Kevin Campbell has hailed Aaron Ramsdale’s impact since arriving at Arsenal while lambasting those who hurled abuse.
Aaron Ramsdale had suffered consecutive relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield United, which burdened his young shoulders before he arrived at Arsenal. A section of the Gunners fanbase had preconceived notions regarding the keeper and chose to abuse him online, even before he signed a contract.
Ramsdale chose not to respond towards these haters online, but on the pitch, where he has managed to keep four clean sheets in five appearances for Arsenal in all competitions, giving the team a solid base alongside the ‘new’ back-four.
After a stunning save to deny Lucas Moura a goal in the North London Derby, Ramsdale performed heroically against Brighton to prevent a possible tap-in for Neal Maupay late in the game. The former Sheffield United star has sufficiently answered his critics and usurped the no.1 spot under Mikel Arteta.
His adversary, Bernd Leno, hasn’t been too happy about it lately, but the chances of the German being reinstated ahead of Ramsdale look bleak at this point. The 23-year-old has had a substantial impact on and off the pitch, becoming a fan favourite against all odds.
Former Gunners striker Kevin Campbell has given his backing for Ramsdale to take his game to another level, hailing his impact at the club. Campbell also lambasted those who chose to abuse the keeper even before he arrived, based on the performances of his previous teams.
Speaking to Football Insider, the former hitman gave his verdict, saying, “This is the beautiful thing about football. At first, I didn’t pass judgement because I did not know enough about him. Instead, I went away and did my research. Others made preconceptions about him because he was relegated with a couple of clubs. It was held against him straight away.
“When people found out he was signing, he received hate on social media. He had to turn off his messages and comments, and this was before he had even signed for the football club. Straight away, fans are on his back even though he hadn’t done anything.
“There was a pre-conceived idea that he was not good enough for Arsenal, but let me tell you, that young man has impressed me as much as anyone they’ve signed. I think he’s been incredible. Not just his saves and his distribution but the way he commands his box. He is not afraid to give his defenders a rollicking. That is really important. I never saw [Bernd] Leno do it. You can see that he has a feeling for the football club.”
Ramsdale is away with England after making it into Gareth Southgate’s squad ahead of Nick Pope. He will be hoping to make an appearance during this international break, with Sam Johnstone and Jordan Pickford ahead of him in the pecking order. However, when he returns to Arsenal, his place as the club’s no.1 will be safe.
