Janusz Michallik has suggested what he believes some of the Arsenal players will now be saying about Aaron Ramsdale in the dressing room.
Michallik was speaking on ESPN as he hit out at Mikel Arteta for creating a problem in goal by sanctioning the signing of David Raya in the summer transfer window.
Aaron Ramsdale could not have anticipated how this season would play out for him. Of course, the 25-year-old signed a new contract at the Emirates right at the end of the previous campaign.
Some Arsenal players may feel Aaron Ramsdale has been poorly treated
However, he has lost his place as number one to David Raya. Ramsdale appeared to do little wrong before losing his place. And in truth, Raya has not exactly captured the imagination since coming into the team.
Ramsdale returned on Saturday with Raya ineligible to face Brentford. Unfortunately, Ramsdale looked uncomfortable in possession against the Bees. It certainly appeared that he was rusty and lacking confidence.
Certainly, many have been left baffled by how Arteta has treated Ramsdale. And Michallik believes that that may extend to some of those within the dressing room at the Emirates, with some surely questioning why Arteta dropped the goalkeeper.
“The one thing that I would say about Arteta is that, for me, he’s created an unhealthy competition in the goalkeeping department. And he needs to fix that,” he told ESPN.
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“Okay, I know he knows that Raya’s his number one. But Ramsdale, I’m not even talking about mistakes, but that’s part of that. I think there’s a lot of players in that dressing room that are probably quietly talking to themselves, maybe they’re in Ramsdale’s corner because they’re saying, ‘look what he’s done for us last season’. He’s been absolutely outstanding. And maybe they think that he doesn’t deserve that treatment.”
Something will surely have to give
What you have to say is that Arteta has been vindicated for most of the big decisions he has taken during his time as Arsenal boss. And it is still too soon to say whether the Gunners made the right decision to sign Raya.
But it definitely feels as though something will have to give at some point. And if Ramsdale does not regain his spot at some stage, he is surely going to want to leave.
He is an England international who would get into most teams in the Premier League. He is surely not going to want to stay at Arsenal if he is barely going to play for the club.