19 September 2023 , 15:01
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Aaron Ramsdale didn't play for Arsenal in their last outing against Everton last Sunday but still managed to earn plenty of camera time as Sky Sports hoped to catch the goalkeeper looking glum.
That fixture marked the first time that the Gunners' number one has been dropped in place of summer signing David Raya, who for now is only at the Emirates on loan from Brentford, though is widely expected to make that move permanent come the end of the campaign.
Mikel Arteta's decision to bring another starting-quality goalkeeper into the club certainly raised eyebrows among fans and pundits, with few believing Ramsdale had done anything that warranted his place as first-choice shot-stopper being under threat. However, as the Arsenal boss has pointed out on a number of occasions, at a club the size of the Gunners, competition for every role is vital.
When news first broke of Raya's imminent Arsenal arrival, Ramsdale conveyed a similar message to the one his manager regularly rolls out. "Bring it on," the England international told ITV Sport. "Nothing comes easy in football. But also at the same time you need to move along and adapt as well.
"I’ve done it to other people when I’ve moved to clubs," Ramsdale continued. "I’m not going to be thinking that it’s never going to happen to me. So, yeah, I think if it happens, it happens and then we’ll fight and we’ll make each other the best version of ourselves because that’s what the manager is telling us as well."
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The comments went down well among the Arsenal faithful, but older comments made by Ramsdale may more accurately sum up how he's feeling right now with all the attention on his competition. Earlier this year, the Gunners goalkeeper spoke to The Fellas podcast about how when the club brings in a new player, those who occupy the same position can often become a tad agitated.
"Trossard's coming in to take someone's place, in his head... it might look like he's coming to be part of the squad. But deep down, like I was with [Bernd] Leno, I've come to take Leno's place.
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David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale are battling for Arsenal's number one goalkeeper role (Getty Images)"He's come in to take one of the front three players' place. So if you start saying, 'Oh by the way, we've signed Trossard' - before it happens - one of the front three might go, 'Hang on a minute?'"
Ramsdale has openly admitted that any newcomer arrives with the intention of cementing their place in the team, which means he is well aware Raya wants the first-choice role on a regular basis. That, inevitably, leads to speculation surrounding the long-term future of Ramsdale, who still has three years left to run on his current deal in north London.
His comments to the podcast suggest Ramsdale also had a 'hang on a minute' moment when it became clear Raya would be joining the club. However, as things stand, the 25-year-old has not issued any sort of public sentiment which would suggest he is angry with Arteta's handling of the situation.
With that being said, not everyone has kept quiet on the matter. Arsenal legend and fellow goalkeeper David Seaman has blasted the fact that Ramsdale was dropped for Sunday's trip to Goodison Park.
Speaking on The Seaman Says podcast, the ex-England ace said: "Aaron not in goal really shocked me if I’m honest. I find it hard to understand. I still can’t get my head around if they’re going to be swapping and chopping and changing the goalkeeper. I don’t like that from what it does at the back because the players have to get used to two different goalkeepers.
"But I think the bigger question is: Who plays Wednesday [against PSV] because it’s UEFA Champions League and neither of them have played in it. I think that’ll be a telling point as to who’s going to continue."
While Seaman was crystal clear in his stance, renowned Arsenal fan and journalist Piers Morgan was even firmer and suggested Arteta had humiliated Ramsdale by dropping him.
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"I don’t understand what Ramsdale has done to deserve being dropped. Havertz, yes.. but Ramsdale's been consistently superb for us. Why humiliate him? I don’t believe in having two top keepers with neither knowing who's No.1," he posted on social media.
"Nothing against Raya, who is very good, but don’t like the way Ramsdale’s being treated. Has any team ever won the League by rotating two top goalkeepers? I have no idea, but I doubt it."
Arteta would no doubt respond that there's a first time for everything and he'll hope to buck the trend by guiding Arsenal to glory with Ramsdale and Raya alternating minutes. Whether such a scene plays out, we'll have to simply wait and see.