Aaron Ramsdale is a player I absolutely adore, his passion and enthusiasm is unrivalled by not just any other goalkeeper in the league but majority of outfield players as well, aside from his obvious goalkeeping qualities he also brings way more to a team, he’s a leader, he’s vocal and very passionate about what he believes in. Nevertheless, I think those are the very traits that got him replaced by David Raya.
Let me explain. You see the goalkeeping position requires peak level of concentration and not letting emotions get the better of you in key moments of the game so that you can minimize the risk of errors. This is a thing Ramsdale particularly struggled with in his first two seasons, often getting distracted by opposition fans alike. Now these distractions and lapses in concentration were not the only reasons he was subsequently replaced given how most of it did not get punished. He also did not perform optimally with the ball at his feet and particularly with claiming crosses or corner kicks.
However, among his few flaws are many strong points that one would consider whether he deserves another shot at winning his shirt back. He’s an extra leader that we would absolutely need on the pitch if we’re to win our first League title in 20 years, his shot stopping abilities are some of the best in the league, think back to Anfield away in April 2023 where he single handedly won us a point with two outrageous saves, he is just an amazing goalkeeper. Nevertheless, given how well David Raya has fared then him regaining his spot is a very unlikely outcome.
Honestly as much as I love this player it pains me to admit that we’re probably not going to see him in an Arsenal shirt ever again, given rumors of a move away before the end of the transfer window. No one would blame him for wanting a move away given his age and the quality he still has to play for elite clubs. But perhaps him and Arteta have come to an understanding for this season, and at least we will have a top keeper around in case David Raya gets injured or suspended.
Surely, Arteta must play him in the cups at least if he stays?
