Mikel Arteta believes Aaron Ramsdale would be unwise to leave Arsenal during the winter transfer window. The Englishman is without a doubt Arsenal’s second-choice goalkeeper, having only appeared twice in the last 13 Arsenal games, both of which were in the Carabao League Cup. He hasn’t appeared in the league or the Champions League since the September international break.
With the Euros slated for next summer, Ramsdale needs to play more in the next few months. Gareth Southgate cautioned Ramsdale that he needs to play more, because he can’t promise he’ll be in his team when the next international break arrives if he hasn’t been playing frequently.
“We’ll just have to see how things go. I had that conversation with him in the last camp,” Southgate said via Sky Sports. “He’s still fighting for the No. 1 spot at Arsenal, and his profile and the way he can use the ball with his feet is something we like and think is important.”
“But there is a reality as a keeper. if we get to March and he’s six months without playing regularly, then I’m never going to promise things that I couldn’t guarantee delivering. So he knows that; he’s perfectly realistic about that.”
While Southgate warns Ramsdale, Mikel Arteta has intimated that Ramsdale might still get plenty of time to play. The Spaniard says Ramsdale, who he thinks is still vital to his squad, will still play a significant role for Arsenal this season. That is why he does not want him to make a hasty choice about his Arsenal future during the winter transfer window.
Via Arsenal.com Arteta said, “Well, first of all, my door is open to speak to any player, we just want the best for our players, and we try to do that. We know the influence that we can have, sometimes positively, sometimes not so positively towards them, but we will always try to do our best to help them, but this is a team sport that needs 24 players that have to fulfil a role.
“And the role that you have in August, it might be very different to the one you have in March. So making early decisions, in my experience, is not something good at all, because the team has certain needs that has to be accomplished,”.
“And in order to do that, you cannot do it with six, 10 or 14 players. It is impossible. So you need everyone and Aaron has a really important role in the team.”
Arsenal can’t afford to lose Ramsdale in the middle of the season. It’s unfortunate that he has to deal with being second choice, but he simply has to keep working hard in training; at 25, he’s still young and has plenty of time to reverse his fortunes, and considering his new wife has only this morning had her and Aaron’s first child, he has probably had many distractions and has been very preoccuupied lately.
Daniel O
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The big problem is the way he has been treated. He has been dumped like an old matress and its not like he deserved it or Raya is so much better. He didn’t and Raya isn’t. If i was him, i would be offski.
Raya is better when looking at the stats, so I am not sure why you think he isn’t?
It was a little harsh, but isn’t this what we want as Arsenal fans? For our manager to only want what’s best for the team over the individuals? It’s been working so far!
Raya is NOT better and Ramsdale did NOT deserve the way he was treated.
And NOBODY could blame Ramsdale. Stats or BS is not the issue, its the circumstance.
He should leave for his own career, don’t let Arteta ruin your future.
ALTHOUGH what MA said about needing RAMSDALE at sometime later this season makes sense for the club, for Ramsdale personally it does not make sense.
From HIS position, I reckon what he sees is an unfair demotion in favour of a not better rival and any chance to keep his England squad place fast disappearing.
He will, correctly, have great belief in his own ability and despite keeing his cool so far when unfairly benched, he SURELY MUST feel unfairly refected.
I would agree with him too ,as plainly do a great many of us on JA.
I FULLY EXPECT HIM TO SEEK A TRANSFER, QUITE POSSIBLY IN TIME TO TRY TO FORCE HIS WAY OUT BY JAN 2024, but by the latest next summer, UNLESS MA sees sense and restores him to his rightful position very soon.
I do NOT expect that to happen and so I foresee a very disgruntled, yet hugely talented while still young, top class keeper wanting out.
I for one would not blame him at all. It makes sense, from HIS position. For the club and team it would be a major mistake.
His hypocrisy stinks. The lies that fly out of his mouth rots. Ramsdale run for your career now that’s still early.
Firstly, that’s harsh of Southgate to give Ramsdale a public ultimatum. No mention of Kalvin Phillips then Gareth?
Secondly I don’t understand the reluctance of some fans to want to improve our team. I have the same argument with people saying we must persist with academy players because they are “our own”. Yes Ramsdale is a lovely guy but that in itself is not a reason to play him in our first team.
Sentimentality is not conducive to success – ruthlessness and constant improvement are. I happen to think Raya is marginally better in our team, and although that is subjective, even a 1% upgrade justifies the change for me, and I don’t accept that a keeper should feel any more offended than anyone else when a rival for their spot is brought in. Happy to accept different opinions on both players, but purely on an ability basis. Overall we all want a successful team rather than a happy but mediocre one.
Ramsdale’s time will come, just trust the plan. This has got nothing to do with performance as non keen observers have failed to take note hence the rather hasty conclusion of being unfairly treated, it’s got to do with what the gaffer wants from his goal keeper at this stage of the season compared to what it’s gonna be as the season progresses. It’s a strategic approach NOT just some reflex decision.