Mikel Arteta suggests he would be open to substituting keepers during games backing his decision to start Raya over Ramsdale
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has indicated that he may consider making changes to his goalkeepers in upcoming Premier League games following his team’s 1-0 victory against Everton.
In the match at Goodison Park, Arteta gave summer loan signing David Raya the opportunity to make his debut, opting to replace England’s Aaron Ramsdale.
Raya, a Spaniard, had minimal involvement in the game as Leandro Trossard’s lone second-half goal proved to be the decisive moment. When questioned about his decision to start Raya, Arteta expressed his intention to ensure that deserving players get their chances on the field.
“What I want is that the players that deserve to play will play.”
“The same rationale about why Fabio (Vieira) played here or Eddie (Nketiah) or Gabriel Jesus.
“I haven’t had a single question on why Gabriel Jesus didn’t start. He has won more trophies than anybody else, including me, in that dressing room.”
The acquisition of David Raya from Brentford on loan has created competition for the starting goalkeeper position, putting Aaron Ramsdale’s previously secure position as the No.1 in jeopardy.
Arteta, whose team didn’t exactly impress but managed to maintain their undefeated start to the season with a fourth league victory, mentioned his readiness to deploy two goalkeepers in a single match if needed.
“I cannot have two players in each position and not play them,” he said. “David has tremendous qualities, like Aaron has, like Karl (Hein) has and we have to use them.
Speaking after the match, Arteta said: “I am a really young manager and I have only been in the job for three and a half years and I have few regrets in what we have done.
“One of them is that on two occasions I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes in two games in this period, to change the keeper in that moment and I didn’t do it. I didn’t have the courage to do it. But I am able to take a winger, or a striker and put a central defender back and go to a back five to hold that result.
“And we drew those games and I was so unhappy and someone is going to do it and maybe it (the reaction) will be, ‘oh! That is strange. Why?”
“Why not? Tell me why not. You have all the qualities in another goalkeeper and you want to do something to change the momentum, do it.”
Mikel Arteta suggests he would be open to substituting keepers during games backing his decision to start Raya over Ramsdale
