Between the Sticks #177

Episode 265,   Sep 19, 2023, 01:31 PM

Raya or Ramsdale? That is the question.

And it is a massive, potentially position-changing question in a fascinating scenario which will no doubt rumble on until the end of this season - at the very earliest. Mikel Arteta has been respectfully firm in his stance that rotating goalkeepers shouldn't be such a big deal; his argument leaning towards how the perceived No1 and No2 norm has never been called into question when, in a modern era of rapid evolution, alternating stoppers simply makes sense.

We discuss whether Arteta has a point, and how Arsenal's crucial block of games from now through to early November will provide a clear and likely marker for how the Spaniard intends to move things forward.

In other news, Don Goodman added a new term to a pundit's goalkeeping glossary during Leicester's win at Southampton, and for the first time this term we hear a Goalkeeper Assist klaxon from the National League (bravo, Louie Moulden), a Keeper Caper over in Denmark (sorry Bailey Peacock-Farrell) and, lastly, a Text Talk courtesy of the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round (thank you, Roco Rees).