“I don’t think I have heard a worse idea in football” – Ex-Premier League star hits out at Mikel Arteta decision at Arsenal
Shaka Hislop has hit out at Mikel Arteta for his decision to rotate the Arsenal goalkeepers. He reckons the manager's idea of switching goalkeepers every week is a poor idea.
Arteta said that he was not having a new #1 at Arsenal when he named David Raya in the starting XI instead of Aaron Ramsdale. He added that it was just a decision he took for the 1-0 Premier League win over Everton at the weekend.
The manager added that he would have substituted the keepers had an opportunity presented itself. Haslop, though, said on ESPN that he was left confused by Arteta's plans with the Arsenal goalkeepers and his idea of switching them in games:
“I am thoroughly confused by what Mikel Arteta is trying to get at. I don’t understand what he is saying, about his suggestion. So, the reason why you drew two games is because you didn’t change your goalkeeper on 60 and 85 minutes.
"As bad ideas go, this is right up there. I don’t think I have heard a worse idea in football. I am not sure whether it’s bad to think it or worse to say it out loud."
He added:
"I think what he has done there, and I have said this from the get-go, is that he has certainly alienated Aaron Ramsdale. I said all along. If David Raya is your number one, say that. That’s my number one, that’s who I am going with.
"If it’s Ramsdale, say that. But this kind of playing the two off each other, I don’t think it serves either well. This has gone above and beyond what I certainly didn’t expect.”
Arsenal signed Raya on loan for the season with an option to buy after he had recently extended his contract at Brentford.
Mikel Arteta humiliated Arsenal star, says Piers Morgan
Piers Morgan was left confused after Mikel Arteta picked David Raya in goal over Aaran Ramsdale for the Everton game. Morgan reckons the goalkeeper had done nothing wrong to be dropped and should have been in the starting XI.
Morgan added that the former Sheffield United star had been superb since joining the Gunners and was humiliated by Arteta's decision to drop him, tweeting:
"I don’t understand what Ramsdale has done to deserve being dropped? (Kai) Havertz, yes .. but Ramsdale’s been consistently superb for us. Why humiliate him?"
Arsenal take on PSV in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (September 20) before hosting Tottenham in the North London Derby four days later.