Arteta could heed goalkeeper warning from inside Arsenal ahead of Man City clash
As Arsenal goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo whiffed at hot air and Manchester United’s Leah Galton slipped an equaliser into a gaping net, the pre-match words of Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall hung in the air like the purest of ironies.
The Swedish manager had rotated heavily for Friday night’s heavyweight WSL clash, one of the rotations being between the sticks as veteran Manuela Zinsberger made way for new signing D’Angelo. But it was a first start of nightmares as a howler of epic proportions nearly cost the Gunners against their title rivals,
A campaign is taking place at Arsenal, one with the sole intention of debunking the myth of the sacrosanct goalkeeper and Making Switching Goalkeepers Normal.
This was the crux of Eidevall’s defiant response when queried on his goalkeeper rotation ahead of Friday night’s kick-off. Football shouldn’t make sacred cows of their keepers. In fact, rotating goalkeepers between matches should not be stigmatised, nor the switching of goalkeepers mid-game if so required. Goalkeepers put their boots on one foot at a time just like the rest of the starting XI.
Drawing parallels to fellow Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was easy and immediate. Arteta was the subject of fierce scrutiny when he said he was open to the idea of switching goalkeepers mid-game as he rotates Aaron Ramsdale and new signing David Raya throughout the current campaign.
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Eidevall seemed neither fussed nor aware when told that his opposite number in the men’s dugout was preaching a similar dogma, though it is a fascinating case study nonetheless.
And Arsenal men’s manager Mikel Arteta will want to take heed of the potential nightmare scenario that can play out after Friday evening’s events at Leigh Sports Village.
A shaky opening performance from the Canadian goalkeeper was compounded late in the first-half as D’Angelo inexplicably sprinted towards the edge of the area to clear a ball over the top sent towards a galloping Leah Galton.
The clearance was more or less manageable, until it wasn’t. D’Angelo swung and missed, leaving an incredulous-looking Galton with the ball at her feet and an open goal to aim at.
The error immediately raised the question of whether Eidevall would act on his earlier claims, though the Gunners boss opted to stick rather than twist after the interval.
D’Angelo grew into the match, making saves when required, though another episode of miscommunication with her backline led to United taking the lead less than 10 minutes from time through Melvine Malard.
Whether the swap was a seismic error or a freak accident depends on one’s vantage point. Substitute Cloe Lacasse’s stunning injury-time strike ensured that the defensive errors did not lead to a third loss to United on the trot for Eidevall and co.
Still, the errors do call into question Eidevall and Arteta’s fierce belief in swapping goalkeepers at whim, particularly ahead of Sunday’s match-up with Manchester City.
Arteta has opted for Raya in Arsenal’s last two fixtures, including the 2-1 Champions League loss to Lens midweek.
Ramsdale’s last appearance arrived in a 1-0 victory away to Brentford.
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Who Arteta charges with the responsibility of keeping Erling Haaland from scoring a 61st goal in his 66th Premier League match for City remains to be seen, but Friday evening’s draw against the Red Devils could prove a prescient piece of information.
Choose your fighter wisely, Arsenal.
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