Big Jens back in action

Jens - a mixed return

Jens Lehmann has returned to an Arsenal team today in the Reserves 2-1 defeat at Wigan. Reading the reports it seems that Jens was very much in the action, particularly after Ignasi Miquel was harshly sent off for a professional foul. It seems that Lehmann mixed the sublime with the ridiculous. He almost saw an own-goal go past him as the ball bobbled over his foot from a back-pass, and he was caught out by trying to dribble past an attacker (why?) There were also one or two pretty good saves, by all accounts, including one from point-blank range. Most encouraging of all, and quite pointed if you ask me, is the report on www.arsenal.com which tells us how Jens was constantly organising his defence - how long since we saw an Arsenal goalkeeper doing that? (Probably May 2008 when Jens played his last game). Sky have got some pictures from the game, and their coverage includes some vintage Lehmann making his point to a forward who unwisely decided to leave his foot in on the German veteran.
I want Jens Lehmann to play against Blackburn on Saturday evening. Almost every Arsenal fan I speak to accepts that Manuel Almunia can not play again - can you imagine the fallout from the stands if he plays and cocks up again on Saturday? I, for one, will be far more confident in our side on Saturday if Jens is between the sticks. With Squillaci and Koscielny continuing at the back we might just see an improvement if there is someone behind them shouting the instructions.

Hopefully we'll be getting some normality back to the blog over the next couple of days, building up towards the weekend. England are playing tonight against Ghana, and it seems likely that Jack Wilshere will be forced to play some part in another pointless match - that is disappointing, but not nearly as disappointing as it will be if he has to play in the Euro U21 Championships this Summer.

More tomorrow afternoon.