LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIAJ) – Gary Neville has raised concerns about Mikel Arteta’s choice to bring in David Raya from Brentford this summer, especially with Aaron Ramsdale already in the team.
The former Manchester United defender pointed out that having two goalkeepers of similar skills within a team can create uncertainty among them.
This stems from the fear that even a minor mistake on the field could lead to being replaced in the starting lineup.
Neville believes that it’s more effective for a club to have designated primary and secondary goalkeepers with distinct roles.
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In his conversation with Sky Sports, Neville expressed his opinion, stating, “I’ve said this before, I’m not a fan of competition for goalkeepers. I think you need a clear number one and then a clear number two.
“That’s my view. Obviously, I’ve experienced it at United, where we had clear number ones and number twos and we’ve had in some situations two, sort of, equal keepers.”
He went on to explain the challenges that arise when there’s a lack of a defined hierarchy among the goalkeepers, emphasizing how it can lead to instability within the defensive lineup and a sense of unease among the goalkeepers themselves.
Neville acknowledged, “So I’m interested to see what Mikel Arteta does with it and how he manages it because I’ve never seen it work before, really well.”
Arsenal recently acquired Raya on an initial season-long loan deal, which is set to cost them £3 million ($3.8 million), with an option to purchase for £27 million ($34 million).
Arteta’s team has had a strong start to the 2023/24 season, winning their opening two matches, and they are gearing up to face Fulham on August 26th.