- 24 Dec 2024
The Arsenal star who has SUFFERED most under Mikel Arteta
Robin Bairner
- 26 Feb 2024 07:16 GMT
- 3 min read
Arsenal are back where they belong, challenging for the Premier League title, but the Gunners are only in touch with Manchester City and Liverpool for major honours because of manager Mikel Arteta.
The Spaniard has cultivated a sometimes cut-throat approach to squad building, yet it has proven effective as Arsenal are only two points from the top of the standings with 12 matches to go and are the form team in the league based on the number of goals they are scoring currently.
Since beating Crystal Palace 5-0 on January 20, the north London side have embarked on a six-match winning streak in the Premier League that has seen them score 25 goals, including a vital 3-1 victory over Liverpool.
But while Arteta clearly has a magic touch, there are those who have suffered from it.
Aaron Ramsdale has been the big loser in the Arsenal squad this season, having controversially lost his place to David Raya in the starting XI.
Even when the on-loan Brentford keeper has made errors, Arteta has stoically stuck by him, suggesting that it is inevitable he will be signed for the €31.5 million (£27m) purchase option in the deal.
Ramsdale's career has stalled
The impact that this has had on the 25-year-old Ramsdale, who is under contract until 2026, has been highlighted by data analytics experts SciSports.
Being benched for the season has had a serious impact on the potential ceiling that Ramsdale could reach, the company indicates.
Each player is given a SciSkill, which is calculated using hundreds of in-game data points, with Ramsdale’s currently sitting at a strong 101.0. The maximum SciSports forecast he could reach is 109.0, down from 117.1 just six months ago.
Arsenal's biggest losers: SciSports Potential fall in last six months
| Name | Potential change |
|---|---|
| Aaron Ramsdale | -8.1 |
| Thomas Partey | -6.9 |
| Nuno Tavares* | -6.9 |
| Cedric Soares | -6.1 |
| Jurrien Timber | -6.1 |
*on loan at Nottingham Forest
This is a massive drop. Potentially typically falls away for older players, but at 25, Ramsdale does not fall into that category. Indeed, the only player under 30 who has suffered a greater loss in potential is Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, whose struggles this season have been well-documented.
Ramsdale is one of five Arsenal players whose potential development has fallen by five points or more over the course of the last six months, but is the most high-profile and the one likeliest to push for a move in the summer.
