Arsenal legend Jens Lehmann has expressed his confusion over Mikel Arteta’s decision to drop Aaron Ramsdale in favor of David Raya. Lehmann also shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
Jens Lehmann Questions the Aaron Ramsdale-David Raya Swap
During the summer, Arsenal manager Arteta opted to bring in Brentford goalkeeper Raya on loan, replacing Ramsdale as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper in both Premier League and UEFA Champions League matches. Lehmann criticized this move, stating that he never understood why Ramsdale was dropped.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Lehmann commented:
“I never ever understood the Ramsdale decision. 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.
“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.”
Ramsdale has played 11 matches for Arsenal this season, while Raya has featured in 38 games in all competitions.
Lehmann Emphasizes Arsenal’s Need for Bravery to Achieve Success
Following his comments on the goalkeeping situation, Lehmann, a key figure in Arsenal’s ‘Invincible’ 2003-04 Premier League campaign, talked about the club’s quest for major honors. He praised Arteta’s work but stressed the importance of being bolder.
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 [quarter-finals].
“Afterwards, they showed a great reaction beating Chelsea and Tottenham. But to be a big club, you have to win trophies. 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.”
Lehmann concluded by saying:
“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.”
Arsenal, currently topping the Premier League table, will face Bournemouth on May 4. They require Manchester City to drop points in their remaining four matches to secure the league title.
