Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been told he has created a “massive problem” with the signing of David Raya. Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara says the Gunners boss got it “badly wrong” with the decision to demote Aaron Ramsdale.
Arsenal signed Raya from Brentford in August on an initial loan deal. They are expected to pay the Bees a further £27million to make the move permanent.
But the Spaniard has not enjoyed a successful first three months in the Arsenal side. Raya displaced Ramsdale five games into the Premier League season and has played all but one of the top-flight games since.
He has also started every Champions League group stage match despite Ramsdale playing a big part in the Gunners qualifying for the competition last term. Raya had a night to forget against Luton on Tuesday, arguably being at fault for two of the Hatters’ goals.
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O’Hara claims Raya has proved he is not an upgrade on Ramsdale and believes the England star should be playing. He told Grosvenor Sport: “Arteta has got that signing wrong. For me, Aaron Ramsdale was a really solid goalkeeper who was only going to get better, and he had a good season when they finished second in the league last year.
“The next season, he signs David Raya who, in my opinion, isn’t any better than Ramsdale. His distribution might be a tiny bit better, but he can’t come for a cross and he’s got shots going underneath him all the time.
“I don’t see how he’s a better goalkeeper than Ramsdale and I can’t see how Arteta’s got that one right. He’s actually caused himself a massive problem – he’s now annoyed Ramsdale, who has to pretend to the cameras that he’s happy he’s been replaced.
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“He can sit there and smile all he wants, but inside, they’ve got it all badly wrong. Ramsdale should be starting and Raya shouldn’t be in the team, because he’s having a nightmare at the moment.”
Ramsdale has been linked with a January exit in order to find regular football and push his case for Euro 2024 selection. O’Hara says Ramsdale should look to leave if he cannot win his spot back in the next few weeks.
He added: “If I were Ramsdale I’d have a knock on the manager’s door and say, ‘You’ve brought in another goalkeeper who’s not better than me, and you’re continuing to play him after he keeps making mistakes, whereas I made a few mistakes and I’m out of the team?’. Arteta’s got it completely wrong.
“If you have two good goalkeepers, then you have to play both of them and give them equal time. If one keeps making mistakes and continues to play and I’m the other goalkeeper, I’d be knocking on the manager’s door saying, ‘I don’t care, I’m off’, particularly with the Euros just around the corner.”
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