Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has reportedly been fined £20,000 after being caught smoking a cigarette in the showers after the Gunners' 2-0 defeat to Southampton on New Year's Day.
The Polish stopper had a dreadful game against the Saints and his decision-making didn't get any better after the match when he decided to light up in the St Mary's showers. But it was manager Arsene Wenger who was left fuming when the bungling keeper was caught in the act.
Szszesny was subsequently left out of the Arsenal team that beat Hull in the FA Cup at the weekend, although he rarely plays in domestic cup games for the Gunners. But in the aftermath of his misdemeanour there are reports that his understudy, David Ospina, who acquitted himself well against Hull, will continue in goal at the weekend.
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After the game against Hull former Arsenal star John Jensen told Danish media that he understood that Szczesny had fallen out with Wenger and would not play again this season. The Gunners have since denied his claims, but as the Daily Telegraph points out they "did not then subsequently refute the specific accusation that Szczesny had been caught lightning up a cigarette in the showers at St Mary's".
News of Szczesny's misdemeanour raises several questions, not least why the keeper thought the shower was a sensible place to try and smoke a crafty fag.
Wenger will also be concerned that there were cigarettes in the Arsenal changing room in the first place, as the goalkeeper is not the first Gunner to be caught smoking. "Wenger has previously criticised Jack Wilshere following photographs of him smoking while out socialising and is believed to be deeply disappointed with Szczesny," reports the Telegraph.
Wilshere was photographed smoking outside a nightclub in October 2013 and afterwards promised to mend his ways. However, pictures of him apparently puffing on a cigar while on holiday in Las Vegas emerged this summer after England's World Cup exit.
