Former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville has voiced his thoughts on the situation surrounding Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, suggesting that the Englishman may seek a new club if he continues to be sidelined in favour of David Raya. Ramsdale, who joined the Gunners two seasons ago and has been their primary goalkeeper, recently found himself on the bench after starting the season in goal.
Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, has rotated between Ramsdale and Raya in recent matches, which has sparked discussions about the goalkeeping situation at the Emirates Stadium. Neville believes that Ramsdale may not be content with his current position, and could explore other opportunities if he remains out of Arteta's starting lineup.
Neville shared his perspective on the "Stick to Football" podcast, saying: "If it carries on like this, he's (Aaron Ramsdale) going to have to knock on [Mikel Arteta's] door and say, 'Look, I need to play football somewhere else if it carries on like this.'"
Following Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, Neville also offered insights into Arsenal's attacking lineup. He expressed the view that Arsenal still lack composure in crucial moments of games and lack a forward, who can elevate the team's performance.
Neville explained on "The Gary Neville podcast": "I'm not a fan of strikers who just stay in the six-yard box and grab a goal, not many of them exist anymore anyway. I like forwards who are flexible and can play on the left and right. But you've still got to have a couple of players in your team who have that sense of where the ball is going to land."
He continued: "Not a poacher, the days of traditional poachers are gone, but we're still talking about someone who knows where to be. Listening to Sir Alex Ferguson and the England coaches over the years, it was always the way that forwards had to make runs across the defender. But if the ball's on the other side and gets crossed to the back post, that they can make a run into that area too."
Neville emphasised the importance of anticipation and positioning, highlighting that Arsenal's attacking lineup lacked players who could consistently read the game and be in the right place at the right time.
"On a corner when it's getting flicked on, you've got to get in at the back post. I think of Ian Wright starting in and around the six-yard box because I used to mark him at corners, and he was a nightmare.
"He would always peel around to the back post to make sure if the ball gets glanced on, which it does, that he's there. Nketiah wasn't there. He was hanging out and didn't make that run. And then earlier with Jesus, when he robbed Maddison, these are big moments in the game. You've got to be on the move and be sniffing, smelling, anticipating, and Arsenal haven't got that.
"I really like this Arsenal team and they could go on to win a title or finish second, have a great season and win trophies without that type of player, but it became obvious in this game that it was missing. Alan Smith pointed it out on commentary too and he knows far more than I do about playing up front."
Neville's insights provide a perspective on both the goalkeeping and attacking situations at Arsenal, shedding light on potential areas for improvement as the team aims for success in this season.