As an Arsenal club legend who regularly still turns out in club colours for charity games and the like, it’s a fair assumption that David Seaman hasn’t lost any of the love he had for the north London giants during his playing career.
‘Safe hands’ as he was often known was an easy pick for his managers and, just like Peter Schmeichel at Man United, his position as the club’s number one was never in doubt.
The status for the first-team custodians at the Emirates Stadium has recently changed it seems, with Mikel Arteta making a decision that’s puzzled the former England international.
In a move that is almost reminiscent of the England goalkeeping situation back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence had to vie for the jersey, Arteta has brought in David Raya to challenge Aaron Ramsdale, dropping the latter of late in order to give his summer signing, Raya, a run in the team.
“What he’s doing is what he spoke about. He’s making sure they all get game time. We’ll have to wait and see how that pans out. Back in my day, I don’t know whether I would’ve liked that as much. I’m sure [Peter] Schmeichel wouldn’t have liked it either! But it was different back then, that was 20 years ago. The game’s changed and Mikel’s trying something new. ‘Will it work out? I don’t know if I’m honest. I’m still puzzled as to why Aaron was left on the bench,” Seaman was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
It’s likely to be a question that many others have also been asking, although it’s believed that Arteta is looking to have competition for places in all areas of the squad.
“It was a strange summer. Aaron did brilliantly last season. He was voted the goalkeeper in the Player’s Team of the Season – that’s how good he was! Then to come into this season and play five or six games… it must be quite a shock to him. But he’s got to handle that. And Mikel’s got to handle that and make sure he keeps Aaron happy. It’s a situation that they’ve brought upon themselves because they brought another really experienced goalkeeper in,” Seaman added.
To that end, it’s perfectly understandable why he would bring in a high-quality goalkeeper to keep the other custodians on their toes, even if most clubs would likely baulk at doing the same.
If nothing else, it affords Arteta the security that if one of Raya or Ramsdale get injured or are woefully out of form, he has a ready-made replacement to come in.