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http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?...=Wenger+-+Lehmann+will+fight+to+win+his+place
Wenger - Lehmann will fight to win his place
By Richard Clarke
Arsène Wenger expects an impatient Jens Lehmann will ‘fight every day” to win his place back in the Arsenal side.
This weekend, for the first time since August 19, the manager has his two first-choice keepers at his disposal and he has decided to stick with Manuel Almunia.
The Spaniard has performed well in his 10 games between the posts but Lehmann’s position as German No 1 makes his omission from the squad big news.
Still, Wenger had high praise for the former Borussia Dortmund stopper’s return after injury against Ireland last weekend and he knows his decision will illicit a positive reaction from the 37-year-old.
“Jens Lehmann played very well for Germany,” he said. "But Almunia will play against Bolton. He must be patient and fight for his place.
“Patience is not his best quality and Jens will fight every day to be back in the team but I have three world class keepers here now.
“In our job you must always fight hard and be able to cope with any situation that you deal with.
"At the moment he must be strong enough to deal with it.”
This week, German manager Joachim Löw was quoted as saying Lehmann had to regain his Arsenal place to retain his role in the national team for Euro 2008.
"Of course I want him to play in the European Championship,” replied Wenger when the question was put to him. “But I can only make a decision that is right for Arsenal.
"All I can tell you is that for Bolton, Almunia will play and that maybe after that I will change, I can’t say.
"I respect every player but unfortunately I cannot please everyone.”
[ Friday, October 19, 2007]