Arteta criticized for buying more goalkeepers
"I can't understand why Arteta thinks there should be competition in the goalkeeping position," Schmeichel told BBC Radio 5 Live. "The goalkeeper position is about reaction. You can't create anything on your own, you have to wait for things to happen."
According to the former Man Utd goalkeeper, Arteta's request for competition creates a lot of insecurity for both Ramsdale and Raya. "You're asking the goalkeeper to prove that they're better than the other. That means the goalkeeper has to do more work, and you don't want that. The goalkeeper is the position on the pitch where you just want to settle. ", explains Schmeichel.
Schmeichel even commented that having two goalkeepers of similar level competing for the official position has the potential to create a bad atmosphere in the dressing room. According to the 59-year-old player, if that competition means the goalkeeper will lose his official position after just one mistake, then it will create a lot of pressure when playing.
Schmeichel said: "Everybody makes mistakes and can lead to goals. Then the coach needs to say, 'It's okay. You're still the number one goalkeeper'. A goalkeeper needs that confidence. Otherwise, it's not. , you can't give it all to the team".
In the summer of 2021, Ramsdale was recruited by Arsenal for a fee of $ 33 million from Sheffield United and immediately took the official position of Bernd Leno. In the Premier League last season, the English goalkeeper played all 38 games, kept 14 clean sheets, saved 95 times, passed 24.5 passes per game, conceded 43 goals and made two mistakes that led to goals.
Although Ramsdale is still playing stably, coach Arteta is said to want to strengthen the goalkeeper with good footwork to compete for the official position. Accordingly, the "Gunners" have reached an agreement to borrow goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford with an option to buy them permanently for a fee of $ 35 million in the summer of 2024.
On August 15, when he launched his new club, Raya insisted it was time to try and show his abilities on a bigger stage after a conversation with Arteta. The 27-year-old goalkeeper admits that it is the club's change of play, confident play, control and deployment of the ball from the home field under the compatriot coach is the reason why he is confident that he will quickly adapt to the new environment. .
Raya was born in Barcelona, has a good footwork that fits well with Arteta's philosophy. The Spanish goalkeeper played all 38 Premier League matches last season, making a great contribution to helping Brentford finish ninth, just one point behind Tottenham. He kept 12 clean sheets, two less than Ramsdale, and was also pursued by Man Utd before they recruited Andre Onana.
Schmeichel was with Man Utd from 1991 to 1999, making 398 appearances, winning five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League. He is a member of the golden generation that created the great treble of Man Utd in 1999, alongside Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Roy Keane or Paul Scholes.
IFFHS once voted Peter Schmeichel as one of the ten goalkeepers of the 20th century. In 2003, the former Man Utd goalkeeper was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame. In 2004, Pele selected Peter Schmeichel to the FIFA 100 list.
