After losing the first 3 games of the season, Arsenal was comfortably seated 20th on the league table and talks of a relegation battle were already hovering around the club, but just 7 weeks after, the team has shot its way to 5th and one player who seems to have contributed immensely to this change in fortunes is 30million pounds signing, Aaron Ramsdale.
The shot-stopper was virtually unknown to most critics, and when the club decided to splash such a huge amount on him prior to the start of the season, there was an up-roar by many who believed it was money wrongly spent, but somehow, he has managed to keep 5 clean sheets in 7 league appearances with a save percentage lower only to Edward Mendy of Chelsea.
Today again, he produced 8 saves in the game against Leceister City producing a Man-Of-The-Match performance. Top of it was the save from a James Madisson free-kick just before half-time that many thought was goal bound, but up in the air Ramsdale jumped, stretched at full length, tipping the ball unto the goal post and later cleared it away. It is definitely a contender for save of the season, because it was simply “incredible” according to his manager; Mikel Arteta.
By the time the English FA will be releasing their list of players heading for the World Cup, it will be criminally insane if he is not on the roaster as he has consistently delivered performances far better than the current England number one, Jordan Pickford of Everton.
At just 23 years of age and with so many years ahead of him to develop and improve on his abilities, Arsenal seem to have sorted out that aspect of their conundrum for so many years to come. Former number one and German goalkeeper, Leno is already touted to be considering his options come January and rightly so if he wants to be on the plane heading to the World Cup. Nobody who spends an entire season the bench should be expecting a call to such important tournaments, so he needs to play but obviously not at Arsenal. Except an injury sidelines Ramsdale, he is not ready to relinquish that spot now as he has risen to the challenge and loving every second of it.
Arsenal have found a new hero and he is simply unbeatable; The Ramsdale Brickwall!
