Arsenal have a chance to go back to the top of the table this afternoon when we take on Brentford at the Emirates.
With the big showdown between Liverpool and Man City taking place tomorrow, it’s an opportunity not just to take three points, but put a bit of pressure on our title rivals. We know already there will be at least one change to the team that beat Sheffield United, with Aaron Ramsdale coming in for David Raya who is ineligible to play against his parent club.
It’s a big day for the former number 1, potentially his last game in an Arsenal shirt unless there’s an injury or suspension to deal with, and it was put to Mikel Arteta in his pre-game press conference that Ramsdale is more ’emotional’ than Raya, and asked if that was a concern. He said:
A player has to be himself, and one of the biggest qualities of Aaron is his character, his charisma, his enthusiasm, his energy, and he’s contagious with that, and you cannot cut that. That’s him.
There’s no question the two are different characters, but I wonder if his time on the bench has given Ramsdale a chance to reflect a bit. There was something endearing about the way he spoke about engaging with fans as a way to keep his concentration up during games, and it’s very much in line with the ‘All goalkeepers are a bit mental’ theory. Perhaps though, it’s something you need to get on top of as you mature if you want to be the first choice at a club like Arsenal. I think that ship has sailed for him now, and it is a bit sad because he’s such a likeable guy who was a big part of our progression, but going forward, wherever he goes next, maybe he needs to find a better balance with that stuff.
Today, Arteta will expect and demand he plays the way Raya does. There will be no question of changing style, or of what he wants from his keeper both with the ball in his hands or at his feet, and it’s up to Ramsdale to deliver. Ideally, as we have seen in recent games, he’s essentially a…
Source link : https://arseblog.com/2024/03/ramsdale-in-the-spotlight-as-arsenal-look-to-go-top/
Author : arseblog
Publish date : 2024-03-09 07:57:39
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.