Exclusive! Mart Poom: "Lehmann-Almunia: it was tense. I remember HUGE conflicts in training. Raya? He's the best goalkeeper in the world but Jens..."

Mart Poom knows all about the goalkeeping standards required at Arsenal, having been part of the club’s squad during a memorable era when Jens Lehmann and Manuel Almunia were battling it out for the number one shirt. The former Estonia international, who served as the Gunners’ third-choice goalkeeper between 2005 and 2007, witnessed first-hand the fierce competition between the German and the Spaniard, larger-than-life personalities and occasional fireworks behind the scenes at London Colney.

In an exclusive interview with Capital Football London, Poom looks back on his time alongside Lehmann and Almunia, recalls an explosive training-ground row involving the German, and assesses whether today’s Arsenal number one, David Raya, is at the same world-class level as his former teammate. The Estonian also discusses the evolution of goalkeeping, compares two generations of elite shot-stoppers and reflects on Arsenal’s emotional departure from Highbury for the Emirates Stadium.

Who is the best goalkeeper in the world nowadays?

“I have to say, I like David Raya at the moment. He’s really, really good, but I rate Donnarumma and Courtois really highly as well. And Unai Simón! But if I look at consistency in the Premier League, Raya has been the best over the last few years. Raya is world-class, but he finds himself in an unfortunate situation where Unai Simón is still the number one for Spain and played all the games at the World Cup. This is a reflection of the quality of goalkeepers in Spain, but I think Raya’s profile is different from Donnarumma and Courtois. He’s not so tall, but he’s very, very quick and reads the game very well. He’s very agile, has great anticipation and has different strengths. He’s really a top goalkeeper.”

Do you think he will be Arsenal’s number one for years to come?

“Yeah, why not? For a goalkeeper, he’s not too old (31), and I think Arteta’s playing style suits him and he has the trust of his teammates. I think he’s an all-round good goalkeeper.”

You played with prime Jens Lehmann and you were the number three behind him and Almunia when these two would be aiming jibes at each other, with the pair vying for the number one spot between 2005 and 2007… How good was Lehmann back then, and do you think Raya is at that level?

“Again, it’s a different profile of goalkeepers. I think the game has changed since my time, but of course Jens Lehmann was one of the best in the world and in the Premier League at that time. His strengths were coming for crosses, and he was good in one-v-one situations! But probably Raya is better with his feet. Great goalkeepers need to have a presence, and Lehmann had it, definitely! He was a leader and, as a result, he was great for Arsenal and Germany!”

What was the bitter rivalry which turned into a feud between Lehmann and Almunia like? Did they genuinely hate each other?

(Poom smiles) “I don’t know if they hated each other, but Jens Lehmann was a strong character! There was big competition… and for Lehmann, if you weren't the number one, the others were his enemies!”

Was his tunnel vision ‘me against the world’?

“Yes, more or less! I got on really well with both of them, of course, also because I was number three and I probably wasn’t such a big threat to him! (Poom smiles). I tried to calm down the situation, but at the end of the day, both goalkeepers wanted to play, but there is only one goalkeeper who plays on match days. It’s then the manager’s decision… but at the same time, we have to work together and we have to help each other to get better. We have to prepare ourselves for the matches. Some days were tense, and it was a big role for our goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton to manage the situation. It was quite a big rivalry!”

Can you tell us an anecdote that has never made the papers?

“For example, I remember when we practised crosses with one goalkeeper in goal and the other playing in the striker’s role… I remember one day a fight almost erupted, and I had to get between the two and separate them and be a striker myself! We bought a young keeper, Vito Mannone, who was integrated into Arsenal’s first team, and Jens was very clear about how you served the ball to him… he wanted it straight into his arms! I remember we worked in pairs and Vito’s ball wasn’t straight to him! Jens didn’t like it and smashed the ball at Vito, who was a bit shocked. But in the end, Vito Mannone had a great career. Jens was a huge character and an important part of the Invincibles for Arsenal!”

So Lehmann had a bigger personality and was a bigger character than Raya?

“Yes, but Raya is quicker. Different style again. Lehmann was very good at reading crosses, whereas nowadays goalkeepers are not coming so much for crosses. The game has changed now, too. Crosses played in are now more often low crosses or cutback situations… the game evolves all the time. But I think prime Lehmann was very good when coming for crosses.”

If they were both in the same team, who would be the number one?

“It’s difficult to say. I think a lot depends on the manager and his style of play and how the team wants to set up. Both are great keepers in their own right.”

You were part of Arsenal’s team when they left Highbury AND when they made the move to the Emirates the following season. So you were there either side of the transition… how was that?

“Highbury holds a big place in the history of Arsenal Football Club! The last year at Highbury was the season when Arsenal reached the Champions League final, and I was there in the 2005/2006 season! I think it was emotional, as we played some great games there. It was this nice, old English stadium where the stands are close to the pitch. When I played for Derby County, I always enjoyed and looked forward to playing at Highbury because the surface was excellent. The atmosphere was great, and I also always had great performances there! Arsenal is massive, not only in England and the UK but all around the world. It became inevitable that they needed a bigger stadium. It was the right time and the right moment to go to the Emirates. Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonial game was at the Emirates Stadium as well… in 2006, it was a modern stadium, and Arsène Wenger played a big part in planning that… and now they are talking about the stadium becoming too small for Arsenal (laughs). They need a bigger stadium! But yeah, it’s not far from Highbury, as they managed to build it in the same area in north London. It’s a nice stadium.”