Aaron Ramsdale says it’s well-documented that Arsenal have been “missing leaders” in recent years and says he knew he might have to “shake things up” when he joined the club.
Signed from Sheffield United for £24 million in August, few expected the 23-year-old to usurp first choice keeper Bernd Leno so quickly. But that’s exactly what has happened with the vocal Yorkshireman, taking the challenge by the scruff of the neck.
Handed his debut against West Brom in the Carabao Cup, he took advantage of the last international break to persuade Mikel Arteta he was ready for Premier League minutes. The Spaniard duly obliged and three clean sheets in four games suggest Leno may find it difficult getting his place back.
Rewarded with a recall to the England squad, Ramsdale says he’s enjoying the opportunity to bring a new energy to the Gunners training ground.
“When I came in, I got told to be myself,” he told the Guardian.
“My character is to be loud, be a leader and show passion. I also knew that I might have to shake things up in a positive way and my own way.
“I think it is well documented that they were missing leaders but I don’t think we’ve all turned into leaders all of a sudden.
“The team that is playing at the moment is just full of confidence and working well together.
He added: “I don’t think we’ve now all of a sudden all turned into leaders, I just think now this team that is playing at the moment is full of confidence, we are working together, we’re earning each other’s respect and playing better football.
“Leaders come out in different ways, Emile Smith-Rowe and Bukayo are young lads, but they lead by example with the performances.
“And, you’ve got Granit Xhaka, myself, Gabriel, Ben White who are vocal and you’ve got the captain himself, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is our talisman, our go-to man and we’re all different leaders in our own way.”
Ramsdale also made clear that Arsenal are on a mission to arrest a recent decline and that the determination to get back into Europe was palpable from his first day.
“You can sense it as soon as you walk through the doors that the club aren’t happy where they are,” he said.
“We want European football. It might have to be the Europa League and then the Champions League but we want to get back there. You understand the pressures that brings but it’s an enjoyable challenge.
“At the training ground, you see the history. The players that have played here with their unique numbers – as we have with England. You’ve got the Invincibles on the walls everywhere. It’s now our time to put some new history there.”
Love him. The international break is so boring. COYG
Sure, but. Spain v Italy was a good game, though it would have been better without the red card. Belgium v France was a great game–tremendous quality on both sides, back-and-forth dominance, real intensity. It helps, of course, if you support one of the teams. Allez les bleus.
I love him too and believe it was very smart business to get him, but I wish he wouldn’t say things like “I think it is well documented that they were missing leaders.” He’s placing too much on his very young and still inexperienced shoulders. I worry how it will affect him when (not if) he does make some terrible error.
A few more clean sheets in the upcoming fixtures might go a long way in the “putting new history in place”!
There is often an upsurge in a clean sheets when a goalkeeper is changed, some very encouraging signs and performances. Yet it is consistency that marks out the top goalkeepers. Best of luck Ramsdale.
Love this guy.
Great start from him hope he goes from strength to strength. Probably a better fit for England than their current starter as well
I wouldn’t say I was I a doubter when we signed Aaron, but I never expected him to be as involved in the first team as he is right now. Kudos to him for that. I feel he’s a big positive in how we’ve turned things around in the last few games. He’s clearly a big personality and I think our back line needed that. He’s obviously helped out by the likes of Gabriel, White, Tomi and KT in front of him but there’s an obvious change in energy in our defending lately. I’m loving the chest-bumping, back-slapping, high-fiving that’s… Read more »
I was definitely a doubter, didn’t feel Leno had done much wrong, thought we should have kept out money for a midfielder and kept Mat Ryan as backup. However, seeing the quality of Ramsdale’s passing range and distribution bring something different to the team this last month has made me change my tune. Hope he continues to shine.
Interesting to hear him talk about Auba. Though I love him as a player, I have never seen him as a leader but maybe internally he is more of one than it would appear from a distance ?
Interesting wording with him saying he’s a talisman and the go to man. More a leader in terms of getting us over the line at times, instead of being a passionate, vocal sort.
As an aside, Xhaka ALWAYS gets mentioned as a leader in these discussions by the players. He may be a difficult one for supporters, but no doubt all the players massively rate his leadership and look to him.
I think the three leaders last year were David Luiz, Xhaka, and Bellerin; two are gone, and one will be gone for months. So it’s very encouraging that, in addition to Gabriel’s, and possibly White’s, emergence as a vocal presence, we have obvious, already recognized, leadership qualities in our young players: Tierney was captain at Celtic, Lokanga at Anderlecht (how old was he!?), Odegaard for Norway.
Maybe he just sounds off a lot. Leadership is about more than a big mouth…
I like this dude a lot.
i like what he has brought out in the rest of his defence also – proper unit. it’s possibly unfair on Leno who didn’t have this settled backline in front of him at Brentford and who made some outstanding stops when the defence/team was determined to self-harm last year but that vocality transmits to the fans and the opposition too, I’m all for it.
I couldn’t see many downsides to signing a young keeper that just broke into the national side but, tbh, I didn’t expect him to have such an impact so early on & become one of the most vocal personalities in the side.
His relationship with the back 4 looks very encouraging & only conceding 1 goal in 5 games (is that right?) is a hell of a start. Long may it continue.
You got the Invincibles on the wall
Now dance, come on!
Get your back off from the wall
Now dance, come on!!!
Off topic, but I cannot wait to see Steve Bruce sacked, just as he’s about to think he’s the kid with the keys to the sweet shop. “Dear Mr Bruce. It is, with considerable regret, that we have to inform you of our plans to terminate your contract with immediate effect. It is our intention to make Newcastle United the world’s most successful club and get a reasonable return on our investment. That’s clearly not going to happen whilst we’ve got a shit-thick tomato-nosed Mrs Doubtfire lookalike at the helm. That said, we have taken measures to ensure that you… Read more »
You’re an unpleasant person
And you, my friend, have absolutely no sense of humour at all – or indeed, any knowledge of Steve Bruce’s colourful history of run-ins with our beloved football club.
Just ask Ian Wright, Arsene Wenger, Marc Overmars and Kanu for starters….
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ian-wright-manchester-united-arsenal-18136117?utm_source=linkCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar
What’ you’ve written isn’t humorous just mean spirited
In your opinion, maybe.
Fortunately, you’re not the only person on here and, at the time of writing, 17 other people have had the intelligence to see my post for what it was – merely football banter.
If it was as bad as you’re implying, do you honestly think Blogs would have allowed it to be published…..?
This is a forum for football fans to discuss their football club and have a laugh or two – not some sanctimonious offering to the high alter of political correctness.
Seriously mate, you need to lighten up.
I’ve met Steve Bruce, he seemed like a nice chap, he had time for supporters signed autographs and had a chat, good luck to him and the toon!
Steve Bruce is a tosser, who vehemently hates The Arsenal.
End of.
”You’re an unpleasant person”
…says the bloke who takes every possible opportunity to have a pop at Arsene Wenger – Arsenal’s most successful manager ever.
I never insult him personally, and only critique and comment on what i see as his major, ideological driven failure of his final decade of management of our club.
I’m more than happy to say i agree that up until 2005, he was our greatest manager
So this club’s first appearance in the Champions’ League Final in 2006, the continued qualification of the ECL for the best part of two decades, three further FA Cup Final victories in four seasons and some of the best football the Premiership or indeed the football league has ever seen, clearly didn’t cut the mustard for you……?
Mate, you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Don’t think it’s that decent to wish anyone out of a job, except possibly Hitler and DJ Trump?
Hitler has been dead for nearly 80 years and Donald Trump is no longer the President of the United States of America.
If you want me to join ‘the real world’ as opposed to residing in the harmless parallel universe of football fandom banter, then kindly start by putting together an argument that is factually correct.
This made me laugh. I could never stand Steve Bruce. A self centred nasty piece of work who always tried to get one over us when he played for Norwich and Man Utd.
He seems to have quite the fan club on here.
Sad…🙄
He has confounded the naysayers and whingers since he has come into the side. He is a good young keeper with a great future ahead of him. He could be a worthy successor to David Seaman. I really like how he is vocal on the pitch and gees up his defenders. That is what we need from a first choice keeper.
It’s too early to make a judgement on him, Carole.
Take the Spuds game: he pulled off a fantastic save right at the end, but I thought he should have saved Son’s goal earlier. He got a strong hand to the ball and should have pushed it over the bar.
Then, during the Brighton game, he dropped a straightforward cross but got away with it.
It looks like Leno is on his way. He’ll be gone by the start of next season. But it remains to be seen whether or not Ramsdale is the answer to our problems.
I thought this would be such a bad signing, but this young man is on his way to becoming one of my favourites in the squad and dare I say it, possibly an Arsenal legend.
Congratulations boss, coaches and players for Septembers manager of the month.
Christ, that must be one of the most rogue shouts ever after four games.
Remember how we felt about Torreira after 4 games. Can’t quite believe how much his career nosedived.
That’s a myth.
Emery played him out of position (as an AM) and ruined his confidence
He was at his happiest – and best – playing in a ball-winning DM role.
Has the potential to become a top ‘keeper.
FFS he hasn’t done anything yet except talk like he can walk the walk. But he hasn’t, so he should probably keep his head down and his mouth shut until he can back it up with real evidence.
Can’t you just shut up instead?
Streuth! That’s a bit rich, coming from Walkabout Creek.
Strange reaction to someone just answering questions they’ve been asked.
You his press manager or something?
Like the guys positivity, he’s done well 3 out of 4 clean sheets, our last successfull nutty Jens keeper did well..
The new Joe Hart