‘I feel John Lukic is among the greatest goalkeepers within the nation. I simply assume David Seaman is one of the best goalkeeper within the nation.’ These had been the semi-apologetic phrases of George Graham in 1990 when he baffled Arsenal followers by changing the favored and tremendous competent John Lukic with the British file (for a goalkeeper) £1.3m signing of David Seaman.
Graham had tried to make the signing occur a yr earlier straight after the Gunners had received the league in 1989 however the deal to convey Seaman in from QPR concerned Lukic going within the different course on mortgage, which he didn’t need to do.
As Arsenal followers received wind of Graham wanting to vary his league successful goalkeeper for the QPR various, some Arsenal followers started to sing ‘all of us agree, Lukic is best than Seaman,’ at video games in assist of Lukic.
Seaman was younger in goalkeeping phrases, at 27, however had performed within the top-flight for Birmingham and QPR with out an excessive amount of commendation from followers of different golf equipment. Graham noticed one thing the followers didn’t, the participant was signed, Lukic returned to Leeds (paradoxically, he would return because the back-up goalkeeper to Seaman six years later) and Arsenal followers furrowed their brows.
I’ve fairly often in contrast Mikel Arteta’s reign to the primary half of the Graham period, a former participant coming again to ‘clear home’ by chinning large gamers and massive egos and changing them with a mix of hungry, younger expertise and unfancied gamers like Ben White and Gabriel Magalhães. Aaron Ramsdale match this mould too. His signing in the summertime of 2021 felt incongruous to a number of Arsenal followers.
Bernd Leno hardly felt like an issue that wanted fixing, even when he in all probability had the texture of a ‘Europa League degree’ goalkeeper. Ramsdale had been relegated twice as a participant and his knowledge confirmed his inclination for lengthy distribution, which appeared to run at odds with Arteta’s want to play out from the again.
Ramsdale’s skill and proclivity to kick lengthy, it will end up, was a giant a part of the explanation that Arsenal signed him. Ramsdale turned very fashionable in a short time with Arsenal followers, primarily by means of his performances but additionally by means of his affable character. He was one of many poster boys of a renewed sense of connection between followers and gamers.
It was clear that Arteta and Arsenal preferred him too. After a few seasons within the workforce, he signed a brand new contract in Might 2023. He was seen as a part of Arsenal’s future. Nevertheless, issues modified later that summer season when David Raya turned obtainable. Very like George Graham with David Seaman, Arteta had tried to signal Raya as soon as earlier than.
And very like Graham and John Lukic, Arteta clearly didn’t regard Ramsdale as an issue, per se. However it’s clear now that he in all probability had non-public frustrations with a few of his limitations, particularly when it got here to quick distribution. Ramsdale may lack calmness below strain too. His error within the early moments of the damaging 3-3 draw with Southampton in April 2023 involves thoughts.
That was an remoted incident. I feel his efficiency within the painful 2-0 defeat at Newcastle in Might 2022 was in all probability extra instructive. As Newcastle pressed with fervour, Ramsdale repeatedly surrendered possession by smashing the ball lengthy and watching it come straight again below waves of strain. When Arsenal had been holding a 1-0 lead at Selhurst Park with 10 males final August, Ramsdale despatched eight of his 9 passes lengthy and solely two discovered an Arsenal participant.
Arsenal clearly felt he had flaws however that they had been workable. However when Chelsea and Spurs balked on the worth Brentford had set for Raya final summer season, Arteta pounced. In his thoughts, Raya was the completed article, so he acted ruthlessly. The signing was clearly not a deliberate a part of Arsenal’s summer season enterprise and the construction of the deal says so.
Arsenal principally couldn’t afford Raya and adjust to PSR guidelines, so that they signed him on an preliminary mortgage deal, Brentford prolonged his contract by 12 months and each golf equipment kicked the finalities into the lengthy grass for a yr to satisfy rules. Ramsdale was ruthlessly moved apart and this proved to be a litmus check for Arsenal followers.
Beforehand they’d been used to seeing gamers they didn’t need or didn’t notably like ruthlessly moved on. Ramsdale was the primary of our darlings Arteta was keen to kill. Worse than that, it wasn’t even a clear kill. Ramsdale’s Arsenal profession has been in palliative look after the final yr as he stayed with the club- the pivot to signing Raya occurred so all of the sudden that the membership didn’t have time to accommodate Ramsdale’s departure.
Whereas I’d not evaluate Raya with Seaman simply but, I feel it’s honest to say Arsenal followers got here to both assist or settle for the choice. The arrivals of Havertz and Raya principally turned Arsenal right into a workforce of 11 midfielders and for all his qualities, Ramsdale doesn’t match that mould.
Arsenal turned much less chaotic and bolted the again door, ably assisted by the arrival of Declan Rice. Raya’s calmness, his larger willingness to gather crosses and his skill play quick and lengthy made him a superior match for Arteta’s imaginative and prescient. His signing demonstrated Arteta’s ruthlessness in a means that I feel has actually resonated with followers and, you possibly can solely think about, has resonated with gamers too.
I’ve listened keenly to questions submitted for Arsecast Further over the season and so lots of them supply a flavour of ‘who’s subsequent for the chopping block?’ No person noticed Ramsdale’s relegation coming, no one thinks he notably deserved it however Arteta was keen to kill one in every of his infants.
I’m fairly positive that may be a message that has had an impression on the gamers. Even somebody like Ben White, a man that Arteta clearly trusts and adores, should take a look at somebody like Jurrien Timber and assume ‘am I subsequent?’ However, after all, it’s barely completely different with the goalkeeping place as a result of, regardless of what Arteta stated final summer season, there isn’t a potential for fast rotation, in your 20-Half-hour right here and there.
Saliba’s arrival again into the Arsenal fold decreased Tomiyasu’s significance to the workforce however he stays vital to the squad in a means {that a} back-up goalkeeper shouldn’t be. It can make Ramsdale’s sale tough too, having simply signed a brand new deal on ‘Arsenal number one’ cash, he’s financially out of attain for many golf equipment.
Additionally, it’s important to actually need a goalkeeper to purchase an England worldwide. It’s not like defence or midfield the place you possibly can repurpose individuals. Ben White survived Saliba’s rise as a result of he may play at right-back. Havertz may flit between midfield and centre-forward and Rice may swap between six and eight. A goalkeeper can not try this.
So whereas it’s true that the Raya for Ramsdale was an illustration of Arteta’s ruthlessness, it’s also a singular scenario due to the place each gamers play. Jesus and Zinchenko have suffered relegations of types from their earlier standing as essential beginning eleven players- but it surely doesn’t imply their usefulness has expired. Outfield gamers can discover a use as ‘spare bedrooms’ however spare garages are much less helpful.
The signing of Raya additionally exhibits Arteta’s willingness to ‘pivot’ out there and I feel that he’ll illustrate that once more this summer season. A number of the speak within the Arsenal based mostly press is of Arsenal ‘levelling up’ their squad, changing unfancied squad gamers with larger depth so the squad turns into extra fluid.
That will likely be dictated by the market as a result of the Declan Rice ceiling raiser in all probability isn’t on the market this summer season. I think about this summer season will likely be extra akin to January 2023 when Jorginho (second selection after Caicedo), Trossard (second selection after Mudryk) and Kiwior (a depth signing) arrived. Arsenal have been good at responding to the vagaries of the market, simply as Arteta has been keen to pivot tactically on the pitch.
Arteta’s ruthlessness shouldn’t be unsure; however Ramsdale has been a sufferer of circumstance (being a goalkeeper) and market alternative as a lot as something. With a brand new England coach on the horizon, Ramsdale would possibly think about Jordan Pickford’s supremacy weak.
Sadly for Ramsdale, he shares Pickford’s weak point for surrendering possession with lengthy passing below strain. I think about within the short-term, he will likely be troublesome to promote on a everlasting foundation and a mortgage will likely be most definitely, in an administrative sense, his Arsenal profession would possibly soldier on for an additional yr.
