Aaron Ramsdale explains why he didn't copy Scott Carson by staying at Arsenal
Aaron Ramsdale returns to Arsenal as a Southampton player this afternoon adamant that it is better to play every week and not win a trophy than collect medals sitting on the bench
by Alan Smith · The MirrorAaron Ramsdale has revealed he didn't want to warm the bench for Arsenal - even if it meant winning the Premier League.
And the goalkeeper has said he would much rather end his career having made several hundred Premier League appearances without a trophy than earning medals sitting on the bench - the most famous example being Manchester City ’s Scott Carson. Ramsdale has shipped 10 goals in his first four appearances for struggling Saints since joining them on deadline day. He served as Mikel Arteta ’s first choice at Arsenal for two years before David Raya arrived and swiftly usurped him.
But he returns to the Emirates Stadium this afternoon with no regrets over his decision. “There’s not many people that I have personally met that have said ‘I wanted to win the Premier League as a kid by sitting on the bench.’ As much as that would be amazing and you are in a team environment," Ramsdale said in an interview with Sky Sports.
“If I finish my career and I have played 10 years in the Premier League with four or five hundred games, or I played 150 and I won two Premier Leagues and an FA Cup by not playing for Arsenal, I would much prefer the first option. It was very difficult to leave that football club but when it came down to it, all I ever wanted to do was play and that is what I am doing now and I’m grateful to Southampton.”
Arteta said "mind games" might have to be required when facing his former player this afternoon - especially from set pieces. "Maybe we tell him that we will adapt something but then do the same thing so he’s gonna be thinking we’re gonna adapt it," the Gunners chief said.
"So there’s maybe gonna be some mind games. I’m sure that they will have discussed that. It’s not the first time that we have played against a player that was once in our camp, it’s natural it happens. So we need to have the capacity to understand and continue to do our things. Obviously he decided he wanted to take another step in his career. But we wish him all the best and he’s doing really well.”
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