Mikel Arteta’s decision to sign David Raya when he already had Aaron Ramsdale seems justified to most fans now because Raya has been an impressive signing for the Gunners.
However, not everyone still thinks he made the right call, and former Gunners’ number one, Jens Lehmann, is one of them.
Raya joined the Gunners on loan from Brentford and has been a good player, justifying why Arsenal pursued him years earlier.
The Gunners finally had their hands on a player who has become one of the best goalkeepers in the league this season.
However, Lehmann insists Arsenal did not need to sign Raya because Ramsdale was delivering fine performances for them at the Emirates.
“I never ever understood the (Aaron) Ramsdale decision. If you have a good, brave English keeper at a big English club doing well and then you bring in a Spanish guy who’s never played for a big club at that level – it just doesn’t make sense,” Lehmann told the Daily Mail.
“The keeper is the most important position in the team. If I were Ramsdale, I don’t know how I would react because it’s not easy at that age. When you’re older, it’s different.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Raya has proven to be a fantastic addition to our squad this season, and we need to support him.
It does not make sense to continue questioning Arteta’s decision on his goalkeeper choice when the new first choice has been doing a good job.
What is at stake next for Arsenal now, is for them to at home beat AFC Bournemouth in the early Epl match kickoff on Saturday.
But not goalkeeper issue to address it with only 3 matches of the season left for them to play.
No I never understood why Wenger favoured that Spanish chap, Almunia, over you Jens either.
That decision cost us a league title 😖.
I firmly AGREE with the articles JA opinion.
Okay, let’s just say that Raya has improved us, how exactly I don’t know. Would we have been higher or lower in the league, well we are pretty much in the same position we finished last year, as this season is now out of our control. Also, it’s not like Raya has been completely error prone this season, even when passing out from the back which is the main skill he was supposedly bought in for! Yes he’s pulled off some good saves but so did Ramsdale.
Gutted for Ramsdale because when we signed him our defence started getting better, his early performances gave them confidence and this solidified our defence and set a foundation to build on.
Especially gutted that he wasn’t played in the Champions League at least, I wouldn’t feel so bad for him, if he was given all the cups to play and Raya played in the league. Considering Ramsdale got us into the Champions League after so many years, he deserved to play.
Is Raya worth the 27 million transfer fee?
I say no, he is not really an improvement over Ramsdale. The 27 million could have covered a backup Keeper and another backup defender. 4th choice CB, backup RB, the money could have been better spent elsewhere.
You have to respect another goalkeeper’s opinion, but from my memory of Ramsdale, I found him poor on shots from distance and was often beaten at the near post, and not as good as Raya with his feet or on crosses.
edit…sometimes poor on shots from distance…
Raya is not good as Ramsdell but our defence is stronger that any goal keeper can do well with them so let’s stop praising RAYA like he did save us like what Ramsdell did before unimaginable saves last season, Ramsdell still my first choice goal keeper.
What I can say is that all are good goalkeepers we don’t need to blame anyone let’s pray for the season to end well on our side,(Arsenal)