Mikel Arteta has insisted there have been no issues with Aaron Ramsdale this season ahead of the England international’s return to the starting lineup against Brentford this weekend.
Ramsdale will start in place of David Raya, who cannot play against his parent club as a loan player this season. Ramsdale started the campaign as Arsenal’s first choice but only has 10 appearances for Arsenal in 2023-24 compared to Raya’s 28.
Asked whether he would have preferred to have given the England international more, the Arsenal manager said: “It is what it is. He’s fully prepared. He’s training every day. He’s desperate to play like the rest of the boys that haven’t had that many opportunities. Saturday will be a great opportunity for him.
“He’s (Ramsdale) been brilliant. He’s been really supportive and pushing in training every day like I expected. It’s a joy to have two top goalkeepers in the team.”
Arteta has recently praised Raya for ‘the things he prevents that sometimes you don’t even see’. Some of the themes that he refers to in this regard are Raya’s ability to claim crosses, his quick distribution and positioning.
Ramsdale was a clear step into this direction when he displaced Bernd Leno in 2021, so when asked if the 25-year-old can meet his demands, Arteta said: “Not only that he can adapt but he has proven that he can perform really well to what I want and what we want.”
On whether Ramsdale should view this as a one-off start or an opportunity to reclaim his starting spot, Arteta added: “We don’t have that kind of conversation with players. Not with Aaron or any other player on the pitch where we say ‘play today and you have the opportunity to play next week’. That doesn’t happen.
“One of the toughest things is dealing with the players that don’t have the game time they deserve. Not only Aaron but there are many of those. We have an unbelievable group of players. We try to be straight, explain things, be close to them, and give them support.
“Then when they have the opportunity, they want to contribute to the team in the best possible way. That’s what Aaron will want to do on Saturday.”
Other players who have had similar experiences of late are academy graduates Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, and Emile Smith Rowe.
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Nketiah began the season as Arsenal’s starting striker with Gabriel Jesus injured, but has since suffered with the re-emergence of the Brazilian, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz. Just four of Nelson’s 22 appearances this term have been starts, with none of those in the Premier League. Smith Rowe has started twice in the league but has also been in and out of matchday squads due to minor injuries.
The trio were left on the bench during the 6-0 win over Sheffield United in favour of Fabio Vieira and Thomas Partey returning from injury and Trossard in the front line.
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Asked whether he fears losing the three academy graduates mentally for the rest of the season, Arteta said: “We discuss these things. We cannot play every player every game. Those players played a few days ago against Newcastle and had opportunities.
“Now we have five subs, before we only had three, so we have another two players happy. That’s the way I take it. You’re always going to have players who want to be involved and play, but unfortunately, it is impossible. It’s not in our hands. It’s impossible to achieve that and they know that.
“You cannot really promise anything. You (don’t) know what’s going to happen in a week’s time. We have to show compassion and they need to feel we are next to them and we understand where they are. The reality is as well that this is football, this is a team sport and you have to understand and fulfill the role you have in the moment and it might be very different in three weeks time.”
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(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
