Should Ramsdale be starting over Raya?
There’s been plenty of discussion around who Arsenal and Arteta’s number one goalkeeper is, After Aaron Ramsdale started the season playing between the sticks and other than our 1-1 draw with Fulham, hadn’t really stepped a foot wrong, but Arteta surprised everyone in the game against Everton on Goodison Park and named David Raya as the starting keeper.
Raya had a really impressive game against Everton, Goodison Park has been a tough place for Arsenal to go to, having lost a lot the last 4 games against them, Areta starting Raya was a big surprise for Arsenal Fans but were pleasantly surprised by his performance. Looking confident, playing the ball out from the back and helping create more space for his defender to go into.
Since then Raya has started every match except the League Cup game against his loan club Brentford, which Ramsdale started and kept a clean sheet in our 1-0 victory over the Bees and arguably didn’t step a foot wrong all game.
Arteta has been asked many times by the press if the number one spot was final and Ramsdale had lost his spot, but the manager continued to say that the goalkeeper position is always up for grabs and it’s just healthy competition. Which honestly, can be very difficult to control, the keepers position is normally pretty straightforward and there’s normally an out and out number one. Goalkeepers can be hard to keep happy and you want your keeper to be in the best head space and feeling as confident as possible when between the sticks and having the position up for grabs can jeopardise that.
Lately Raya has been starting but just hasn’t looked as confident as he did in the games against Everton and PSV, making a few silly avoidable mistakes that’s made Arsenal fans wonder if Arteta changed his goalkeeper too quickly. Raya is on loan from Brentford with the option to buy at the end of the season and it looks like that’s the plan, but should Arteta really be putting all his eggs in one basket?
Ramsdale has dealt with the loss of the starting spot well and it’s been reported that he’s been nothing but supportive to his teammate Raya, but he is no doubt disappointed to lose his spot after such a heroic performance last season, that saw us almost clinch the Premier League title and got us back into The Champions League for the first time in 7 years.
It should be interesting to see what Arteta does from here and where he draws the line and decides to revert to Ramsdale. Raya could just be trying to find his feet better and getting to know his defence’s movements etc.. But only time will tell.
What’s your thoughts Gooners? Are you happy for Raya to keep his spot or do you think it’s time for Ramsdale to get another shot between the sticks?
Daisy Mae
Although Raya gives us a great option for playing with our feet, I never thought that Ramsdale would lose its place. I think that hiring him creates unnecessary anxiety in a position that demands coolness, in addition to hindering or even preventing the development of names like Hein and Arthur (I really can’t remember his last name) who are very promising.
They all have passing mistakes….leading to us being scored…silly goals. They all luck confidence.
I think Ramsdale should, and will start in our next game.
It would be obvious that Arteta has undisclosed issues with Ramsdale if he doesn’t play him in next match. Arteta said he bought Raya for the purpose of competition and that even keepers can be substituted if need be. He should be truthful to his words. Raya’s mistakes is becoming too consistent in games. The gaffer shouldnt wait until this triggers unwanted feelings among the fans and their supports in games drops.
I think the marriage is over with Ramsdale. Arteta went for another player. Its an obvious problem that has been handled badly.
the position of the goal keeper is a strategic one as per our ability to win the league .
i am not sure we have the right goalkeeper for that role now, but looks like Rayas’ bad days are too many and so we should play it by the ear , ie play ramsdale for important matches and raya for less importan t matches till jan 2024, and then decide whose a better number 1 from there on💔
It is high time Ramsdale comes back in goal. Raya was brought for his ball distribution traits which are not that great. Also his positioning leaves a lot to be desired as was proved by Chelsea’s second goal. Ramsdale has a commanding presence in goal and is more confident on the ball.
But not according to Arteta and his goalkeeping coach.
Wonder what Arsenal Manager, First Team GK coach and current Arsenal No.1 GK have in common?
Maybe it’s not enough for Ramsdale to be the better GK by a country mile.
Habla Usted Espanyol? Aaron.
I’d hate to see him go, but if you don’t look after a dog it’ll bite you in the foot.
Couldn’t agree more.
Remains to be seen whether Manager and 1st team GK coach are ready to ditch their fellow countryman.
I believe rambo is better of so the gaffer should think inward and decide on both keepers
It was never time to drop Ramsdale, especially for a player on loan.
That’s a very good point and particularly not for a tip top keeper.
Yes Raya has made a couple of mistakes that led or were lucky not to us conceding. In the essence of fair competition there is no better time to put ramsdale back.
Arteta should keep his word when he said he will alternate players, I think Ramsdale should start this time around.
I believe that Ramsdale should be No 1 keeper. Raya wants to impress to remain Arteta’ s favourite, in this process is making fatal mistakes.
On the other hand Ramsdale has a contract so he does not need to impress. He is calm and steady.
IMHO if and when Ramsdale is reinstated, l am sure he will try to prove a point and I am sure he’ll have cut out his small silly mistakes that he is prone to.
It has made sense to give Raya a run in the side. There would be no point chopping and changing on a game by game basis. Although I think Raya will play in Seville. He is Spanish so may as well keep in for that one and bring back Ramsdale against his old club Sheffield United.
Unsurprisingly, there will be many various opinions on this subject. I wish it to be known that for me personally, I have seen NOTHING AT ALL OF TOP QUALITY IN RAYA.
He lacks personality, the natural authority that ALL to keepers must have and he looks hesitant and is not even as good a ball distributor as RAMSDALE.
Moreover he has made so far just the ONE- yes just one- top class save against Spurs and his positional sense is alarming.
CAN ANYONE INTELLIGENT EXPLAIN WHAT THE HELL IT IS THAT MA SEES IN HIM?
To my mind he is markedly inferior to RAMSDALE IN ALL THE QUALITIES A TOP KEEPER MUST HAVE.
He’ll surely return when his time comes.
Ramsdale for me he’s a better keeper raya is slightly better playing out the back but that’s it. We nearly won the PL with him last year and it wasn’t his fault we didn’t. I like arteta but his man management is questionable!