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Man Utd goalkeeping legend Peter Schmeichel questions Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's decision to rotate David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale

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October 01, 2023

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has questioned Mikel Arteta's decision to drop Aaron Ramsdale for David Raya.

Schmeichel, 59, has claimed there is no benefit to Arsenal having two first-choice goalkeepers in the form of Ramsdale and Raya, with the rotation likely to cause issues as each players goes out of their way to "prove" themselves when handed an opportunity.

It really is up in the air at the moment but I only get that situation if Arteta thinks [David] Raya is a better goalkeeper, Schmeichel said while appearing on the official Premier League show.

That's the only way I can find any kind of sense in this. I think having the competition between two goalkeepers will just create situations in the games where they will have to go and prove themselves and that's the one thing you don't want from your goalkeeper.

I don't see the benefit from a managers point of view. I don't see that it will make any of them better. It is a reactive position, all you can do is wait for something to happen and then you react, you can't go and chase anything. You need someone who has the full confidence of whatever I do in the game, I will be there next time.

Ramsdale was one of the first names on the team sheet for Arsenal during their impressive campaign last season, but prior to the Carabao Cup clash against Brentford, spent the last three fixtures on the bench as Raya took the number one spot. Arteta will now seemingly rotate the two throughout the season, given the volume of games the club has pencilled in.

The Gunners will host Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, before travelling to France on Tuesday for their second Champions League clash of the season against Ligue 1 side RC Lens (8pm kick-off UK time).

Source: goal

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