Early goals by Gabriel and Emile Smith Rowe helped Arsenal to secure a 2-0 win at Leicester but it was a man of the match performance by Aaron Ramsdale that will steal the headlines.
The goalkeeper produced a spectacular save to tip a James Maddison free-kick onto the bar in the closing stages of the first half and continued to stand firm after the break as the hosts threw everything they could at the Gunners goal.
After the match the keeper spoke to BT Sport:
On the performance…
A superb result, away from home, top team Leicester are. We started really well, we got two goals and thankfully, it was one of those afternoons where I contributed. We should have had a few more clean sheets recently but we’re very happy with this one as you might be able to here in a few minutes when we’re all cheering [in the dressing room.]
On his save from Maddison’s free-kick…
Maddison is a top free-kick taker. I’ve come up against him a couple of times in the league and in training with the England under-21s. I was more worried that he was going to reverse it and come my side. he didn’t have too much pace on it which allowed me to get there. It was one of them days, it seemed like I was saving everything that was thrown at me and the lads were blocking everything. Top day all round.
On not wanting to let Leicester back in the game…
We definitely didn’t want to give them any momentum at all. And the same for the second half as well, we didn’t want them with any momentum after the break.
On his family being in the stands and giving away his boots and shirt…
Mum, dad and my friend, yeah. My girlfriend is working but they follow me all round the country. The kids just keep coming with more signs [asking for his shirt] and it’s hard to say no to them. Boots and t-shirt are gone.
Fantastic performance, looking like he could be number 1 for Arsenal and England for some time.
Anyone else see him joining in on the Leicester fans “oooooooooohhhhhhhh, you’re shit aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!”?
Loved that.
How much do you reckon we still owe Sheffield for Ramsdale??
😂
He looks like a bargain! Great game for Aaron. He is quite the character. Unbeaten since he came in the side.
About 7 million pounds 😄
not only is he playing very well, he’s taken up the johan djourou mantle of team media persona
Aaron’s made us all look like complete idiots. We all got it so wrong. And I’ve never been happier to have egg all over my face.
Except when I won the Vienna Omelette Eating Competition 2007.
Me too !
Ha. No you weren’t. I was just testing to see who the competitive omelette eaters were out there.
In 2007, if you had any knowledge at all, you’d have known the competition took place in Utrecht.
🤣
Come on! There can’t have been two winners of the. 2007 Vienniese omelette eating contest.
He’s a fraud. He doesn’t know shit about omelettes.
Dunno man, we may have been in the minority but a few of us were ready to watch him play before we lost our shit!
I thought he was a great signing, always a positive mother**.. i Also thought Andre Santos was a Star in the making..
Top keeper. Has something of Szczesny’s personality and something of Seaman’s talent.
I have been watching Arsenal for decades since 2012, this is the best keeper we have had since then.
9 years since 2012…
– 20 years… That’s a long time Dave.
– Eh… Well, it’s two decades!
– Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s a long time.
🙌
Frankly, since 2012, every season has felt like a decade…
I’ve been watching arsenal since 1996
We have got our new seaman.
What a guy! The fist pump when the Leicester fans were jeering him was feckin brilliant!!
So good to see that “no passaran” spirit induced by Arteta.
Can’t remember the last time an Arsenal ‘keeper put in a performance like that. You’d probably have to go all the way back to the time of Dave the Save for something comparable. He’s a big personality as well. In the end we’ll all come to the conclusion that he was a bargain signing.
To be fair, Leno before he got injured by Maupay, had given us some decent performances in terms of stopping shots and keeping us in games. And Martinez of course after that. But Ramsdale takes the cake.
Big Jens vs Villarreal springs to mind too
That was mad Jens at his peak! The last minute penalty against Riquelme, if he dived the right way, he was gonna save it, I just knew it. And he did. What a moment.
I take your point though, Almumia 😱
Almunia once had a worldy against peak era Barcelona!
Cech against Liverpool too!
Alumnus and Szczesny vs Barcelona
He really is a character. Very happy we signed him. Sky is the limit for his talent.
Sensational save. Honestly, a jaw dropping moment. I scoffed when we signed him for 30 odd million but now I see that that was getting him on the cheap.
Overtaking a top GK like Leno is a tough job. This young boy won my heart today!
Fans favourite, Ramsdale
Boots and T shirt gone Hahaha what a keeper.
Wow that’s awesome saving everything. Those are the reason why Mikel brought him to arsenal. Top class goalkeeping from spiderman Ramsdale. Good shift from the boys never backing down and played as a team. Keep it up we soaring higher, trust the process.
Top dude
Love Ramsdale. When he was at Sheff Utd, I wish we would sign a keeper like him. Never thought we would. There’s as much a dirth of mad keepers today as there are free playing no.10’s. His character and groundedness is the perfect balance, but he is coupling that with his actual goalkeeping, practically. Fantastic. On his goalkeeping, not to mention his great range of passing (and knowing what kind of passing to do at the right time), how quickly and spritly he moves, his reflexes, but one major thing is how well he spreads himself. Many keepers tend to… Read more »
The identity this defence has of keeping clean sheets even more so when we are ahead is fabulous
Stops EVERYTHING. I mentioned last season before the summer we’d be foolish NOT to get him. He was taking in a lot of practise for free at Sheffield and not at our expense. But also bc he was used to working with a relegation form non existent defense, he simply takes no chances and sweeps everything up ahead of him. Also his distribution/decision making looks good. And like the fact he is vocal cajoling those ahead of him in defense. Future captain soon if this keeps up. Strong character too does not half mind banter from the fans or mixing… Read more »
Still think Emi Martinez is a top notch goalie, and I’m happy for him. But yesterday, against West Ham, he certainly wasn’t “saving everything thrown at him”.
Like almost everyone else, I didn’t see the point in Ramsdale for 30 million, but I’m deliriously happy to eat humble pie (along with almost everyone else)