Arsenal’s best goalkeepers of all time

As the famous chant goes, one-nil to the Arsenal has been a staple of the club for many a year and although the defensive wall is not as secure as it once was, the team is still adheres to long-standing defensive principles.

Principles that made the team so appealing for punters who look to use the best offshore sportsbooks and for those who like to place a bet or two, backing the North London outfit was usually a financially prosperous pursuit.

Quite simply, it is a case of keeping it tight at the back and should the Gunners manage to be miserly in defence, then their chances of earning a victory will increase considerably. While it is chances or the lack thereof, which is the crux of this issue.

Because although the opposition will test their luck from time to time, it is down to the Arsenal goalkeeper to keep them out and when it comes to legendary men behind the sticks, many have called the red half of North London home.

Which means for the purpose of this article, we are now going to look at the best of those who have worn a pair of goalkeeper gloves over the years and played a large part in leading Arsenal to a number of infamous glory days or nights.

David Seaman

When it comes to great Arsenal goalies, there is one name that will always leap off the page and that is none other than David Seaman. The affable Yorkshireman was a staple of the team during the 1990s and early 2000s and won three English league titles with the club.

Signed from Queens Park Rangers in 1990, Seaman then took over from John Lukic and in his first season at the club, helped the Gunners go on to win a second Football League First Division in three years.

While although the next title would not come for another seven years – as he was a part of Arsene Wenger’s first double winning team in 1998, there was also cup joy both home and abroad. With an F.A. Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup all won within the space of two years.

Seaman was also a key part of the legendary team of 2002 and although he only made 17 league appearances that season, there is no doubt his efforts helped Arsenal earn the second of two English league and cup doubles in five years.

Jens Lehmann

The German giant was feared by opposition attackers and if you were someone who had the temerity to attempt a shot on goal, the former Borussia Dortmund number one would take such an effort as a personal attack.

Signed from the Bundesliga outfit in 2003, Lehmann’s influence on the four men in front of him was suddenly felt and with any introduction to the Premier League being something of a baptism of fire, he would douse any flames that appeared in his direction.

To the point where Lehmann was not only an ever present during his first season at the club, but he was also a member of the legendary invincible outfit of 2003/04 and with him in goal, checking the scores and odds would usually point to another comfortable Arsenal win.

Not one to hold back from saying what needed to be said, his tone was somewhat argumentative and although it had the potential to even rub his teammates up the wrong way, it is arguably what Arsenal are missing as a unit right now.

Bob Wilson

He may have the middle name of Primrose, but there is nothing soft about Bob Wilson and although it took a number of years to earn the Arsenal number one jersey for himself, once he did, he was a firm fixture in the side.

Making his Arsenal bow in the 1963/64 season, Wilson would not really be considered first choice until the 1968/69 campaign and after playing every league game that season, his career finally begun to take off.

While although the following season was rather stop start, it was 1971 which will go down as a year of Arsenal vintage and with the Scottish international playing a huge part in Arsenal’s first ever league and cup double, Wilson will rightly go down as one of the club’s all-time greats.

Pat Jennings

Before Sol Campbell did the unthinkable and switched from Tottenham to Arsenal, Pat Jennings made the same move a generation before and with the white half of North London deeming him too old to play in their colours, it was a stance that they would soon regret.

Because by the time Jennings had made the short move across the capital, his career had only really begun and soon the Northern Irish international would make the famous location of Wembley his second footballing home.

When calling Highbury his primary location, he would play a part in helping Arsenal to three successive F.A. Cup finals between 1978 and 1980 and also the 1980 European Cup Winners Cup final against Valencia and his experience was a vital asset in each of these lengthy cup runs.

Arsenal’s best goalkeepers of all time

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