Kudos to Edu – Is Ramsdale proving to be the signing of the season?

Aaron Ramsdale produced arguably the save of the season on Saturday as he continued his reputation as signing of the year.

While Mikel Arteta tactically set up at 2-0 up for his team to sit back and invite Leicester to try and break them down, our keeper gave the Foxes zero room for any hope.

I will spend the next couple of days dedicating articles to the 23-year-old.

I will tap into the memory bank, but feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, I can’t think of a player who so quickly proved a section of our fan base wrong?

There were Gooners concerned by the price tag for a goalie relegated in consecutive campaigns.

Others felt that at a time when other areas of the squad need improving, why were we forking out so much when we had Leno?

In reality the German had been making individual mistakes since he recovered from injury.

Leno’s ego never seemed to cope with some supporters wanting Martinez to remain our number one after he starred for us on route to winning the FA Cup.

Our manager wanted those two to compete with each other to raise overall standards.

The Spaniard seemed he was getting that competition in the summer.

Many sources questioned why we sold Martinez to Villa while spending more on someone with two relegations on his CV.

That debate seemed to end last Friday after the Argentine’s mind games failed to Stop his ex-captain scoring from the spot (kind of).

If anyone in the summer said after just 10 League games Ramsdale would be more popular then Martinez, few would have believed you.

……..

Credit to our scouting network though. In an era where a goalie has to do so much more than just be good with his hands, clearly, they had been monitoring his development for years and realise he’s not even close to an age where he would be in his peak.

Indeed, in his position some don’t reach their best form till their late twenties, early thirties.

Equally how many Gunners started their Arsenal career with this kind of form?

It’s not just his save from Madisson’s free kick, it’s his ability with the ball at his feet, the confidence he gives the back 4, his interaction with the fans, the way he speaks, his leadership.

Like the rest of the team, he’s so young that it’s natural that there will be periods of inconsistency.

At the moment though Ramsdale has been the highlight of our season.

Can you remember a signing who started this well for us? Especially one who proved so many doubters wrong?

Let me know in the comments

Dan

37 Comments

  1. Is Arteta who pushed to have Ramsdale signed not Edu. As usual Edu wanted to sign the Barcelona Brazilian GK called Neto who is another Kia Joorabchan player but Arteta insisted on having Ramsdale.

    Check your facts. Edu is all for Kia players, that’s why he holidays with Kia and Raul Sanhelli. He’s always looking to sign Kia players.

    1. That’s right.
      White, Ramsdale, Tomiyasu
      These 3 are push through by Arteta while Edu just wunna sign some others.

        1. It’s the Athletic mate, I don’t think you can read that for free.
          They reported that when they made a piece dedicated to Arsenal’s transfers this summer.
          You should sweach their archives, if they do, or search the net

  2. Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Tavares, Sambi. Edu had a blinder with incomings this window (I like Odegaard a lot but can see the verdict is still out him).

    My biggest worry when we were in for Ramsdale was that he would be turned off by the negative reaction from some quarters. Clearly he’s made of sterner stuff. I think Pickford’s days as England’s number one are numbered.

  3. As former Arsenal players, Edu/ Arteta surely love the club and will do their best to work with the available resources. Shame on the shortsighted fans who doubted their dedications

    1. Well said GAI
      I’ve always believed in Arteta’s integrity but wasn’t sure about Edu, until I read that it was Sanhelli who gave lucrative contracts to Mari and Cedric.

      1. I thought Edu was the one who recruited them. Nonetheless, they’re decent squad rotation players and never slacked off in the games either

  4. ramsdale is no doubt signing of the season if not decade. his organizational ability, the confidence he gives his team mates. his shouts and leadership qualities is missing in arsenal team for years. his swag is really over pouring. keep it up dear.
    another mentioning is ESR. arteta please, manage that boy well. let him not be over used. I can see another Paul Gascoigne in the making. thumbs up boys. kudos arteta.

  5. Not a I told you so kinda guy but I have seen over the years players at clubs get stick… at our club I seen people like Gervinho and it knocked his ability to perform.

    I’m glad of Ramsdales performances. I hope it lasts because of purple patches and all that.

    We will still need to support when his performances will naturally drop.

    Be good, fans

    1. Great thoughts Tomorrow, we have fans who keep blasting players THEY think are dross etc etc.
      One such player today, was Kolasinac… Still giving 100%, liked by his team mates, but shunned by some fans.
      Ramsdale will make mistakes (he’s human after all) and he will then be hounded, as Leno has been.

      1. Exactly

        the fans only want big names and big tag players….

        Our current team is young but talented…if we can keep them for at least one or two season playing together…

        We will have a good core team

        Football is about teamwork and hardwork

        we can win in 2 season time

  6. We are still a 30 min performance teamwith a clever manager. Let’s not Overhype the players and the team as a whole

  7. Fans thought we needed this and that player, not White and Ramsdale.

    Why did Arteta want these 2 players specifically and ”over pay ” ?

    Its pretty simple, MA wants the majority of play to come from the back and this is the basis of his style.

    Leno is like a headless chicken with the ball at his feet and as for the CB’s we had last season, only Luiz was suited and able to play with the ball, under pressure – White does this.

    I said at when we was initially linked with both players before the Euros had kicked off that these would be good signings and dont get drwn into the fact Ramsdale had been relegated 2 years on the trot.

    Overall, we’re now 6th? with UTD beating the Spuds and we could drop to 7th if Everton win on MNF. It’s a great turn of fortunes for a team that was bottom after 3 games.

    I do like the 4-4-2 we shaped up with, without the ball today, the team looked well coached and it has been steadily improving from game to game, which MA deserves credit for.

    Great win today, next up Watford and ten a trip to Anfield, thats our next test

  8. Edu is an agent for Kia and Raul. They’ve pocketed millions from recruitment that’s why Raul was sacked

  9. Credit to arteta for bringing this sets of players,kudos to edu for supporting the process….players that wants to learn and play good football….

  10. I’m eating humble pie now
    But the last 8 games have got me thinking maybe arteta is getting things right and hopefully he does I’m not a arteta fan but I’m a arsenal fan forever so good luck mikel…..

  11. MA is really a clever Coach who has learnt a lot from Pep. I hope the management will allow him to continue the good work as there will be some bad results in the future. Once their is consistency, we should be able to qualify for Europe next season! Kudos to the manager & players for making us happy

  12. Gooners almost ALL of us, should be now eating humble pie, about RAMSDALE IN PARTICULAR ,as MA was almost alone in wanting him.

    So many Gooners did not want a keeper who has twice been relegated , despite still being only 23 and in the England Euro squad last summer- some indeed are eating humble pie and admirably so too – but others are so slow to see the marked improvement since all our summer signings have been playing together and how massively improved our team NOW is.

    Why some can see the signs and others cannot or perhaps will not, is the subject of an article I have asked Ad PAT to use.
    My previous sent article on the ethnic lists of “black players” that were on JA , refuting the need for such lists as pointless and harmful, was refused by PAT.

    So I have just asked him to use my article on examining fan negativity and await his reply before sending it in. As ever with me it will be an in depth examination, IF ALLOWED to be printed!

    1. There’s been too many years of hurt for some fans Jon. Some are so desperate for Arsenal to be who we should be, fighting for titles regularly, they were unwilling to adopt the long term plan. I understand completely why some fans feel like this, as we all want one thing as fans and that’s Arsenal success.

      I was right behind this project from the off. It was the only feasible option with owners that don’t like spending 70-100m on ready made players. For the first time since KSE took over the plan and objectives of the club and owner are running parallel to each other. You don’t need to spend 150m on one player and we are proving that.

      Why we were getting slated especialy by some sections of our own fanbase for spending that sum on 6 players is and was ridiculous. Its now proving to be fabulous business and making those fans look very silly indeed. There is a risk that Edu, one of Kias puppets will still go for his players. But Arteta’s determined to make sure he gets the players he wants not who Edu wants. I’m not a fan of Edu and would much rather Overmars but he has got Arteta’s targets over the line fair play to him.

      Were not at the level to challenge City and Liverpool yet. But the foundations now look very solid. A massive shout also has to go to the BFG for his work at Hale End. He’s doing a fantastic job and it should be highlighted.

  13. Ramsdale is a fine young keeper, that is not the question. The question is why we had to get to here, when we already had a keeper better than Leno. Still we are now eventually here a year later, we just need to see now if he is the real deal over the next few seasons. He has a chance but he is still raw and young.

    1. I think the problem was Emi wanted to be a guaranteed 1st team starter with no competition for his place. At Arsenal he was never going to get that because of Leno and at Villa it’s an easier life for him. Arteta also seems to like healthy competition for places which prevents complacency, you make mistakes there’s someone who will step in.

      I loved Emi, but to believe you could be at a club like Arsenal and not have competition for your place is ridiculous. I no longer want players at the club who are not willing to fight their way back into the team, just as Laca did. I don’t think for one second Arteta wanted to sell him he wanted to go. He gave us 10 years and was the least we could have done

      1. You have twisted it to sound totally wrong. Emi didn’t not want competition, he wanted what he thought was right. He had waited 10 years, basically ignored, he thought he had won the No 1 Jersey and thought he should be No1 Arteta did not agree/go with that and Martinez didn’t fancy going back to being ignored for the next 10 years. If anyone at work is denied promotion they know they deserve they are angry and go somewhere else to get it. He was and should have been No1, he was right at being knocked back and being pi##ed.

  14. Young and fresh from the fridge. I just can’t seem to find the right words with which to explain our young and experienced goalie’s heroics these past few weeks. He is a sure blessing in disguise.

  15. Unbelievable save,i take long time without seen it to any goalkeeper in epl on till now for RAMSDALE

  16. Fantastic signing, great work by Edu, MA and the scouting team. The save from Madison will most likely go down as the save of the season.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors