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ESPN pundit wants Arteta to drop £30m Arsenal star vs Aston Villa
Steve Nicol has implored Mikel Arteta to make a change in goal when Arsenal face Aston Villa this weekend, but believes that he will not drop David Raya for Aaron Ramsdale.
Nicol was speaking to as the Gunners prepare for a potentially huge test against Unai Emery’s flying Villans.
Plenty of Arsenal fans will hope that David Raya will be left on the bench for the trip to Villa Park. Of course, Mikel Arteta took a huge gamble dropping Aaron Ramsdale earlier in the season.
Raya generally looks more assured in possession. However, it is surely fair to say that the Spaniard has not come close to justifying Arteta’s decision to make the change.
Steve Nicol urges Mikel Arteta to drop David Raya for Aaron Ramsdale when Arsenal face Aston Villa
And his worst display yet came in midweek as Raya made two mistakes in the dramatic win against Luton. The stopper failed to deal with a cross that led to the home side’s second goal. And he dived over Ross Barkley’s effort shortly after.
That display will be the final straw for some. And Steve Nicol is one of those who believes that it may be now or never for Ramsdale to come back in. However, he fears that Arteta may keep his faith in the 28-year-old.
“What I would do, which I don’t believe is what Arteta’s going to do, is sit Raya on his backside,” he told . “It’s one thing to be stubborn, it’s another thing to actually make a problem you have worse, because if he hasn’t lost Ramsdale already, if he doesn’t play in this game, there’s no question Ramsdale’s out the door because he will absolutely down tools.
“As a professional footballer, we all understand that sometimes you don’t start. But you have to have some sort of belief that if the guy in your position – whether that’s goalkeeper, centre forward, centre-back, whatever it may be – you have to have some sort of belief and you have to have some sort of message from the manager that if that man in your position is not doing it, you get an opportunity.
“So if Arteta goes with Raya, not only is he going to lose Ramsdale, but you’re going to have a goalkeeper in there who’s under severe pressure. And he’s shown, in my opinion, this season that as the games go on, he looks more nervy and he’s making more mistakes.
“Watch this space. I don’t see it changing. He’s being stubborn over it. But hey, let’s see what happens.”
Gunners boss has created a big problem for himself
The problem Arteta faces is that Ramsdale will hardly be brimming with confidence ahead of the trip to Aston Villa. He looked shaky when he came in against Brentford. And the Villans look set to give them an even tougher test.
Ramsdale has reportedly been training well. But it is another thing all together to come in for this game against Emery’s side.
Arteta may need his goalkeeper to come up with a massive performance on Saturday – whoever it is. The problem is that neither is in the best form ahead of facing a Villa side who will expect to ask plenty of questions of the Gunners.