David Seaman believes Arsenal No.1 Bernd Leno can become a ‘great goalkeeper’ if he focuses on improving his decision making when coming for crosses.
The Germany international has been one of the Gunners’ top performers this season, often sparing the blushes of his back four with some outstanding saves.
Leno was brought in from Bayer Leverkusen in 2018 as a backup to Petr Cech, but has stepped up to the plate as first-choice keeper since the Chelsea hero’s retirement.
Seaman, who made over 400 league appearances for Arsenal, backs the 28-year-old to succeed, but only if he refines one key area of his game.
‘With Leno, I’m very confident, I think he needs a bit of work with crossing if I’m honest, he sometimes comes out for the cross when he doesn’t need to,’ he told the Handbrake Off podcast.
‘That decision on whether to come out for the cross or just say no is a massive decision and I think he needs not to come out as much as he does.’
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In a 13-year spell at the north London club, Seaman won three league titles and four FA Cups, playing behind legends such as Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and Sol Campbell.
The 56-year-old admits Leno’s job will be much harder than his, he added: ‘I think he’s got the potential to be a great goalkeeper at Arsenal, but it’s going to be hard for him because are we as good as a team as the team that i went into?
‘He’s going to have to really show his goalkeeping side of him, because the winning of trophies might not happen.
‘What I like about him, he doesn’t make flash saves, if he can make the save easy, then he will make it look easy, that’s what I used to try and do, and I like that in a goalkeeper.
‘It shows they’ve got an inner confidence that they can do that, rather than trying to make a camera save where it’s an easy save but they push it over the crossbar and do three twists and a roll afterwards.’
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