text: Wojciech Szczesny must use his current spell out of the Arsenal side as a catalyst to come back a stronger goalkeeper, according to former club legend David Seaman. Szczesny has found himself demoted to the substitutes' bench in recent months due to a combination of poor performances and the form of David Ospina since the new year. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has benefited from competition for places brought by the £3.2 million signing of Colombian Ospina from Nice last summer, as eight consecutive wins have lifted his side to second in the Premier League. Wojciech Szczesny hasn't played a Premier League game since the 2-0 defeat to Southampton in January . David Ospina boasts the highest win ratio of any Premier League player to make more than 10 appearances . Szczesny is expected to line up in goal for Arsenal in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Reading at Wembley, and Seaman believes the Poland international can make the number one jersey his own once more. 'With Wojciech, it must be hard for him now to be number two, coming off the back of a season where he was a regular and had been playing at his best, but it is totally just because he had a couple of bad mistakes and Ospina has gone in and done his stuff,' Seaman said. 'Either of them could be Arsenal's number one, it is about who is on form - and if Ospina keeps his form, then he is going to stay there.' Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman was speaking as an ambassador for the 'Know the Score' campaign against bowel cancer to Press Association Sport. Szczesny compounded his indifferent on-field performances by being caught smoking in the showers after defeat at Southampton on New Year's Day - the last time the 24-year-old started a league game for the North Londoners. But Seaman has every faith in the 6ft 5in deposed keeper, believing that if Szczesny takes the positives from a spell on the sidelines, he can emerge a far better goalkeeper in the years to come. The 51-year-old continued: 'It is not a difficult situation, but it keeps you on your toes to know that there is quality behind you. 'It is not just the games which make you play better, it is the training. 'The goalkeepers train together, and you see the other guy, you think "I want to be better than him" or "I am going to show him how good I am". That is day to day and is good because it brings the best out of you and tests you, so you become a better goalkeeper.' David Seaman is a former English goalkeeper who joined Arsenal from Queens Park Rangers in 1990 for £1.3m, a then British record transfer fee for a goalkeeper. He spent 13 seasons at the Gunners, winning the old First Division Championship and the Premier League twice. Seaman also won four FA Cups, a League Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup during his time at Highbury. In all, he made 564 appearances for the Gunners between 1990 and 2003, before joining Manchester City on a free transfer. A return of 11 wins from 12 starts has turned Ospina into a fans' favourite at the Emirates, but Seaman is only too aware of how quickly things can change in football, and has urged Szczesny to think carefully before making a decision on his future. 'Wojciech has a big choice now, but he has still got loads of time, I did not join Arsenal until I was 26,' said Seaman, who left Arsenal for Manchester City in 2003 after leading the Gunners to FA Cup glory over Southampton at the Millennium Stadium. 'It is about how he reacts, and what does the player want - does he want to play as a number one? Or is he happy being at a big club as a number two? 'It is all about his ambition. If he wants to be a number one somewhere, then how long is he going to have to wait? 'But if he leaves Arsenal, then it won't be the same level, because it is not until after they go, that all these guys realise how good Arsenal is.' When did Ospina join Arsenal? Arsenal signed Ospina from Ligue 1 side Nice last summer. The 26-year-old made close to 200 appearances for the French club during six seasons. How much did Arsenal pay for him? Originally signed as back-up and competition for Wojciech Szczesny after the Gunners No 2 Lukasz Fabianski joined Swansea, Ospina cost a paltry £3million. Is he of international calibre? Ospina had won 52 caps for Colombia and impressed during their run to the World Cup quarter-final in Brazil last summer. When did Ospina make his first appearance for Arsenal? Ospina made his debut for Arsenal in a 2-1 defeat by Southampton in the third round of the Capital One Cup back in September and only made one further appearance in the Champions League before 2015. When did he displace Wojciech Szczesny as No 1? Ospina was recalled to the starting line-up as Arsenal beat Hull 2-0 in the FA Cup third round in January after Szczesny was at fault for both goals during a 2-0 defeat by Southampton. It later emerged that the Poland goalkeeper was caught smoking in the showers after the game. Ospina kept his place for the league game the following week and has played every Premier League match since. Did you know... Ospina is brother-in-law to Real Madrid midfielder and Colombia team-mate James Rodriguez. The former Monaco star married Ospina's sister Daniela in 2011.
target: Wojciech Szczesny has watched on from the sidelines in recent months .
  Form of David Ospina has lifted Arsenal to second in the Premier League .
  Seaman gives Poland keeper confidence boost ahead of FA Cup semi-final .
  READ: Alexis Sanchez would grace the great Arsenal teams .