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Sports Pundit Craig Burley brings out an exciting claim that Arsenal’s summer signings, Kavi Havertz and David Raya, have not strengthened the squad but weakened them.
After bringing back their A-game this season, after the side finished second last season, expectations with the fans with Arsenal tickets were for them to do one better.
The understanding was that with an excellent transfer window, the Gunners will have a stellar side to overcome the failures of 2022-23 and come back strong.
Transfers were Mistakes!
But the former Chelsea stalwart thinks these two transfers have not impacted Arsenal as much as they should have.
The criticism came after the North London derby, where Raya had one of his worst games. It was a game that Arsenal should’ve won but had to settle for a draw.
The fans with Arsenal tickets were unhappy with the selection of Raya over Ramsdale.
The two talkings of the summer were Havertz and Raya, he added.
“One, Havertz, has been taken out of the team already, and the other we will see. Arsenal is a poorer defensive side with Raya instead of Ramsdale.
“I’m unsure about his positioning for Mykhailo Mudryk’s goal [for Chelsea against Arsenal on Saturday].”
Havertz, in particular, had a challenging start, leading to his omission from the starting lineup. The Chelsea midfielder has had his fair share of struggles with him having indifferences in adapting to the style of play.
But there are signs however, signs of improvement in his play, such as a pivotal pass to Bukayo Saka, who set up Leandro Trossard’s goal in the North London derby.
The Belgian scored against Bournemouth and provided an assist against Manchester City, indicating that he’s regaining form.
Goalkeeper Dilemma
In the summer, Mikel Arteta signed David Raya from Brentford as a second-choice goalkeeper. This move surprised the fans with Arsenal tickets as they already had an excellent first choice, Aaron Ramsdale.
But Arteta said that with the heavy fixtures, Arsenal needed an equally capable goalkeeper as a backup.
Soon, with his skilled acumen, Raya became a first choice for Arsenal, and Ramsdale was benched.
But Ramsdale’s performances have come under the radar, with several instances of unease and instability. These were visible in the games against Lens, Manchester City and Chelsea.
One of the most significant miseries came during the Chelsea game, where Raya’s positioning in front of goal helped Mykhailo Mudryk easily score.
Ramsdale Back in Training
Ramsdale, missing in action at the North London derby with the birth of his child, is back in training for Chelsea. Competing for the role of Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper with David Raya, Ramsdale temporarily lost his position last month. Since Raya’s debut in September, Ramsdale has only played once, in a Carabao Cup match against Brentford.
David Raya encountered challenges in the match against Chelsea, allowing Ramsdale to return to the field. Right now, everyone with Arsenal tickets will inevitably agree that the side needs the services of Ramsdale back.
The upcoming fixtures will present a chance for Ramsdale to reassert his claim to the starting goalkeeper position.
Ramsdale was Arsenal’s saviour last season and now was on a long-term contract with the side. In 2021, he joined the side on the last few days of the transfer window and since has been vital.
But Arteta’s plan makes sense in having the services of two experienced goalkeepers to manage the long season. But Arteta might need to take a page from Chelsea’s book where they had both Édouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The combination of these two players could have fit better, and Chelsea sold both.
Arteta backs his players
Despite the lacklustre performances, Mikel Arteta has come to defend his goalkeeper, David Raya, where there are no signs of pressure for him to perform. Despite some fans with Arsenal tickets chanting Aaron Ramsdale’s name after Raya’s mistakes in the Chelsea match, Arteta maintains his support for Raya.
Ramsdale was unavailable for the Chelsea game due to the birth of his first child and has since travelled to Spain for the Champions League meeting with Sevilla.
Arteta has always been strongly vocal about squad depth, even at the goalkeeper position. He stated that starting with a goal isn’t a decision based on a single action.
He also revealed that errors are part of football and happen across the field.
Arteta does not believe the situation has added extra pressure on Raya, though he stressed the importance of emotional control in European competition.
He adds that for Raya, playing for a big club the likes of Arsenal does come with pressure to win, and he needs to perform at a higher level.
Jorginho, the Chelsea midfielder, expressed confidence that Arsenal will soon witness the best of Kai Havertz despite his initial struggles at the club. Jorginho highlighted Havertz’s potential and stated that he has supported him as both a person and a player.
He believes that Havertz, adapting to new surroundings, will show even more of his abilities in the future and praised his hunger for improvement.
The Champions League winner and the player who scored the match-winner in 2021 against Manchester City in the final, Havertz always has the winning mentality in him. Fans with Arsenal tickets are huge Havertz fans, and now it is up to him to deliver.
Jorginho was praised for the Arsenal squad and the potential talent in store with its young outlook. He stressed that the team needs to enjoy the moments and not stress over the added pressure of a league title.
He believes it should be the same approach to the Champions League, and the team needs to take it one game at a time.
For Arsenal, winning the Champions League in their first year of return to the competition will feel massive, and the fans with Arsenal tickets would love to see that happening.
Speaking further, Jorginho expressed that Arsenal will be successful if they continue to do the little things and take things through with the system.
