Keeper Controversy

Jens Lehmann may be top dog for Germany at the moment, but he's barely even second fiddle for English club Arsenal. He hasn't played a match for the Gunners since early this season, and that's raised the question of whether Germany should stay true to a keeper who's not on the pitch week in and week out.

"I would like to play again as soon as possible," Lehmann told the German soccer magazine Kicker on Monday, Nov. 12. "The Bundesliga is attractive and always an option -- perhaps even in the second division. In any case, I want to go to Euro 2008. Playing there was always my goal."

The 38-year-old Lehmann was effectively demoted at Arsenal after a bad mistake against Blackburn in August cost the Gunners points. At the time, the club claimed he had an elbow injury, but he's now clearly become second choice to Spaniard Manuel Almunia.

With Arsenal undefeated, leading the Premiership and already through to the knock-out round of the Champions League, no one in London is clamoring for Lehmann's return. Gunners' coach Arsene Wenger said he still considers the German a valuable part of the team, but the moody keeper probably didn't help his cause in a recent televised outburst in which he accused Wenger of "humiliating him."

The stand-off has led many soccer experts in Germany to say Lehmann needs to change clubs -- or Germany needs to change starting keepers.

Uncertainties abound

German national coach Joachim Löw plans to start Lehmann in Germany's match this weekend against Cyprus. But he says he also intends to review the situation at year's end.

"We always said we would sit down and discuss the situation during the winter break," Löw told the German sports agency SID. "He knows it will be difficult to play in the European Championship if he hasn't played for his club eight months before that."

A new club could solve that dilemma, but it is unclear where Lehmann would go. None of the Bundesliga's first-division clubs have an obvious need for a new goalkeeper, and thus far none of the bigger second-division teams has indicated an interest in taking on Lehmann's salary.

It is equally unclear, however, who would take over if Lehmann should fail to find a home and lose his starting job for Germany. Germany's number two, Timo Hildebrand, has hard a hard time establishing himself at Valencia and has let in a lot of goals when he has played.

Meanwhile Germany's current third choice, Robert Enke, plays for middle-of-the-pack Hanover and has never really been tested at the international level.

Youth solution?

It's ironic that Germany has a question mark between the posts. The country continues to churn out high-quality goalkeepers, and a number of national sides -- most notably England -- would leap at the chance to nominate any of the regular net-minders in the Bundesliga.

In essence, Germany is spoilt for choice, and that's led some commentators to suggest that one of the country's younger keepers be promoted to the national team.

Schalke's Manuel Neuer has often been mooted. The 21-year-old was voted the Bundesliga's best keeper last season but has been hit by a couple of high-profile mistakes lately.

Another option would be 22-year-old Rene Adler of Leverkusen. He's impressed everyone this season and put on another terrific performance against Wolfsburg in his side's last match.

Should Lehmann fail to find playing time, Neuer or Adler could find himself in possession of an unexpected ticket to Euro 2008.