Jon Brodkin reflects on the U-turn that has taken place in Jens Lehmann's career
As Arsenal celebrated reaching the European Cup final, their goalkeeper was hugged by team-mates shouting "Jens Lehmann number one". Jubilation, gratitude and relief poured out in that chant after the German's penalty save at Villarreal. If April 25th, 2006, will be remembered as one of Lehmann's most famous nights with Arsenal, the less-celebrated events of December 4th 2004 should also be recalled as a pivotal moment for him.
Arsenal played Birmingham at Highbury and won 3-0, but an unremarkable afternoon was notable for Arsene Wenger dropping Lehmann to the bench. It was the first of 11 Premiership and Champions League games the goalkeeper sat out as Manuel Almunia took over. Almunia's performance in a 4-2 defeat to Manchester United proved the final straw in his unimpressive run and Lehmann's improvement and consistency since returning mean his place has been unthreatened.
A contract for next season, even though he is 37 in November, and Germany's number one World Cup spot are emblems of his form. Both were significant incentives and Wednesday's reassuring display, capped by stopping Juan Roman Riquelme's spot-kick, thrust him into the spotlight when his work has mostly been done quietly.
Wenger joked of a rare good decision in dropping Lehmann last season but there was truth behind the humour.
"It has made me a harder person," Lehmann said. "When I came back in after my break I played very well."
The match immediately before his omission brought a last-minute defeat at Liverpool, with Neil Mellor's winner seen by most as unstoppable. Yet that took Arsenal's record to one win in nine league and European games, featuring no clean sheets. The manager felt that if Lehmann was not doing much wrong nor was he doing enough right.
The shock galvanised Lehmann. He was dismayed, asking: "What have I done wrong?" and saying: "I cannot see that Almunia is better than me." His response was to work harder, a legacy he says of his upbringing in Essen, once Germany's coal-mining heartland.
Though he had an ill-starred game at Bayern Munich after he won back his place, that has proved a rare blip. Lehmann kept 11 clean sheets in his other 17 matches at the end of last season, saved a penalty in a shoot-out to help win the FA Cup final and has continued in assured fashion. He has not made many spectacular Champions League saves, thanks to Arsenal's defending and on Wednesday to wayward Villarreal finishing, but has been highly competent and is unbeaten in all seven of his appearances. His commanding catching and punching should not be undervalued, likewise his improved sweeping behind the back four outside his area.
His reliability this season has helped an inexperienced defence and is mirrored in the Premiership, where - with three games left - he has conceded only two more goals than in the unbeaten campaign of 2003-04.
Lehmann's irascibility still occasionally threatens to land him in trouble but mostly he has been mature. Wenger will be happy Lehmann described Wednesday as one of his career's "nicer moments" but "not a great moment" as the cup must be won.
Told by Thierry Henry that Riquelme would hit his penalty centrally, Lehmann ignored him and guessed correctly. A cloud for Arsenal fans in England are thoughts of Lehmann, penalties, Germany and England. "Probably we will meet you after the group phase," he said. "Then I'll try to achieve the same."
