I didn't get the chance to watch Aaron Ramsdale return to the lineup, and I know it was a case of necessity as Raya was ineligible against Brentford, but I was glad to see Ramsdale back. Unfortunately I think it's the beginning of the end.
I saw the highlights - obviously the near miss in the first half is the one the rags focused on. It was pretty dreadful and it was fairly typical of Ramsdale with a ball at his feet, but the bottom line is that it didn't cost us. However it's hard not to see Arteta hanging his justification for dropping Ramsdale again on that, despite a few saves and a clean sheet. I also saw the Zinchenko block - brilliant, but I'm pretty sure the keeper had it covered. It would have been an excellent save but instead it looks like another time he needed a bailout, which isn't a fair assessment.
Ramsdale looks like he's lost his smile and his cocky attitude which are things that made him what he was - he still had some buoyancy even when things went badly, but I worry he's lost that. He could get it back with time and games but I don't think Arteta will give him either. He seems to be showing far more leniency to Raya for unknown reasons, which have the net effect of killing Ramsdale's confidence. The only possible reason I can think of for Arteta playing Raya is to pave the way for a bid for Toney - maybe Arteta is showing Brentford what they're missing in Raya, but then as a sweetener when we bid for Toney we agree to give Raya back rather than buy him permanently so we don't weaken their team too much. Far fetched and fanciful but aside from "Arteta hates Ramsdale," it's all I can think of.
There's a lot of disparity happening - everyone is rightly happy Havertz scored, myself no exception, but nobody is mentioning that Flekken was beaten at his near post from a poor angle by what wasn't an exceptional header. If it had been at the other end, it's all the pundits would be speaking about, and Ramsdale would never set for on pitch for us again.
If things keep running their course I foresee Ramsdale leaving in January, at least on loan. I'd want him to go, as staying would be self destructive and he deserves better. Yes, he made mistakes that cost us last year, and I was very bitter about that, but he's also a big part of why we were even in the hunt in the first place. He helped to get us to league runner up position and Champions League football and he isn't playing in either, in deference to someone who can't prove he's better and has already cost us points. Keepers have, harshly in my opinion, been shown no mercy at this club in recent years so I don't understand why Arteta seems to be changing this with Raya but not the man who was here first and has done more to deserve it. I don't know what Arteta is doing but it looks for all the world designed to either break Ramsdale or get rid of him, and I'd prefer to see the latter happen before the former. He deserves better than that.
The Keeper Conundrum, pt. 3
posted on 28/11/23
comment by (K̇ash) - Liverpool 7-0 Man U - Free Palestin... (U1108)
posted 1 day, 1 hour ago
If his old man shut up. That might help.
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Good on his Da to speak up and it was fair comments. Seen a lot worse. Ramsdale has had his howlers but the treatment from Arteta hasn’t been nice. For a club like Arsenal, I’d like to see more human touch like Wenger used to
posted on 28/11/23
comment by 50 No longer trusting the process (U1147)
posted 41 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) - Liverpool 7-0 Man U - Free Palestin... (U1108)
posted 1 day, 1 hour ago
If his old man shut up. That might help.
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Good on his Da to speak up and it was fair comments. Seen a lot worse. Ramsdale has had his howlers but the treatment from Arteta hasn’t been nice. For a club like Arsenal, I’d like to see more human touch like Wenger used to
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How many dad's speak out? His son is a adult and his old man is just adding unnecessary pressure because he has been dropped.
posted on 28/11/23
His dad speaking out was pathetic tbh, made me lose respect for him.
posted on 29/11/23
"nobody is mentioning that Flekken was beaten at his near post from a poor angle"
That's rubbish, I am afraid. Goalkeepers can do nothing against headers 5 yards out, whatever 'angle' they may take. That's why the cross is so special and so is the timing of Havertz's run!
posted on 29/11/23
comment by Tu Meke (U3732)
posted 1 day ago
comment by RuiCostaJr - laconic, sardonic, sometimes moronic (U10462)
posted 17 hours, 23 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) - Liverpool 7-0 Man U - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
If his old man shut up. That might help.
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His old man might be genuinely worried about him. Ramsdale has been through a lot lately.
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What's he been through?
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Seriously, what's he been through?
posted on 29/11/23
comment by Tu Meke (U3732)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by Tu Meke (U3732)
posted 1 day ago
comment by RuiCostaJr - laconic, sardonic, sometimes moronic (U10462)
posted 17 hours, 23 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) - Liverpool 7-0 Man U - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
If his old man shut up. That might help.
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His old man might be genuinely worried about him. Ramsdale has been through a lot lately.
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What's he been through?
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Seriously, what's he been through?
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My understanding is that he and his missus were expecting a baby last year and went through a miscarriage days before the Tottenham game where that idiot tried to get at him, and it coincided with things starting to go badly for him in the run in.
I don't know whether other people class that as 'a lot' but speaking from experience regarding the former, it's not an insignificant event.
posted on 29/11/23
Miscarriage is obviously awful, but that was nearly a year ago, and he's had a child since.
I get that you like the guy, I do too, but he doesn't need PR spokesmen on here. He certainly doesn't need daddy to do a podcast speaking about his situation too.
Raya hasn't been convincing, but I'm willing to give him a bit more time.
posted on 29/11/23
Neither are title winning goalkeepers.
posted on 29/11/23
comment by Tu Meke (U3732)
posted 5 hours, 21 minutes ago
Miscarriage is obviously awful, but that was nearly a year ago, and he's had a child since.
I get that you like the guy, I do too, but he doesn't need PR spokesmen on here. He certainly doesn't need daddy to do a podcast speaking about his situation too.
Raya hasn't been convincing, but I'm willing to give him a bit more time.
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Fair enough.
I have serious doubts about Raya. We're in opposite sides of the fence with that one.
posted on 1/12/23
Don't think it's a conundrum anymore, think Raya is number one and Ramsdale will move on. I imagine as Raya settles and the situation settles Raya will look more assured while still offering the positives.