Szczesny admits concentration problem

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny says he often has difficulty staying focused in matches against smaller clubs.

The Pole, who missed Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Stoke on Sunday with a rib injury, silenced calls for boss Arsene Wenger to sign a new goalkeeper when he broke into the first team in January 2011, stringing together a series of impressive performances.

But a number of high-profile errors in the second half of last season, combined with a shaky Euro 2012 with Poland, have dented Szczesny’s blooming reputation, and he admits he needs to work on his concentration.

“My biggest problem is not enough focus in the games without huge stakes. I can’t find the spark in myself,” he told The People.

Szczesny is eager to improve this side of his game, and wishes to remain with the North London side for the rest of his career.

Currently Szszesny is the undisputed number one keeper on the books at the Emirates, and the 22-year-old is determined to write his name into the history books at the club.

“My ambition is to get a bigger contract at Arsenal. I admire players like Paul Scholes and Paolo Maldini, the ones that spent their whole career at one club,” he said.

“I dream of a similar scenario. I hope that when we sit down to have a chat 14 years from now it will be about my two decades at Arsenal.”

Szczesny believes his finest performance to date came against Udinese in Arsenal’s Champions League qualifying clash last season, during which he saved a penalty from Antonio Di Natale.

“The biggest save in my career was the penalty against Udinese in the Champions League qualifiers last season,” he said.

“For one, it was a save worth 25 million pounds – that is how much you get for playing in the Champions League.

“That was the moment I was very much needed. It made me realise that I’m not only a good keeper, but I can have a big say on how we perform.”