak will probably be favoured in the national team, but that can soon change – if Sz. can stay injury free.
    anyway, even for a Polish surname, that one is sure as hell hard to pronounce. i have to go to sleep already and don’t have the time to look up the correct phonetic symbols, but: Sz=Sh(ambles)
    cz=Ch(eck), ę=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%98 , s like in kiss, ny=like in “funny” more or less. hope it makes sense to anyone. here are fans chanting his pop’s name after a veteran game i think : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95SCyBAwOzc
    he’s not a “top class” legend, but a very well know name.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 1:57 am
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    Paul, he had 7 caps cause he played in the same team as Tomaszewski. If you don’t know who that is, you’re in trouble. England wanted him to train their keepers and I think he agreed all those years ago. Not sure though, you might want to look it up, but his father was amazing. Tomaszewski was just world class.

    Did you know Schmeicel was Polish?!?!?!

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  • November 19, 2009 at 2:00 am
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    Our future number 1? Think most of us rate him highly. Hope he manages to reach his full potential.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 2:12 am
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    fabinski is so much better

    people will see that soon

    he WILL be a legend for us

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  • November 19, 2009 at 2:15 am
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    Wrighty got 30ish caps, he is a legend and he is English. Therefore is he not an English legend?
    Where did you get magic 100 caps from? is it an unwritten rule? Like shotgun?

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  • November 19, 2009 at 2:36 am
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    This was a signal to him that Smuda rates his talent highly despite his young age. But if he wants another call-up, he knows he has to find a club where he’ll play regularly. In interviews he has repeatedly mentioned that he’s looking at loan options (having already gotten Wenger’s agreement).

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  • November 19, 2009 at 3:13 am
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    Ian Wright is a Gooner legend, not an England legend, so Paul’s comment is valid.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 3:22 am
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    i think this guy is better than all our keepers. Almunia is weak, Mannone is an accident waiting to happen, and Fabianski decision making is awful. Bring this guy up to understudy Almunia this season and make him No.1 next.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 4:12 am
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    there are probably a lot of legendary players who never got 100 caps for one reason or another. what determines a legend is if they are looked back on with huge respect and admiration from the general public (at least from their country) decades after they stop playing.

    george best got 37 caps for northern ireland….

    did you see the international reaction to his death? he was a legend beyond any question.

    maradona got 91 caps.

    pele got 92 caps.

    shearer 63 caps.

    cruyff 48 caps.

    eusebio 64 caps.

    lineker 80 caps.

    *bergkamp 79 caps.*

    baresi 81 caps

    platini got 72 caps

    the fact is what you do with your caps is far more important than how many you have. there are players who have probably had over 100 caps who will barely be remembered by anyone because they were average players in average teams and there are players who got less than 60 who are some of the all time top players the world has seen. consider if in 2004 wayne rooney hadn’t got injured and had fired us all the way to success on that amazing form he had- THEN broke his leg after and had to retire, would he not have become a legendary england player for his huge hand in winning us the tournament? you bet he would have. by your own logic none of the players above are legends, including dennis bergkamp, not only our very own legend, scorer of that truly legendary goal (amongst god knows how many others) against newcastle and considered one of the greatest ever players.

    i’m really pleased for our young keeper to be doing so well. is he that good, or what, i’ve barely had a chance to see him. i hope he continues to do well!

    thinking about it you would probably be able to make a better team with more legendary players out of guys who got less than 100 caps than guys who got more.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 5:23 am
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    Agree with Paul…7 caps = legend…hmmmm don’t think so.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 6:30 am
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    Don’t know why Arsene is not trying this guy. He’s better than all our GKs. Young? Iker Casillas started playing for Real Madrid at 19 years of age. The boy is better than Almunia, Manonne and Fabianski.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 7:39 am
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    Wenger has spoken very highly of him this year and was even talking as if he might have replaced Mannone but he couldn’t after the Fulham game, which is fair enough – it’s everyone’s job to take their chances – lots of people still think Coquelin is better than Eastmond but Eastmond took his chance when it came.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 7:59 am
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    My Polish friend says it should be pronounced “Chesney”. For the record, he would be worth 31 in Scrabble.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 8:00 am
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    When I saw him play in preseason he really impressed me. He looks very athletic and flexible.
    But as all young goalkeepers he will mess up in some games. So maybe one more year of messing up in reserves and then the big jump forward ?

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  • November 19, 2009 at 10:07 am
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    hi his name should be pronounced SHCHESNY. When Fabianski is fit and Boruc loses some weigh SZCZĘSNY will be 4choise keeper in Poland to.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 10:59 am
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    So everyone barring 3 members of the 1966 England world cup winning squad do not qualify as England Legends, no? What a silly theory.

    Oh Yeah, Cryuff and George Best, the real Ronaldo, Maradonna and wait for it, Pele, are also not considered legends because Paul’s new theory.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 11:43 am
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    So wat makes someone a legend jones, thou am not supporting this “wolcjeh a legend”..

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  • November 19, 2009 at 12:20 pm
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    well they dnt hv 2get to 100, but certainly d closer the more likely. &ian wright is an arsenal legend but certainly not an english legend, &i think pele +cryuf both had over 100 caps

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  • November 19, 2009 at 1:42 pm
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    J Sanderson in the form of his life! Quality articles J, thanks for the U17 World Cup round up. Your website is top quality. Keep improving and good luck!

    Reply
  • November 19, 2009 at 1:55 pm
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    Thanks very much kv! I’m delighted that you’re enjoying the updates :)

    Reply
  • November 19, 2009 at 3:22 pm
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    J, Top Job yet again…wud luv Chesney to be involved more in the first team …he looks the most convincing of all the goalkeepers we have at our disposal…!!!

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  • November 19, 2009 at 3:24 pm
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    Thanks J, good that we have Articles every day now :)

    Reply
  • November 19, 2009 at 3:57 pm
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    I bought 100 caps from JD sport. Im a freakn legend I tell you.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 4:11 pm
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    J.Sanderson – There should b some younger players like Merdia, Watt,Eastmond on bench on saturday for Arsenal? As the injures? Maybe even JET.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 4:55 pm
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    no, cruyff didn’t even get 50 caps.

    how does this kid compare with manonne? with fabianski back who is likely to be starting the reserve games if fabianski and almunia are fit and sharp? keeper’s tend to be so hard to displace from a team, so unless he’s really something very special i don’t know how he’ll manage to get a regular first team place in anything less than 8 years. or maybe he is that special?

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  • November 19, 2009 at 5:42 pm
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    Hey J. Quick question In regard about JET. I understand he came back already; Did Blackpool not want his services anymore, or did the club feel he wasnt getting alot of playing time to further is development and would be best services playing with the reserves?

    Could you shed some light on the situation please.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 5:51 pm
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    GM, they extended his loan as much as the rules allowed. In Jan, they will probably arrange another loan. He is now ineligible for our cup games, so there is no point in him being back here.

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  • November 19, 2009 at 10:48 pm
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    I think the poles capped this kid at full intl level now because England is barren of keepers and it wouldnt be long before he was eleigble for English citizenship. Even if the English balked at capping dodgy Almunia, this kid they wouldnt blink an eye, especially as he came to England as a junior.

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  • November 20, 2009 at 11:59 am
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    how does this kid compare with manonne? with fabianski back who is likely to be starting the reserve games if fabianski and almunia are fit and sharp? keeper’s tend to be so hard to displace from a team, so unless he’s really something very special i don’t know how he’ll manage to get a regular first team place in anything less than 8 years. or maybe he is that special?

    renegadebison said this on November 19, 2009 at 4:55 pm
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    his ceiling is much higher than mannone or fabianski, potential wise. I can’t assure him (or anyone elso) being top class in a few years. but if we put money on mannone or fabianski, we will lose definitely. those 2 guys simply don’t have components to be brilliant

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  • November 20, 2009 at 1:31 pm
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    I like the young kid better then Fabianski. Look how many weak goals Fab lets in like the weak Malouda shot in the FA cup. He hardly breathes confidence to the team.

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  • November 20, 2009 at 6:10 pm
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    Ron—Thank You very much for clearing that up

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  • December 22, 2009 at 3:26 pm
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    The more I hear about this guy the more I think he should be bumped up the pecking order at arsenal. Mannone and Fabianksi are both promising, but Ive seen Szczensy a couple of times and he just looks so much more assured, and everything I’ve heard since seems to back that up. The aforementioned keepers are very good at times but inconsistent – which perfectly normal for young players. Szczesny on the other hand looks the part already, a bit like Hugo Lloris, although obviously hasnt been tested to the same extent yet.
    Hopefully after he finished his loan wenger will move szczesny up to no.2, I think that’s where he belongs at this point.

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  • March 31, 2010 at 7:10 pm
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    I really can’t believe it. I pray Wayne is ok for the world cup!

    Reply

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