Arsenala s David Ospina said that he was enjoying the physicality of the English Premier League.
In an interview with Arsenal Player, Ospina said, a English football is very direct. You have to be focused for the entire 90 minutes because you can score or concede at any moment.
a The football here is really physical and nobody wants to give an inch – thata s what I think makes this great league so exciting and special.a
Of course, he did have protection from the back 4 as well, especially the partnership between Mertesacker and Koscielny helping in ensuring that most attacks were nipped in the bud. And Ospina was not slow in praising the two.
He said, a Theya ve helped a lot. Theya re great players and great people. That has really helped me. Theya re very experienced. We hope to keep winning, keep learning every day and keep making the most of the opportunities we get.
a [As a goalkeeper] you try to help the team by giving them confidence from the back and keeping a clean sheet.a
Ospina would be looking forward to continuing the good run of form hea s had since he took over the starting spot for Arsenal in recent games. Szczesny was recalled for the FA Cup game, but he had a less than satisfying outing, having let in goals though neither were any fault of his. It would be a surprise to see if Wenger went ahead and started the Polish keeper over Ospina, especially after he was not successful in keeping a clean sheet yet again. Whether it is Szczesny not commanding the area enough or whether the defenders themselves are at fault wona t be a concern for Ospina. All he would be looking forward to is another game and another clean sheet.
Ospina hasna t had enough opportunities to show his talent, having gotten injured early in the season. This gave opportunities for 3rd choice Damien Martinez, but since returning from injury, Ospina has been waiting for his chance. It finally came after the smokegate involving Szczesny, and was dropped from the team as punishment. Since then, Ospina has impressed with his performances and has kept his place in the team.
Ospina would be hoping to continue the good form and the understanding he seems to have developed with his defence, and would want to keep Szczesny out of the Arsenal first team as long as possible.