Jamie Carragher has been left ‘surprised’ by the rise of Aaron Ramsdale after claiming to have had doubts over his ability before he signed for Arsenal.
Aaron Ramsdale’s name is already spoken in the subject of signings of the season after the goalkeeper continued his improved performances since signing for Arsenal. Over the weekend, the Gunners stopper kept his ninth clean sheet of the season as his team beat Norwich 5-0.
It’s all been remarkable considering the amount of criticism the former Sheffield United star received when he was about to sign for the Gunners. It even led to Ramsdale disabling comments on some of his social media accounts, as many fans were sceptical of his arrival after suffering back-to-back relegations from the Premier League with Bournemouth and Sheffield United.
The argument was over why Arsenal are willing to spend nearly £30 million on a backup keeper, as it was clear Bernd Leno was the first choice under Mikel Arteta. However, Ramsdale took no time to usurp the German’s position and has become the club’s undisputed choice as the No. 1.
Arteta even praised Ramsdale for his solid performances on Arsenal’s road to jumping to the fourth spot on the Premier League table. His handling, distribution, shot-stopping, have received massive praises from many experts. During this period, the keeper also made his England debut and looks to be fighting to dislodge Jordan Pickford off his perch.
? "He's got a presence about him that I didn't see that he had, he's had a big impact on the team."@Carra23 explains why he thinks Aaron Ramsdale has been the signing of the season so far pic.twitter.com/FdsWKkfifs
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 27, 2021
Jamie Carragher is among those thoroughly ‘surprised’ and impressed by the keeper’s performances. Speaking on Sky Sports (h/t Daily Mail), he admitted to having doubts over Ramsdale’s ability. However, he has been convinced by his performances since signing for the Gunners.
Carragher said: “I went for Ramsdale because it was almost the biggest surprise to me. When they brought him in, I thought they were bringing him in as a backup and almost bringing him in because he was an English player for the quota. He hadn’t impressed me in his Premier League time at Sheffield United and Bournemouth.
“It’s not just the saves he’s made; he’s a personality, he’s a character. I just think he’s got a presence about him that I didn’t see that he had, and I think he’s had a big impact on the team.”
Ramsdale will be in action on new year’s day when Arsenal will face a monumental task as Manchester City visit the Emirates. A good result against the table-toppers would certainly boost their chances to finish in the top four, while a defeat could dent their recent surge in confidence.