I feel that it is essential that I start this article with a confession, not a very exciting one, but something that I need to say! I was and remain a huge fan of Aaron Ramsdale and when Mikel decided to supplement our squad with a loan deal for recently promoted Brentford’s ‘keeper, I was confused to say the least. My state of mind was then further befuddled when he announced that the new guy would be an considered as an equal to Rambo, before I turned completely apoplectic when it became clear that David Raya was actually going to be our first choice between the sticks and Aaron was relegated to our ‘Cup goalie’.
Raya for Ramsdale seemed to be a unquestionable downgrade
It just made no sense to me. Yes, Ramsdale made a few errors, but every keeper does. Yes his distribution from the back could be questionable. But the positives massively outwayed the negatives and I was convinced that he would be our Number one number 1 for many years to come. But, I was wrong and once again Mikel proved that he knows more about football than I do – yes I do realise that this is a statement of the bloody obvious!! The old saying goes “you don’t appreciate what you’ve got until its gone”, but this was a case of “you don’t appreciate what you were missing until you’ve got it”
Attacks invariably begin at the back
We all know that the glory boys at the top end of the pitch are the ones that tend to get the plaudits, but they can only flourish when they are properly supported from behind. It’s the extra couple of yards that Willo or Jurien or big Gabi gain by striding out from the back that give Declan or the two Martins the extra couple of feet to operate in and its that little bit of space that gives the boys up top the advantage over the opposition defence. None of that can happen without a solid stopper who can not only get the ball rolling, but also be relied on to sweep up should the move break down in any of its phases. When you add in the swift, flat, kick out of the hands that can bypass both the high press and the opposition CDMs then you you have a genuine 11 man attacke.
And then the actual saves themselves
I am struggling to think of a single match this season in which Raya has not pulled a worldie out of the bag, From clawing the ball back from the goal line to tipping a point blank header onto the bar and all variants in between, he seems capable of every type of save going. Just think of the games that we have won by a single goal or been one up with 15 to play with nerves both on and off the pitch frayed beyond any normal human endurance and David has saved the day. Games that in the previous desperately disappointing seasons we would have drawn or even lost, we are now holding on to the three points.
You can keep your Allissons and Donnarummas
If in a few weeks time we have managed to hold our nerve and finally ended 22 years of pain, then without any shadow of a doubt a huge debt will be owed to our man in yellow. I’m sorry Aaron, I loved you and I wish you all the best at Newcastle and possibly for England, but the decision to bring his fellow countryman across London to the Home of Football must go down as one of the best strokes of genius ever from any Arsenal manager.