The international break was the closest yet to Aaron Ramsdale admitting he may have to consider his future at Arsenal if he carries on being on the bench in the League.
Sam Johnstone being picked ahead of him for the friendly with Australia now has the 25-year fearing if his seat on the plane for Euro 2024 is secure?
Only he knows what conversations he’s had with Gareth Southgate.
The issue is his national boss’s selection criteria seems to change by the day.
Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips play for the Three Lions no matter their limited minutes for their club, so in theory a backup keeper could go to Germany based on Carabao Cup action.
I feel though it would be a mistake for our keeper to base his decision entirely on Germany. Let’s remember for two years he’s performed to a higher standard than Pickford and that hasn’t changed who starts in goal for England.
A loan or permanent move therefore won’t alter the faith Southgate has in Pickford.
I think the player is smart enough to realise that if David Raya isn’t dropped after this weekend he never will be.
Forget being off his line to concede from a cross. It’s three games in a row now that the Spaniard has lost possession to an attacker, his ability on the ball apparently his strength.
Wasn’t the idea for competition to bring out the best in both GK?
Didn’t our manager say he was basing his choice game by game?
What happened to his vision of subbing keepers?
Raya has made a lot of errors very early on in his Arsenal career.
Yet each time Arteta just sits there laughing at the press.
After Man City, due to the euphoria he got away with telling us fans tactically don’t understand, that it takes courage to waste so much time on the ball ,Alvarez charges you down and nearly scores!
This week, the same grin. Our coach is now claiming he’s yet to see any signs of Raya feeling unconfident!
It would be scarier If he believes it.
Yet in reality, Arteta can’t recall Ramsdale in the league for the simple reason ….to do that he has to admit he was wrong.
He’s too arrogant to do that.
A great manager sticks to his convictions, but they also acknowledge when they got something wrong.
This is a man who promised each summer all players have a fresh start only to rip up contracts and pay talent to sit at home.
He preferred watching Eddie Nketiah and Lacazette struggle to fire us into the Champions League rather than finding a compromise with Aubameyang.
He spitefully put Matt Smith on bench just to antagonize Ozil and cited it was footballing reasons.
Ramsdale will be aware of all of that.
His biggest obstacle is not proving he’s better than Raya, it’s Arteta’s ego.
I maintain this is the decision that will go too far and blow up in Arteta’s face.
In Ramsdale’s position, you don’t hit your peak till you’re past the age of 30.
So, he convinced Edu to invest in a youngster knowing they would have to be patient just to change his mind years later?
Why authorize a contract extension for him merely months ago.
Ramsdale will go elsewhere and be a star.
I hope now Gooners realise they were lied to. There never was this concept of going game by game and having two number ones. He simply thinks Raya is better than Ramsdale.
He gets paid a lot of money to have that opinion.
He’s wrong. We saw that in the NLD ….in France……against City ……..at the Bridge.
He’s wrong.
He won’t admit it though and it will cost us.
Dan