SM
Liverpool vs. PSG: 15 hrs 8 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

"Doesn't make sense" - Arsenal Invincible questions controversial Arteta call

:Headline: 'Doesn't make sense' - Arsenal Invincible questions controversial Arteta call:
Arsenal Invincibles goalkeeper Jens Lehmann believes that Mikel Arteta's decision to replace former number one shot-stopper Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya.
Sports Mole

A member of Arsenal's 2003-04 Invincibles squad has questioned Mikel Arteta's decision to brutally axe Aaron Ramsdale from the first XI in place of David Raya.

Ramsdale had suffered relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield United during his earliest days in the Premier League, but Arsenal were nevertheless convinced by his qualities in between the sticks.

The Gunners paid £30m to sign the England international, who was not welcomed to the club warmly by the entire fanbase, but he quickly won over the naysayers and silenced critics with a string of acrobatic and effective performances.

Last season, Ramsdale kept 14 Premier League clean sheets as Arsenal spent 248 days at the top of the table, and only Golden Glove winner David de Gea - now without a club for nearly a year - recorded more shut-outs in the top flight.

However, Arteta sought a goalkeeper with superior footwork and pursued Brentford man Raya, who joined on loan in the summer window with a £27m permanent option, which is expected to be triggered this summer.

Jens Lehmann 'never understood' Raya decision

The Spaniard has been Arteta's number one ever since the end of the September international break, largely restricting Ramsdale to cup matches and Premier League games against his parent club, which Raya was ineligible for.

Ramsdale's demotion to second choice came only a few months after he signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal, but he is now expected to push for a move away from the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Criticism of Arteta's bold decision has largely subsided, but Jens Lehmann - a former Premier League winner and Champions League runner-up with the Gunners - still believes that Ramsdale should have remained first-choice.

"I never ever understood the (Aaron) Ramsdale decision. If you have a good, brave English keeper at a big English club doing well and then you bring in a Spanish guy who's never played for a big club at that level - it just doesn't make sense," Lehmann told the Daily Mail.

"The keeper is the most important position in the team. If I were Ramsdale, I don't know how I would react because it's not easy at that age. When you're older, it's different."

Does Arteta's Raya decision really make no sense?

There can be no questioning the credentials of a goalkeeper who helped his team go an entire Premier League season unbeaten, but the statistics show that Arteta's decision to promote Raya to number one has been vindicated.

The 28-year-old is already on the brink of winning the Premier League's Golden Glove, having recorded 14 clean sheets in just 29 appearances, and a 15th versus Bournemouth this weekend could be enough to see him collect the individual accolade.

Having a defence comprised of Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes is a major help, but few can match Raya when it comes to collecting crosses; he ranks in the top 1% of goalkeepers in Europe's big five leagues in that metric.

Of course, every Raya mistake - and there have been a few of them - have reignited the Ramsdale debate, but barring his howler of a pass to Cristian Romero in the North London derby, he has been very easy on the eye on the ball.

In contrast, Arsenal's two wins over Brentford this term came in spite of a couple of Ramsdale clangers - including one which led to a goal for Yoane Wissa - so to many Gooners, the Raya decision makes a lot more sense now than it did several months ago. body check tags ::

amp_article__542637 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-05-01 20:54:09:
html db last update - 2024-05-01 20:54:09 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Mikel Arteta

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Share this article now:
AM
Read Next:
Arsenal 'open contract talks with key defender'
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Mikel Arteta David Raya Jens Lehmann Aaron Ramsdale Gabriel Magalhaes Ben White William Saliba Cristian Romero Yoane Wissa David de Gea Football
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories.
 
Recommended Next on SM
Arsenal 'open contract talks with key defender'
Ratcliffe admits Ten Hag "error" as he delivers Amorim verdict
Yoro injury confirmed: Will Man United defender miss Real Sociedad clash?
Aston Villa to rival Newcastle for Kieran Tierney?

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29217169274270
2Arsenal281510352242855
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest28156745331251
4Chelsea28147753361749
5Manchester CityMan City28145953381547
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2814594738947
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton28121064640646
8Aston Villa2912984145-445
9Bournemouth28128847341344
10Fulham2811984138342
11Crystal Palace2810993633339
12Brentford28115124844438
13Tottenham HotspurSpurs281041455411434
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd2897123440-634
15Everton2871293135-433
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2896133248-1633
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2865173857-1923
18Ipswich TownIpswich2838172658-3217
19Leicester CityLeicester2845192562-3717
20Southampton2823232068-489
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Slot provides Gakpo injury update before PSG fixture

1

SP

Real Madrid receive double fitness boost ahead of Atletico clash

2

RM

Ratcliffe slams "overpaid" and "not good enough" Man United players

3

RS

Preview: Atletico vs. Real Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

4

PA

Preview: Cavalier vs. Inter Miami - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PC

Ratcliffe admits Ten Hag "error" as he delivers Amorim verdict

6

RA

Will Rudiger return from minor illness? Real Madrid injury, suspension news vs. Atletico

7

WR

Man City's "big problem" highlights "definite need" to sign De Bruyne replacement

8

MC

Preview: Tommy Paul vs. Daniil Medvedev - prediction, head-to-head, tournament so far

9

PT

PSV vs. Arsenal: Head-to-head record and past meetings

10

PV


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .