Arsenal legend Lehmann slams Arteta over decision he’s ‘never ever understood’
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann “never ever understood” Mikel Arteta’s decision to replace Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya.
The Gunners boss brought in Raya in the summer transfer window from Brentford to give Ramsdale competition after a promising first season in net from the former Sheffield United stopper.
And after only four Premier League matches, Arteta made the decision to drop Ramsdale for Raya and the Spaniard has kept his place in the team.
But former Arsenal goalkeeper Lehmann insists Arteta’s decision to put Raya in net over Ramsdale “doesn’t make sense” to him.
“I never ever understood the Ramsdale decision,” Lehmann told the Daily Mail.
“If you have a good, brave English keeper at a big English club doing well and then you bring in a Spanish guy who has never played for a big club at that level – it just doesn’t make sense.
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“The ‘keeper is the most important position in the team. If I were Ramsdale, I don’t know how I would react because it’s not easy at that age. When you’re older, it’s different.”
The ex-Germany international has been impressed by the job Arteta has done at Arsenal but Lehmann insists they must now start to win trophies.
Lehmann added: “He’s done a good job but unfortunately, you’re talking to a guy who loves Arsenal, wants them to win and not just to be up there. I was very disappointed with how they lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
“Afterwards, they showed a great reaction beating Chelsea and Tottenham. But to be a big club, you have to win trophies.”
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Lehmann reckons Arsenal now have to be “braver” to start picking up trophies with Arteta’s side more “cautious” in their approach.
Jens Lehmann: Current Arsenal team ‘much more cautious’ than the Invincibles
He continued: “They’re very different to us [the Invincibles] in their approach – much more cautious and slower with the ball.
“Physically, they run a lot more and have more high-intensity runs but they don’t play faster than us because we were a one-touch team.
“They all take three, four touches at a time. And if you’re too cautious in football, you can’t win trophies.
“Most of the time, the bravest teams win the league. I would love them to win the title but that has cost them in certain games.
“It’s 20 years since we won the league and I hope Arsenal win but it’s not in their own hands anymore and that’s a weakness.”
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