David Raya arrival means Aaron Ramsdale must battle for number one

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and Crystal Palace's Odsonne Edouard battle for the ball during the Premier League match at Selhurst Park. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire

Mikel Arteta said last week there are no number ones anywhere in his squad. For now though, Aaron Ramsdale remains the Arsenal manager’s first choice goalkeeper.

How long that remains the case is uncertain. Ramsdale’s future as Arteta’s go to goalkeeper has been thrown into doubt by the decision to pay Brentford a £3 million loan fee to bring David Raya, to the Emirates Stadium with the expectation Arsenal will take up the option to make the move permanent for a further outlay of £27 million.

There was no doubting Ramsdale’s status last season. Matt Turner was a capable back up and performed creditably when he was called upon in FA Cup and Europa League games, although the quality of his distribution was questionable. Yet the US international was never going to play more than a supporting role and his departure to Nottingham Forest this summer came as little surprise.

Now though, Ramsdale finds himself in a position that carries echoes of his own arrival in north London from Sheffield United two years ago to challenge Bernd Leno for the first team spot. A poor start saw the Gunners lose their opening three matches, Ramsdale came into the side and made the position his own.

The England international is attempting to fend off a challenge from a keeper with an altogether stronger pedigree than Turner. And while Arteta kept faith with Ramsdale at Selhurst Park as the Spaniard was forced to choose between the pair for the first time since Raya’s arrival, that will not always be the case as the season unfolds and the Gunners contend with the additional demand of competing in the Champions League.

Arteta is under no illusions that if his side is to meet the challenge of competing alongside European football’s elite club as well as further closing the gap on Manchester City after their Premier League title challenge fell short last season, he must improve standards throughout his squad. And the manager’s nature ensures there is no chance sentiment will play a part in his decision making.

Ramsdale’s initial reaction to the prospect of Raya joining the club suggested he was up for the fight. “Bring it on,” he said, when the Spaniard was first linked with the club. “Nothing comes easy on football. At the same time you need to move along and adapt as well. I’ve done it to other people when I’ve moved clubs. So I’m not going to be thinking that’s it’s never going to happen to me.” Ramsdale wasn’t flawless last season and he suffered occasional dips in form at the start and end of the campaign. Yet there was no doubting his contribution to Arsenal’s improvement last season.

Ramsdale’s distribution is excellent and is key to his side’s ability to strike on the counter while Raya’s relationship with goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana means his qualities are already well known at his new club with the pair having worked together at Brentford. The Spaniard invariably looks at ease with the ball at his feet and he demonstrated his ability to command his area and collect a high ball at his former club.

Different strengths, with both keepers having areas they can improve and Arteta hopes the presence of the two players in his squad will help them do just that. "When you have to be at 100% every day, believe me, your level increases,” said the manager. "We have two great goalkeepers, just like we have two great left wingers, two great holding midfielders, two great strikers. There is no number one - not in any position."

However, the wisdom of creating such a competitive dynamic for the number one position has been questioned this week by Peter Schmeichel. 

”The goalkeeper's position is very reactive,” said the former Manchester United keeper. “You cannot create anything on your own; you have to wait for things to happen. You're now asking your goalkeeper to prove he's better than the other one, that means you now have to go out and do stuff - and you don't want that.” 

The way Arsenal started Monday night’s match suggested Ramsdale would get few chances to shine. But having been a bystander for the opening 15 minutes , the keeper was finally called into action, making an acrobatic dive to parry Jordan Ayew’s cross although he failed to divert the ball clear of the penalty area. A minute later, he dived sharply to his right to keep out to a well struck shot from Eberechi Eze, confidently gathering the ball on this occasion.

Other than those occasions, Ramsdale remained largely untroubled with his main involvement restricted to receiving and redistributing from and to his defenders until he raced off his line to snuff out a close range chance in the final moments of added time.

Bigger tests lie ahead as Ramsdale responds to the arrival of his new team-mate but a confident clean sheet helped state his case he should remain in possession of the shirt.