‘That doesn’t work’ – Former Arsenal boss Wenger critical of one big Arteta decision
Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger doesn’t agree with rotating goalkeepers as Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has suggested he might do this season.
Arteta decided to drop Aaron Ramsdale for summer signing David Raya after Arsenal beat Manchester United 3-1 in early September.
Ramsdale has since made an appearance for England in an international friendly match against Scotland and returned to the Gunners line-up for their 1-0 victory over Brentford in the League Cup at the end of September.
After dropping Ramsdale for Raya in September, Arsenal boss Arteta explained his decision and suggested that he might even rotate goalkeepers during matches.
“It’s the same rationale as to why Fabio [Vieira] and Gabby [Jesus] played – I haven’t had a single question about why Gabriel hasn’t been starting. He has won more trophies than anybody else in that dressing room, including me,” Arteta said in a press conference.
“I want Aaron to react the same as Gabriel Jesus. The same as Kai Havertz, as Takehiro Tomiyasu. Exactly the same. We play with 11 players, not 10 plus one.
READ MORE: Arsenal have been ‘far luckier’ than Spurs this season; why neutrals should be pulling for Man Utd
“I’m a really young manager, I’ve been in the job three and a half years. I have few regrets, but one of them is that on two occasions, I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes of two games in this period to change the goalkeeper in that moment.
“I didn’t do it, I didn’t have the courage to do it. But I’m able to take a winger or striker and put a centre-back on to play a back five to hold on to a result. We drew those games, and I was so unhappy.
“Someone is going to do it, and maybe [people will say] that’s strange. But why not? Tell me why not. You have all the qualities in another goalkeeper to do something, you want to change the momentum, do it.
“It’s a regret that I have. Now my feeling is to get everybody engaged, that they have to play regardless of the competition. That’s my message. We adapt to our qualities that our players have, and try to play to their strengths.
“There are games to do certain things, games to do other things. In my opinion it was really important against Everton, and it was really important to benefit the team.”
On Arteta’s decision to drop Ramsdale, Wenger told beIN Sports: “Personally I like Ramsdale. If I was in his position I would not give up. I believe he has the chance to come back into the team.”
When asked if he thinks Ramsdale is better than Raya, Wenger replied: Better… better… I don’t know if he’s better.
“I just think Ramsdale has made decisive saves in the games last season. They were not happy maybe with his feet, his distribution.”
On whether distribution or shot-saving is more important, the legendary Arsenal manager added: “To stop balls from going in the back of the net.
“You know, on the other hand, when you’re in this position, you always – it happened to me as well many times – you have a good team but you want to improve the team.
“And then you look and think, “What can I improve there?” and you think maybe the distribution from the back.
“It happened to me the same with the centre-backs, you want a guy who has better distribution from the back but then you realise he is less good defensively and his first job is to defend.”
On whether it is better to have a designated number one goalkeeper, Wenger continued: “Always. That’s my belief, I don’t believe in rotation with goalkeepers, I don’t believe in a lack of clarity of the hierarchy with goalkeepers. That doesn’t work.”
