Mikel Arteta has hinted that Alex Runarsson will be retained for the rest of the season after stating he needs three goalkeepers capable of competing with one another.
Earlier this the month, the Spaniard suggested the Iceland international, signed from Dijon at the end of the summer transfer window, had been a stop-gap purchase and that he’d be open to letting him leave on loan. However, following the recruitment of Mat Ryan from Brighton, he seems happy for the new boys to battle it out for the right to be the club’s second-choice keeper.
“That area of the squad needs three goalkeepers and they need to compete with each other, challenge each other and everyone will get their role,” Arteta said after Saturday’s defeat to Southampton.
“After you have your role, you just have to support each other again to get the best out of each other. This is the role, come here and try to make it better.”
Having exited the League Cup and FA Cup, it’ll be interesting to see who gets the nod between the sticks in the Europa League.
It’s a competition that Ryan has played in 28 times during stints with Club Brugge, Valencia and Genk. He also has considerable Premier League experience, racking up more than 100 appearances for Brighton. Years of regular game time were important factors in signing off on a loan deal.
“He is a player who knows the league really well,” said Arteta. “He has played so many games, he has international experience, he is at the right age, he has been competing regularly until December.
“We felt with the departure of Matt Macey, we needed another keeper in the team to give more protection so we looked at the market and we wanted a loan deal and we decided to go with Mat because he had the right profile for us.”
Asked if the deal might be made permanent in the summer, Arteta added: “I don’t know, he’s just arrived. It’s a loan deal and he still has a contract with Brighton and we will assess to see how he performs, see how he adapts, what we need in the future. It’s still too early to decide.”
Hein and Okonkwo are better than Runner, they should be the ones competing for the 3rd GK slot.
A player who has never played is better than someone who has played badly. These are just the laws of football.
Look at Balogun. So much better than Eddie. But never played a minute of premier league football.
Fair point ..
but I would take my chances with a new gun, if I know the one I already have, backfires ..
I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I’m just saying it’s a thing.
I suppose I feel sorry for Runarsson though. He seems like a nice kid, living the dream but he’s basically been considered a terrible goalkeeper from day one, before he even made those mistakes.
I’d love to see him redeem himself somehow.
Yes, I’m sure he’s a very nice young man, but he’s not paid a pretty reasonable salary (according to reports) for one so young to be nice he’s paid to step in when necessary and do a competent job. He didn’t make things easy for himself with some comments very early after joining us that were considered by many to be somewhat arrogant, only to fall flat on his face when push came to shove so to speak. Unfortunately, the buck always stops, eventually, with the keeper. I’m not saying he’s a total write-off of course but it will probably… Read more »
Ahh the old seems like a nice kid/ bloke/ guy/ fella but… line again
Yeah. Empathy. Disgusting isn’t it?
Obviously Balogun is the bigger talent, your eyes will tell you. Okonkwo is already sporting better attributes than Runar. Hell, we even said ESR is the man 1-2 years ago. Immediately saw Saka ws special. It is like many other things in life, if you got it, you got it!
Yeah, I agree. And the idea that the best footballing years are 26-30 can be such horse shit too. Some kids just have it, but, like Rooney, are spent by the time they’re 28. Or earlier, like Wilshere.
Or like Willian, they dupe you for one last payday
Hein for one is the national team goalie. Freely available games to see if you want. Okonkwo a talent in the making too. I’ve been following both goalies and have even advocated for them to be moved to #2 and #3, although the Ryan signing made sense. Runner signing… Less so.
Hats off Johnny, you do get it.
Maybe Hein and Okonkwo are not better than Runar, but at least they have excuse of age and experience. Runar is 25 now, and is one of the worst keepers I have seen.
Remember the times, when we threw out Fabianski, and Ospina for being shit. They are better than Runar with one hand tied behind their backs.
Don’t forget many questioned the abilities of “Flapianski” whenever he played, and Martinez, whom when eventually in the light shone. (Should have kept him) maybe we need to stop bringing in players in because are available (often inflated) and give the lads a chance. Willian, Pepe over Nelson? Give them the chance, if they don’t perform then look at the position. RB is somewhere I’d like to address, sell Bellerin, buy Aaron’s from Norwich…
Tbh starting to sense that Arteta tries to save everyone. Board couldn’t sell or loan Runnar so he has to take the bullet by lying.
Lying is also called “protecting your assets” in some circles. Think Arteta is learning that the way he handled, for example, the Guendouzi situation wasn’t the most optimal approach.
Always smart to have 3 goalkeepers. If one is injured then you need your 2nd choice to play the next match and your 3rd choice on the bench.
Not when your 3rd choice is so bad. The truth is that no one would take him.
Blogs I think I found a typo , there seems to be an “s” missing in title.
“That area of the squad needs three goalkeepers..”
…can’t think of many other areas of the squad that would need 3 goalkeepers, but fair enough 🙂
What if all clubs have seen him and are open to the option of not taking him on loan?
Yes, retrained would be great…
Or restrained
……but he might regain.
So that’s why he remained
Hold on, there shouldn’t be any question that Leno starts the Europa League knock outs – the article is kind of suggesting that there is?
Between the lines – we tried to shift him, nobody wanted him.
I also misread it as “retrained”, which he really should be.
Arteta seems to like to keep and hoard players. I hope its just a plot to keep their value. This is so like wenger where he persists on a player and at the end gets his heart broken when they leave for money.
Have you noticed the clear out in the last 48 hours?
Unless we are planning on selling someone else “Mustai”? as of now, we have to unregister Runnarson in order to register Odegarrd as a non home grown player.
Mat Ryan took the slot of Kolasinac.
Yes, I read something similar in the press about the registration issue. It’s tricky as it looks like we’re trying to get Odegarrd for the remainder of the season or not, possibly, if we don’t get this sorted.
There’s no space in the squad for Runarsson, Ryan and Odegaard are taking his non-homegrown spot
… unless this means we’re selling Mustafi?!
Presumably because he knows we can’t offload him to any other club…? He’s had (very) limited game time I know but he’s proved to be pretty poor in that short period and a tad too cocky but with nothing to back it up apparently. Unless there’s an unexpected change in his form (and, I think it’s fair to say, attitude given his comments earlier in the season) I doubt Mr Runarsson will be providing much competition for either of the other keepers any time soon.
Fat Frank gets the chop because Chelsea dropped out of the top six.
Arteta keeps his job despite us making our worst start in four decades – and putting his misguided faith in players like Willian and this kid above – who clearly isn’t good enough for this club.
That FA Cup Final result has had a bigger bearing than most would give the competition credit for.
Expectations are low due to rebuilding and the process as arteta like to put it.
He will get this season and probably next season as well.
I’m not convinced at the moment but I think next season we need to see a massive improvement because there will be no more excuses about clearing dead wood and not having his own players.
Totally agree, well said.
This season was always going to be transitional. Strange circumstances, an over bloated squad full of has beens, some great kids who haven’t got a lot of experience yet and a manager who has only been in the job (any job) a year. Next year will be better. Arteta will have his own players, a lean squad and another season of experience. Hopefully crowds will also be able to return. This season will be forgotten. Just need to finish as high as possible, keep shifting the shite, giving the kids minutes and focusing on performances. Oh, and hope that the… Read more »
Another top post.
If the Spuds fail to win anything this year, they’ll be hilarious milestones aplenty.
13 years since they last won any major trophy at all.
30 years since they last won the FA Cup.
37 years since they won a European trophy.
And, drum roll please…..
A mere 60 years since they last won the League Title.
Whatever else happens, next May might still be very merry indeed……
Solskjaer was written off by United fans just how you’ve written off Arteta. Have you looked at the league table recently?
That was a reply to Q btw!
Yeah…Have we finally managed to crawl into the top half yet….?
United have quality attacking midfielders.
We’re relying on a kid barely out of his teens, who six weeks ago was still more or less a reserve.
Solskjaer utilises the resources available to him; Arteta pisses in the wind.
*there’ll
Arteta also didn’t spaff £200m in the summer, did he?
No. He did something infinitely worse.
He signed Willian.
Suspect this is just PR talk and the club are still actively looking to send Runarsson on loan. Makes little sense to have 3 non-homegrown keepers in an already non-homegrown heavy squad.
We signed him for four years at 40k a week, he’s not worth half that and nobody wants a goalkeeper who throws the ball into his own net. If we’re stuck with him, he probably won’t be registered.
more great business by arteta, edu and company. ozils wages off the books willian and runassons on maybe we can give david luiz another year while were at it
Great we brought in Matt Ryan.
If we can keep him as a back up that would be a great signing.
Ive always been impressed by him the few times ive watched brighton.
doubt he will be happy being a 2nd choice keeper long term though.
I’m not sure Runarsson is capable of competing but at least he’s now third choice. I would have rather we kept Matt Macey for the rest of the season and never bought Runarsson though.
That he had already lost his place at Dijon, who aren’t exactly a great side, due to high profile errors was a big indicator of how he would fair with us. I hope he is able to improve for his and our sake.