Oddball Jens ..BY: By Ian McGarry ..LD: IN keeping with his oddball character, Jens Lehmann's philosophy that the best means of defence is attack appears a strange one for a goalkeeper. But the German was on the front foot again lately. Lehmann could be f.

(From New Straits Times (Malaysia))

IN keeping with his oddball character, Jens Lehmann's philosophy that the best means of defence is attack appears a strange one for a goalkeeper. But the German was on the front foot again lately.

Lehmann could be facing an FA misconduct charge for the second time in his five-month Arsenal career after deliberately throwing the ball at Kevin Phillips after the final whistle at Southampton on Monday night.

But he showed no remorse, even suggesting that if he is punished, Phillips should be, too. Just for good measure, he also made a jibe at the FA's ongoing disciplinary war with Arsenal.

He said: "Phillips pushed me in the back and was standing on my foot and you must also be punished for that. It was nothing special as we are professional footballers and this is normal. Maybe they (the FA) should suspend me for one year!" Given that it took him just eight weeks of his Premiership career to put his name on the Soho Square role of dishonour for confronting the referee during the `Battle of Old Trafford', Lehmann should be careful of what he wishes.

A one-match ban is as much as he is likely to get for the display of petulance this week, but he has a history of more serious and, in some cases, stupid behaviour. Arsene Wenger may well be planning to have a little chat with his No. 1 goalkeeper.

Lehmann, 34, has been shown five red cards in his career and his last two - while playing for Borussia Dortmund last season - were in keeping with the idiocy which highlighted the St Mary's incident.