Frank Lebouef has blasted Mikel Arteta and insists the Arsenal manager’s stubbornness is the only thing keeping David Raya in the team ahead of Aaron Ramsdale.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Eyebrows were raised when Arteta opted to strengthen his goalkeeping department in the summer and provide competition for Aaron Ramsdale.
The England international had just enjoyed a stellar season and had been rewarded with a new long-term contract, only to be confronted with the threat of losing his place to the former Brentford star.
Without having committed anything that resembled a serious error, Ramsdale was replaced by Raya earlier this month and has played only once, against Brentford in the Carabao Cup, since then.
Raya, meanwhile, is yet to totally convince he represents an upgrade on his rival and is worthy of being the club’s undisputed No.1 following another indifferent performance against Manchester City.
‘He has to be stubborn because he made a mistake in my point of view so he has to carry on with Raya,’ former Chelsea defender Lebouef.
He didn’t get Raya because he wanted a better goalkeeper, he wanted somebody who was better with the ball. It’s why he allows Raya to take so many risks because he thinks Raya is better with the ball than Ramsdale.
He wants a kind of sweeper therefore because he made that decision he created a fragile competition between the players. The players can get shaky and they know if they make a mistake they can be substituted.
‘Because he made that decision he has to stick with it otherwise he’s going to lose all the credit he made on the decision he made. It’s doesn’t make any sense for me.
‘Ramsdale was the goalkeeper of the season last season but it wasn’t what he wanted. I think he wants to copy Guardiola with what he did with Manchester and getting the right goalkeeper who can dicate the game from behind and be the first good passer.
‘But you have to have a goalkeeper and if he doesn’t catch the ball? The stats about clean sheets don’t reflect what Raya does because maybe the defenders are better now than when they started the season.’
MORE : Ivan Toney would be the ‘final piece of the jigsaw’ for Arsenal, says Ian Wright
MORE : Barcelona weighing up January move for Arsenal star Jorginho
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
