Brentford 0-1 Arsenal (Havertz 89′)
GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM — For one, salvation; for the other, damnation. Kai Havertz and Aaron Ramsdale have been the most-discussed Arsenal players throughout this bizarre season of apparent on-pitch underperformance but Premier League table overperformance. In the bitter Brentford air, one finally began endearing himself to a rightly sceptical fanbase, while the latter reinforced every vague prejudice or critical notion levelled against him.
You know that recurring nightmare where you’re in goal, lining up a routine kick, but suddenly you lose all motor function? You know you need to move. You desperately, overwhelmingly want to. But your legs just don’t work. And while you’re attempting to regain control of your inoperable limbs, there’s an onrushing striker intent on making you look as stupid as he possibly can.
That was Aaron Ramsdale’s reality, 14 minutes into this staid affair. He collected a short free-kick from Gabriel Maghalaes, gazed wistfully downfield searching for an option that never arose, and was inevitably pickpocketed by Yoane Wissa. The Congolese forward cut back to Bryan Mbeumo, whose left-footed effort was blocked off the line by Declan Rice, before Wissa then miraculously flicked wide.
This barely-evaded catastrophe arrived shortly after Ramsdale had launched a long ball into Mikel Arteta’s technical area and not long before he totally mistimed a basic throw, nailing it into the turf like a village fast bowler that never quite mastered the point of release. He would go on to keep a clean sheet having made just one routine save, twice being bailed out by goal-line blocks. This went about as wrong as it could have without directly contributing to a defeat.
This was a performance which will have validated every concern Arteta may have about Ramsdale, and perhaps more crucially every fear the keeper has about himself. He knew this was his one chance to justify his No 1 jersey, and that pressure was evident in every decision. The home fans recognised it early, constantly reinforcing his deepest anxiety that he’s actually just a s**t David Raya.
Yet this is more Arteta’s fault than Ramsdale’s. It’s not that this rival goalkeeper strategy can’t work, it’s that it doesn’t when Ramsdale is involved. He clearly needs safety and security and support to flourish, to be showered in love and appreciation. Competition doesn’t improve him, it consumes him. Uncertainty begets uncertainty, and you end up here, unable to complete a basic throw, or kick in a straight line, or sometimes even move at all.
Not recognising Ramsdale is susceptible to self-esteem issues and crises of confidence is a dire indictment of Arteta’s man management. He’s worked with him for over two years now and should have recognised the mental impact this could have.
Another issue was exposed during the international break as Ramsdale’s father Nick did an ill-advised podcast interview, in which he said Aaron doesn’t know why he’s been dropped.
Herein lies the real secret to Arteta’s great goalkeeping competition – it’s not really a competition. Raya’s performances this season have been better by every useful metric. He has double the number of clean sheets in four extra games (six to three), a better save percentage, passing accuracy and xG (expected goals) prevented.
The only person who still believes this is a legitimate competition is Ramsdale, and perhaps his dad. Arteta will continue to falsely maintain this situation could change at any moment, that this is a pure meritocracy, but his refusal to rotate outside of the Carabao Cup disproves that. In attempting to elevate both he’s psychologically crushed one and made no discernible difference to the other.
Yet while the Spaniard’s failings were uncovered on one front, the first act of a potential success story germinated elsewhere. Fresh from two stints at left-back for Germany, Havertz wafted in at the back post to head Arsenal ahead on 89 minutes, his first open-play goal for the Gunners.
As Arteta said after the game, this is why Arsenal signed Havertz. This was exactly the sort of moment Ramsdale will have wished for – potential instant redemption, the total alteration of fortune and perception in one diving swoop. The Arsenal boss dragged his pet project 30 yards post-match so he could receive sufficient adoration before the away end. This is a rare chance to trigger a wholesale opinion shift on Havertz if he can capitalise over the next few games.
But for Ramsdale, he must now decide whether he pushes once more for the starting spot or pushes for a move. The latter appears more sensible for both club and player, the better choice for the former’s prospects and the latter’s sanity. Ramsdale has long deleted social media, long attempted to dullen the ever-growing external noise, but it is clear he cannot quieten his unsettled subconscious. The recurring nightmares will only worsen from here.
