Lukasz Fabianski is being entirely professional about the arrival of Alphonse Areola.
One would expect nothing else of course and he makes it clear he is more than ready to respond to the challenge presented by a guy who looks set to challenge him for the No 1 spot throughout the season.
Areola has arrived on loan with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season and as a result is bound to get a fair few games to show what he’s all about.
With just a one year deal in front of him and having suffered injuries Fab knows he will have to be on the case but there are fewer blokes capable of responding in the proper way.
For me he may have been the top signing at a mere £7 million over recent seasons although at similar prices Vladi Coufal runs him close.
Discussing the new keeper Fab told www.whufc.com: “He’s a very good person and he just seems like a nice guy. You can see his quality as well out there in training.
With that competition, it’s always been there really. I’ve always had this thing in the back of my mind that each day you have to push yourself because you know that you have to always be up there with your standards and level of performances and deliver them week-in, week-out.
With new players coming in, it doesn’t matter their position. It always helps this feeling that you have to push yourself even more, you have to have this self-drive that will help you to keep delivering your performances at a good level, so I think that is what we always need as professionals, as goalkeepers.
It doesn’t matter the position, I think that’s what always happens when there’s a new player.”
And discussing the game against Atalanta this weekend Fab added: “We’re going to be facing a very strong team that has been playing for some time already at a high level and competing strongly in Serie A, so I think that will be a good, good test for us.
Getting used to playing in front of our fans again at our home ground is another nice feeling, because they’ve been missed for a while.
It will be nice to see them back at the Stadium and it’s our final test before we start the season, against a really strong opponent, so it’s a nice challenge to have.
My favourite West Ham player. Such a gentleman, such a solid professional and without doubt one of the best shot-stoppers in the League. I know his kicking isn’t the best but i’d rather have someone between the sticks who saves the majority of the shots at him but doesn’t distribute so well than a great kicker who isn’t great under pressure. Holds onto the ball well too. One real criticism though is his reluctance to command his area but i guess if you’re as good at shot-stopping as he is, he doesn’t always need to (not sure i believe that!)
HOWEVER, Areola looked fantastic last season and so i think West Ham have played a masterstroke here by allowing Fab one more season at the top before potentially replacing him with, or at least having him share the number one position with, a goalkeeper who has the potential to be just as good, if not better.
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it GSBOUT brigade!!