Former Liverpool man Steve Nicol insists Aaron Ramsdale should have done better to save Bruno Fernandes’ goal for Manchester United against Arsenal last night.
Ramsdale was one of the consistent performers for the Gunners last season and will keep his place in goal in the upcoming term.
However, how he conceded the goal from Fernandes leaves much to be desired.
Speaking about the incident, Nicol said as quoted by Team Talk:
“You have got to close this guy (Bruno Fernandes) down when he is within 25 yards of the goal.
“Of course, the goalkeeper has to do way better with the attempt to save it. Oh my goodness!”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Ramsdale is still a superb goalkeeper and we cannot judge him too harshly over a poor goal in a pre-season friendly.
This is also just pre-season and the players are not yet fit enough to show their best on the pitch.
At the start of the campaign proper, we expect everyone in the squad to be prepared to deliver their best form for the group.
Ramsdale has impressed in the last two seasons and we expect him to continue doing well for us.
On the other hand, we can’t keep making excuses for his juvenile mistakes.
Top goalkeepers learn by their mistakes and it might be a good idea to drop him for the Barca game, just to emphasise he’s not an automatic choice.
I agree, he has grown complacent in goal and doesn’t seem to worry about getting dropped.
Let’s remember NEITHER Havertz NOR Odegaard closed down on Bruno, THEY QUIT DEFENDING, and allowed him the space to shoot.
Ramsdale dove and got both hands on the ball, but went full Flapinski and muffed it completely. Starting GK has to make that stop, period.
No excuses for Havertz, Odegaard, or Ramsdale, poor poor poor.
Damn straight. Like I said in a previous post player positions should be earned not guaranteed.
I agree Ken.Arteta needs to let Ramsdale know that his performance is not acceptable.He was entirely culpable for the first goal and ought to have done better for the second.
In my opinion even an Everton would have beaten Arsenal convincingly with Havertz in a deep laying midfield.
The midfield was passive, the back four lack proper screening resulting in exposing the goalie.
Surely Ramsdale should have done better, but how can we have Havertz, Odegaard and Rice doing the screening, am going to repeat physical teams will overrun Arsenal with this sort of set up.
Anyone watches the fixture of Everton vs Arsenal, would have seen how Onana brushes Odegaard aside leaving him on his backside taking the ball all the way into the box.
I agree GS.We cannot accommodate Odegaard and Havertz in a midfield three .It’s one or the other to play in the hole with Partey and Rice in central midfield.Havertz was excellent in this role for BL and could be equally effective for Arsenal in what is his best position.
It will take ages for him to save a single penalty for arsenal this guy really needs to improve is concentration.
Stopping shots from distance seems to be one of Ramsdale’s weaknesses. You’d think that by now a keeper of his so-called standing would have had that coached out, but he keeps on missing them.