19 December 2023 , 12:00
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While debate continues to rage over Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation, a couple of miles south-east of the Emirates West Ham are showing how to keep their joint No1s happy.
The competition for the Gunners’ starting spot between David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale has been a source of contention from early in the campaign.
Raya, a summer signing from Brentford, quickly assumed the first-choice spot but has made a couple of high-profile errors while Ramsdale’s father has spoken out of turn while in protective mode. Now Ramsdale will enter the January transfer window with speculation rife that he is angling for a move.
But at West Ham, the competition between their two experienced stoppers appears harmonious.
Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola swapped roles at the beginning of the season, with the Poland veteran taking cup games and sitting out in the Premier League.
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But since France international Areola sustained a mild wrist injury a couple of weeks back, Fabianski has stepped back into league action. The pair have a strong relationship and assistant manager Billy McKinlay says much of the credit should go to David Moyes for how he has managed the situation.
“We’re fortunate with the level of goalkeepers we’ve got,” McKinlay said. “We’ve got two No1s. Lukasz has come in when Alphonse has been injured and he’s been everything we expect.
"He’s a calming influence, he’s a really reliable goalkeeper and had a brilliant career. His last few performances have been terrific and he’s got a very calming influence on everybody around the group.
“It’s nothing we wouldn’t have expected from Lukasz, he’s still a spring chicken at 38. We know what we get, we know what he brings to the group. Delighted to have him.”
And asked about how to keep both players motivated and driven, McKinlay added: “That’s ultimately down to the manager dealing with the individuals and the players accepting that when they’re in the team and they’ve got the jersey they’re the custodians of the shirt.
“The other one’s got to work hard, put them under pressure, support them and deal with it professionally. We’ve had that for a couple of seasons. Whoever’s playing is under the pressure to play well and keep the jersey and whoever’s not supports them in the right professional manner and is ready for their opportunity.”