Arteta must keep Ramsdale out of reach of rivals amid keeper juggling act
ikel Arteta has strived to innovate during his time at Arsenal. From placing speakers at the side of training pitches and a club dog to keep morale high, nothing has been off limits.
But if Arteta can find a way for Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya to coexist, he will have truly positioned himself as an innovator in the modern game.
Arteta is trying to change how football thinks about the goalkeeper position, revealing at the weekend how one of his big regrets is that twice during his managerial career he bottled substituting one during a game.
Competition is a core element of the environment Arteta has looked to create, and his argument is that no position in the starting XI should be safe.
Mikel Arteta could start switching keepers mid-match after victory at Everton
The goalkeeper position, though, is like no other in the team.
After handing Raya his debut at Everton on Sunday, Arteta questioned why no one had asked him why Gabriel Jesus had been left out for Eddie Nketiah.
But the point is if he really wished to play both Jesus and Nketiah in the same team, Arteta could find a way to do so.
With Raya and Ramsdale, only one can start, and it is hard to foresee how rotation does not become an issue.
Aaron Ramsdale has matured into a fine Premier League goalkeeper
/ Arsenal FC via Getty ImagesWho plays against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League tomorrow or Tottenham on Sunday?
Ramsdale did not sulk on Sunday, and it was noticeable how he stood by the tunnel at Goodison Park to high-five and hug the team as they came out for the second half.
But what would happen if he missed the Manchester City game next month?
Other clubs will be watching the situation closely, partly to see if the experiment is a success, but also because of the opportunity it presents.
Should Ramsdale struggle for games, clubs will undoubtedly be interested in the England goalkeeper. Bayern Munich are in the market for a new, long-term No1 and tried to sign Raya and Robert Sanchez this summer.
Sanchez ended up moving to Chelsea, who have also been linked with a move for Ramsdale.
The Blues also brought in Djordje Petrovic, and both he and Sanchez are expecting to get the chance to stake their claim to be No1 at Stamford Bridge.
Should they underperform, then Ramsdale could become a possibility, although it is thought Chelsea’s main priority in January will be a striker.