If this proves to be the final act of Aaron Ramsdale’s Arsenal career, what a sorry ending.
It could even have been worse if Kai Havertz had not come to his rescue with an 86th-minute headed winner to see off Brentford.
Ramsdale’s nightmare moment came when Gabriel’s pass trickled along the floor to him in first-half stoppage time. The goalkeeper’s right leg cocked back seemingly for an age, allowing Yoane Wissa to execute a slide tackle and deflect the attempted clearance into the net. It was poor.
The Arsenal substitutes and backroom staff made their way over to Ramsdale at half-time, slapping him on the back by way of encouragement, but the damage had been done.
The first seeds of doubt were sown for Ramsdale on the evening of September 17, when Raya replaced him for the 1-0 victory over Everton. It was the start of the end for Ramsdale.
Mikel Arteta spoke of how keepers are interchangeable, suggesting they could be swapped between games or even within a game.
But there has been no hint of rotation.
Ramsdale has warmed the bench, only featuring in cup ties, a Champions League dead-rubber and the two games against Raya’s parent club Brentford, for which the Spaniard was ineligible.
Ramsdale’s match-defining displays last season, particularly in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool when he pulled off two sensational stoppage-time saves, seem an awfully long time ago.
On his day, he is exceptional, a keeper who exudes bravery in the air and has great distribution on the counter-attack.
This was seen early on against Brentford when he sent Leandro Trossard through on goal with a monstrous throw after retrieving the ball from a corner.
But unfortunately it is the howlers for which Ramsdale will be remembered this season.
Arteta called on
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