Crouch & Ferdinand: Keeper’s Exit Looming

During a recent game in the Premier League, where Brentford FC faced Arsenal FC, Aaron Ramsdale caught the attention with his remarkable performance. Nevertheless, esteemed ex-footballers Peter Crouch and Rio Ferdinand have expressed the opinion that Ramsdale might have to depart from Arsenal in order to secure regular playing time if his current situation at the club remains unchanged.

Despite successfully preventing the opposing team from scoring, Crouch and Ferdinand speculate that Ramsdale could once again find himself sitting on the substitute bench. They propose that his future prospects may lie elsewhere, potentially including a position in Gareth Southgate’s England Euro 2024 squad, which is also a consideration for Ramsdale. Crouch, the former Liverpool forward, shared his viewpoint by suggesting that if the situation remains the same, Ramsdale should consider moving on. He desires to be included in the England team, especially for the Euros. Although he has potential as the top goalkeeper in the future, it is crucial for him to be actively involved in matches. Unfortunately, it appears unlikely that he will have that opportunity here.

Ferdinand seconded Crouch’s thoughts and stressed that the level of games Ramsdale participates in could play a role in determining his choice. According to him, if Aaron Ramsdale does not participate in the required number of matches in the Premier League, especially the important ones, or in the Champions League, then he believes that Aaron Ramsdale will not remain at the current team. Aaron Ramsdale has put in a lot of effort to reach the top, and his journey has been quite extraordinary, involving various clubs and lower leagues, with a few relegations along the way. He has faced adversity, managed to reach the top, but now he is in a situation where he has to fight and climb again, even though it is not due to any fault of his own in terms of performance. Therefore, he thinks it will be challenging for Aaron Ramsdale to stay at the team as a backup goalkeeper. After the game, the media asked Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, about Ramsdale’s return to the team. However, Arteta skillfully avoided the question and redirected the attention away from the goalkeeper. It appears that the debate between Ramsdale and Raya will continue to be a subject of conversation until a resolution is found.

Crouch acknowledged the ongoing conversation by saying, “Unfortunately, it’s a point of discussion and not a common occurrence. You have two top-notch goalkeepers, and no one really believed that Aaron Ramsdale made any mistakes. Then, he was suddenly replaced. So, it’s a topic that people talk about, but Mikel Arteta prefers not to address it.”