Aaron Ramsdale
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has revealed what manager Mikel Arteta told the players at half-time during their draw against Brighton.
Aaron Ramsdale said “[Arteta told us to] just to show a bit more composure and determination off the ball, I think we made it a little bit harder for them, we defended our box well all game, the way we’ve got to try and do it now is on the training pitch tweak a few things and make us a bit better playing out but it was a difficult day and a point is a point. I think it was just a difficult game, Brighton made it really really hard for us, we’ve got to give credit to them, they didn’t make it easy, the pressing was top. But, there’s got to be ways we need to get round that, obviously last week it was so high tense and emotional, this week I don’t think we took our foot off the gas I just don’t think we were as good and underperformed but a point’s a point. They’re pressing game is top, to be honest, they go man-to-man even when you go long the three big men at the back it’s so hard and has to be an accurate ball over the top obviously the wind was picking up so it was quite hard to reach over the top, it’s got to be an inch-perfect ball. The way that they press it is top intensity, they stifled us but we need to find ways to get out of that and that’s what we’ll have to continue to work on on the training pitch, hopefully, we’ll overcome this and next time this type of game comes round, hopefully we can get the win.”
The Gunners struggled to impose themselves on the game as the Seagulls maintained the lion’s share of possession whilst also creating the greater goalscoring opportunities. The game eventually finished scoreless and Ramsdale heaped praise on Graham Potter’s side whilst also claiming Arteta’s words at half-time helped the north London club improve after the break – after they had looked poor in the first 45 minutes.
