Man Utd icon blames Arteta for ‘lack of understanding’ on one big Arsenal issue

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel has criticised Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his use of his goalkeepers.

The Arsenal goalkeeper situation has garnered plenty of headlines so far this season. Despite already having Aaron Ramsdale at the club, Mikel Arteta opted to sign David Raya in the recent summer transfer window.

Raya arrived at the Emirates Stadium on a season-long loan from Brentford. However, the Gunners are expected to pay £27 million to make his stay in north London permanent.

Not long after joining the club, Raya usurped Ramsdale in the pecking order.

However, things have not been entirely plain-sailing since then. Raya has had a number of difficult games and unconvincing moments between the sticks for the Gunners. He was culpable for two goals the club conceded recently against Luton Town. Plenty of Arsenal fans were critical of the 28-year-old in the aftermath of that display.

Ramsdale, meanwhile, remains a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta has also been criticised for his treatment of the England man. Ramsdale himself has spoken out publicly about the pain that losing his starting berth at Arsenal has caused him.

However, last time he got the chance to play, in a Premier League clash with Brentford, the 25-year-old was a bag of nerves and made a number of errors.

Is Mikel Arteta to blame for David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale’s woes at Arsenal?

As things stand, neither goalkeeper appears to be playing with a great deal of confidence. This is obviously a big problem for Arteta, and arguably one of his own making.

The Spanish coach was clearly trying to engineer some positive competition for minutes by bringing Raya in to fight for Ramsdale’s place. This move looks to have backfired, though, with both players now seeming insecure at the club.

Arteta has also failed to live up to his word in terms of regularly rotating his shot-stoppers. At one stage, he was even discussing the prospect of substituting his ‘keepers within matches. There has been no sign of such an approach becoming a reality, though. Raya is clearly his No. 1 pick these days, even if he hasn’t exactly shone in the role.

Jamie Carragher believes that this issue could be big enough to prevent Arsenal from mounting a successful Premier League title push this season. 

Meanwhile, iconic former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has been equally critical of Arteta’s course of action. As quoted by The Times, he said that Arteta “shows a lack of understanding about the position. Goalkeepers need the confidence that, regardless, they’re still playing next week. You don’t want your ’keeper flying here, there, everywhere trying to show the manager he’s better than the competition. Yet Arteta has planted that seed in the minds of both Raya and Aaron Ramsdale.”