Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale still has designs on being England’s No 1 for the Euros next summer despite having to wait 15 months for his latest cap. The Gunners shot-stopper finally got his chance to play for the Three Lions again when Jordan Pickford sat out the friendly at Hampden Park on Tuesday night.
But he was denied a clean sheet by Harry Maguire’s own goal on a night when Scotland failed to muster a single shot on target for him to save. Regardless, the Three Lions still ran out 3-1 winners in Glasgow.
“Of course my target is to be No 1 in the Euros,” Ramsdale said “I wouldn’t stand here with any other dream in mind. I know how tough that’s going to be.
“Jordan Pickford has been outstanding for England and he’s been outstanding all week, because when I got told I was playing a couple of days ago he didn’t check out of the camp. I’m not saying I wasn’t ready a year ago, but, you know, circumstances happened in that game and we got beat 4-0 by Hungary.”
Ramsdale has come under increased pressure in the Premier League too with the arrival in the summer of David Raya, a man many believe is just waiting to usurp Ramsdale from the Arsenal shirt. But whether it’s club or country, Ramsdale is plenty used to it.
You’re playing for England,” he said. “It’s the most scrutinised team in the world. We’ve got so many good players, a pool of players, and everyone will have a different opinion on who should be playing and who shouldn’t be playing.
“I think that’s what makes us so strong as a group, the fact that we can brush things off and use the noise as outside noise and listen to ourselves.”
Ramsdale meanwhile added of the under-fire Maguire: “Harry has had criticism for the past 18 months to two years. It hasn’t affected him. His performances for England have been outstanding, that’s why he keeps getting picked.
“I don’t think a few whistles and groans from the fans are going to change his mindset. He had 45 minutes in a game where he played well. Kept the ball for us but one unfortunate own goal and people are going to start talking about him and I don’t think it’s needed.
“He talks you through the game, I remember that from my first cap. It was San Marino and we won 10-0 but he talked me through the whole game, calmed me down at times and he did the same last night.
“So it’s a real dream to play with him and it’s just an unfortunate goal that people are going to highlight and it doesn’t need to be that way.”
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