Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation is still under scrutiny, with Aaron Ramsdale having a mixed return to action yesterday, but Jamie Carragher has now defended Mikel Arteta from criticism.
A lot of negativity has been directed at Arteta for the situation, which has seen David Raya come in and replace Ramsdale, despite the Englishman’s strong performances last season.
Ramsdale started in yesterday’s victory over Brentford, with Raya ineligible as per the terms of his loan deal, and whilst he kept a clean sheet, he made a few errors on the ball which did not do well to stem the scrutiny over both goalkeepers.
Jamie Carragher defends Mikel Arteta
On his X account, Carragher defended Arteta’s handling of the goalkeeping situation, claiming that the manager was well within his rights to upgrade his options.
“Arteta has created this pressure on his keepers narrative is nonsense!!!!! Arteta should improve on his goalkeeper if he feels it’s right, is he supposed to sell the other one the same day,” he posted.
“He did it with Ramsdale/Leno There is no battle to be number one, Raya is the number one!!”
Has Arteta created extra pressure on Arsenal’s goalkeepers?
When Ramsdale made an error on the ball yesterday, the broadcast cameras zoomed in on Raya in the crowd, and this has been a common theme for both players whenever one has made a mistake.
Having two goalkeeping options who could be first choice is rarely seen at a lot of clubs, because of the lack of rotation in the position. Arteta has also refused to rotate the pair in the Champions League, meaning Ramsdale has had to settle for Carabao Cup games in the last few months.
The scrutiny over both keepers has been relentless, and both have made high-profile errors during this tough period for both.
A criticism of Arteta is that he chose to bring in Raya at the same time as extending Ramsdale’s contract, and pundits have now claimed that Ramsdale should now push for a move away.
The situation will likely end in one of the keepers, and likely Ramsdale, departing the club eventually. However, whilst the noise around them is not ideal, Arsenal have kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League this season, and statistically have the best defence out of anyone.
It is clear that Raya is the first choice option now, and if, in the long run, he finds his best form, then Arteta’s decision to bring him in will be fully justified.
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