Wojciech Szczesny: Time to shine after years of youthful arrogance

With Gianluigi Buffon having played his final game for Juventus, Wojciech Szczesny will take over for the legendary Italian starting next season as Juventus’ No.1.

After a promising start to his career with Arsenal and disappointing moments along the way, Wojciech Szczesny is now ready to realize his potential as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

Szczesny, now 28-years-old, will have big shoes to fill as he replaces Gianluigi Buffon starting from next season.

Seemingly been around for forever, because he started his career so young with Arsenal, Szczesny has come along way from his more immature days.

There are high expectations for Szczesny, handpicked to replace Buffon by the Juventus’ front office and even Buffon’s desire to continue playing has not deterred Juventus from making the switch.

His career has been filled with ups and downs and was potentially on the brink when he smoked a cigarette in the showers after a loss to Southampton years ago.

Szczesny has not had a typical career path and here are some of the key moments that have led to this point…

Manchester United vs Arsenal (8-2), August 28, 2011

It can be difficult at times for Arsenal goalkeepers when they are left so exposed by their outfield teammates. Arsenal has struggled to hone in on a world-class goalkeeper since the departure of Jens Lehman, partly due to Arsenal’s defensive fragility.

At the beginning of the 2011-12 Premier Leagues season, Arsenal, unprepared and short of personnel, faced Manchester United on the Matchday 3. Arsenal infamously lost 8-2.

Szczesny was in goal and was a part of an extremely inexperienced starting eleven. Even conceding eight goals, Szczesny was one of Arsenal’s best players on the day and if it wasn’t for his interventions Manchester United’s scoreline could have been in the double digits.

That season, Szczesny took a firm hold of the starting goalkeeper role at Arsenal as he started all 38 matches in the Premier League.