Carragher backs Arteta's Arsenal No.1 call with ruthless Aaron Ramsdale verdict
Jamie Carragher has given his backing to Arsenal's move for David Raya, suggesting the Gunners won't win the Premier League with Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks.
Ramsdale, who took the number one spot from Bernd Leno shortly after his arrival in North London, began the current campaign as Arsenal's first choice keeper. Raya came into the fold for the win at Everton, though, and kept his place for Wednesday's victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
It was a second straight clean sheet for the Spaniard after his move from Brentford on an initial loan. While goals from Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard gave Arsenal a comfortable win, Raya was still needed to produce some saves to keep his team in control.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has talked up the need for two top keepers, even suggesting he could even switch them up mid-game in the future. But Mirror Football understands Raya is set to become Arteta's undisputed first choice, though, and is favourite to keep his place for the north London derby.
Arteta has relied heavily on stats to back up his argument. Raya has made less errors leading to goals while Ramsdale has conceded more goals - a total of 12 - with the first shot he has faced in a game and Raya has a higher save percentage. Raya also leads Ramsdale on the goalkeeper equivalent of expected goals, with +5.86 compared to Ramsdale’s of -3.04.
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And, speaking on CBS Sports' Champions League coverage, Carragher made it clear how he felt about the two men vying for that starting spot after last season's title run.
"I understand having two goalkeepers of a similar ability, I understand mentally it might be a problem for the goalkeeper,’ Carragher said. "But surely if Mikel Arteta thinks he can get a better goalkeeper in the building, he has to make that signing to make Arsenal a better team.
"Arsenal will never win the league with Ramsdale in goal, no chance," the former Liverpool defender added. "Ramsdale is playing for Arsenal and he can’t even get in the England team."
Carragher's fellow pundit Peter Schmeichel disagreed that Arsenal should have moved for Raya. The signing allowed the Gunners to let former number two Matt Turner leave for Nottingham Forest, but Schmeichel - who had a number of different deputies while playing for Man Utd - stressed the significance of a specialist number two.
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"He’s a very, very consistent, stable goalkeeper who makes very, very few mistakes," the Dane said of Ramsdale. "The actual goalkeeping he’s done that fantastic.
"But what has surprised me is how he plays with his feet, and his distribution, taking part in play, I just don’t get why Arteta wants to create this problem.
‘They shouldn’t have signed anybody. I think there is an art to being a number two goalkeeper at a football club and that’s a special person to support the number one, who makes the number one comfortable in his position."
Former Arsenal striker and fellow pundit Thierry Henry defended Arteta's choices, suggesting the Raya move is just part of the next step for the title challengers. "It's not about who is right or who is wrong - Mikel Arteta is the coach," he said amid the back-and-forth between Carragher and Schmeichel.
"He sees David Raya as a guy that can win him the league. When he sold Bernd Leno, he saw Aaron Ramsdale as a guy that can help them get to the top four.
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"I think if he [Arteta] wants to go and get David Raya, it's not me that wants him, it's not Jamie, it's not Peter, it's not whoever. It doesn't really matter.
"He went to get him [Raya]. He thinks he is the better goalkeeper - there is no rotation there. Arteta thinks David Raya is better and that's about it. People have to stop with that goalkeeper thing."
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