Arsenal: Magnificent Aaron Ramsdale a stroke of genius

Arsenal have deservedly received criticism down the years for their transfer activity. Players have been brought in on fees far above their worth just the sales of assets have been shunned at their highest market price.

The decision to spend £24m, rising to £30m, on Aaron Ramsdale was one such deal. A goalkeeper who had statistically been questionable, and whose style was felt more akin to that of a Burnley than an Arsenal, joining the club to play second fiddle.

He is the entire orchestra.

Since usurping Bernd Leno in the starting lineup after the first international break he has been nothing short of exceptional. Otherworldly. Nobody could have foretold this.

Magnificent Aaron Ramsdale display for Arsenal against Leicester the result of a stroke of genius in signing the goalkeeper for £24m

Except, that is, for Ramsdale himself and the team behind his acquisition. Arsenal have’t overpaid for the 23-year-old, they’ve underpaid. This is a man heading right for the top and straight into Gareth Southgate’s World Cup starting lineup. He is everything you could want in a goalkeeper.

Against Leicester his diverse and varied range of pass stood out in a brilliant opening 40 minutes. An ability to cut through the ball or chip it accurately beyond the first line of press, his multi-functional style had become a vital cog in the Mikel Arteta machine.

And all of that distribution was neatly put to one side as the other, quite important, aspect of goalkeeping took centre stage: his remarkable reflexes and shot stopping. Firstly denying Kelechi Iheanacho with a flying fingertip stop after what was his only poor kick of the match, he followed that up with one of the saves of the Premier League era, let alone this season.

Brendan Rodgers had already started celebrating. James Maddison’s lovely free-kick looked destined to nestle into the top corner only for Ramsdale’s soaring hand to expertly tip it onto the crossbar, before he recovered his position to tip Jonny Evans’ effort onto the inside of the post.

In the second half he combined both elements of his game in equal measure, with frightening composure under pressure met with further top class stops. Clearly relishing in the moment, he even found time to give some back to the crowd who were jeering him.

This is someone who is aggressively engaged, always barking orders and is as involved in the game when it is at the opposite end as he is when the ball is at his feet.

A career arc that has spanned seven Premier League matches, never has anyone been as happy to be have been wrong. All those who doubted his signing (so guilty) can wallow in their foolishness.

Continued on next page…