Why Arsenal should stick with Wojciech Szczesny instead of going for Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas’s situation at Real Madrid is one which is both bizarre and absorbing in equal measure. Phased out by Jose Mourinho following injury, the man who has come to epitomise the Galacticos now finds himself watching Diego Lopez from the bench each week.

With Lopez showing no signs of faltering, a transfer away from his boyhood club appears to move towards Casillas every day. Indeed, he recently said: “Players go through moments when if you are not playing a part you think about making some sort of decision.”

One club who are reportedly interested according to The Express is Arsenal; Arsene Wenger is rumoured to be on the lookout for a genuine competition for Wojciech Szczesny and some have touted Casillas as the ideal man for the Arsenal jigsaw.

Others, however, have argued that prior to Casillas’s demotion at Real Madrid he had entered a period of decline; so this in-form Arsenal side which we have seen this season, they say, would be better advised to veer away from the only footballer to win 100 international matches.

In the last period of prolonged football Casillas played, the Spaniard made, on average, 1.58 saves per game. This is overshadowed by both Szczseny’s figure of 1.68 from last season and 2.57 this year, suggesting that Casillas’s form was perhaps declining before the injury which began his exclusion from the Madrid starting eleven.

Iker Casillas Saves Per Game Last Season

A more accurate picture is maybe provided by analysing the average saves per goal each stopper made – this accounts more for a goalkeeper’s shot stopping ability and less for the solidity of their defence. Here, Casillas and Szczseny were almost deadlocked last year; the Spaniard edged the Arsenal man by 0.01 save per goal.

Removing Szczseny from a defence accustomed to his presence could potentially unbalance the team as a whole – is it really worth that to accommodate a goalkeeper who maybe view as past his peak?

Wojciech Szczesny Saves Last Season

Furthermore, the stat’s show Szczseny to be much more adept in dealing with high balls than Casillas, a goalkeeper more renowned for his shot stopping than his aerial ability. The Polish goalkeeper had a 97% claim completion rate last season, a figure which looms over Casillas’ 81% – in a league in which so much revolves around dealing with crosses and set pieces, retaining Szczseny as the Gunners number one could be the better option for Arsenal.

When examined through reputation alone, this debate seems completely ridiculous; of course Casillas is the better option. However, when studied in more depth, it can be seen that Spain’s most capped player’s ability is not in the same league as he used to be.

Presently, his ability is more in line with the likes of Szczseny’s, something which in previous years would have been unthinkable – whilst Casillas’s fans would love to see him rekindle his ability of old, the truth is that a move for him would perhaps not be in Arsenal’s best interests.

Football graphics and stats from Squawka.