[ WATCH TV LIVE ]
A shocking Aaron Ramsdale clip has resurfaced which may hint at one of the reasons why he has been dropped by Mikel Arteta in favour of David Raya. After a mixed start to the 2023/24 season in between the sticks, following the arrival of Raya, Ramsdale found himself out of the team following the September international break and since he has started just two Carabao Cup fixtures.
With Ramsdale sitting on the bench for the last two months, he has watched Raya struggle to make the step up in demand from Brentford. The Spain international has been caught on a number of occasions, however Arteta has continued to back his decision.
Following his mistake in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea, when asked about Raya's confidence, Arteta said: "That’s the pressure of playing in big clubs where you have to win and you have to be at your best, and you have someone next to you who is pushing you every single day.
"If we go player, by player, position by position, you will tell me what's happening at left-back, what happens with the holding midfielder. You asked Jorginho a question already and Gabriel Jesus is here, there's another question on that. That's the debate. That's the beauty of the game as well. The fact that you have other options as well is going to make those talks more frequent."
During the 2022/23 season, Ramsdale's performances were rather inconsistent with a number of world-class saves often overshadowed by a mistake. Away to Liverpool and Tottenham, the 25-year-old was in impeccable form but Arteta has made it clear the importance of having two top class options in every positions, which he now believes he has.
The decision to take Ramsdale out of the starting XI was likely a difficult one for Arteta, however it is certainly plausible it may have been influenced by Ramsdale's own comments about what he does during games. Speaking on the Premier League YouTube channel over the summer, he said: "If you ask me to concentrate on a game of football for 90 minutes, I'm finished. I can't do it.
READ MORE: Aaron Ramsdale’s father asks Mikel Arteta for clarity on Arsenal decision costing son his smile
READ MORE: Arsenal's next five Premier League fixtures compared to Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City
"So that's why I got involved with the fans and I'll sing along with the songs. Someone's giving me abuse, I'll turn around and I'll give them a bit back. I've had my two/three minutes of sort of madness in my head, straight back to the football. I've got 10/15 minutes of pure concentration again. Next thing you know half time is around."
Following recent comments from his Dad regarding his state of mind, the clip has re-emerged with many believing it could have contributed to Arteta's decision. Arsenal legend Ian Wright is also shown in the footage with his reaction to Ramsdale's comments rather telling as he is appears to be stunned at the idea of Ramsdale being anything other than fully focused on the game.
Join the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp community
Sign up to our Arsenal WhatsApp community and get all the latest breaking news and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Arsenal writers direct to your phone.
By signing up to this free service you will be the first to know the news from the Emirates Stadium as it happens.
To join our Arsenal community, all you have to do is click this link.
