Aaron Ramsdale wants Arsenal to build on their first Premier League win of the season over Norwich as he praised the work being done on the training ground to address their poor start.
The Gunners had lost their opening three games of the campaign but picked up their first points, and their first goal, with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s tap-in enough to seal a 1-0 victory.
Boss Mikel Arteta had already started to come under pressure following defeats to Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City and he made seven changes from the team thrashed 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium before the international break.
⚽️ @Auba's winner
💫 @AaronRamsdale98's body feint
⚡️ Tomiyasu's bright debut
Check out the highlights from #ARSNOR 👇 pic.twitter.com/xWCBpvsU6P— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 11, 2021
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One of those alterations was to hand Ramsdale his Premier League debut for the club, the goalkeeper having joined from Sheffield United in the summer.
“It has been a tough start to the season and we knew we had to have a performance but mainly get the three points,” he said after the win.
“We did that, everyone to a man. The blocks, people tracking back…so it was a great day, especially for the fans.
“We’ve played two promoted teams and arguably the best two teams in the league.
“Of course, we would have wanted more points but we now have three, a clean sheet and a first goal and we can now build on that.
“We have been working so hard on the training ground and that has been proven this week.”
A few eyebrows were raised when Arsenal splashed an initial £24million to land Ramsdale, with Bernd Leno already established between the posts.
Ramsdale, however, is not planning on giving up the gloves easily having been brought into the side to face Norwich.
🔴x 3⃣0⃣
Arsenal took 30 shots against Norwich City, the most in a league game since they faced Man Utd in December 2017 pic.twitter.com/ReneNeepEM— Premier League (@premierleague) September 11, 2021
“I don’t know what the manager is going to do,” he added. “This might have just been a tactical tweak so it is my responsibility to force him to carry on picking me, which is something I have to do on a daily basis.
“Me and Bernd will be very competitive in a good way, healthy and hopefully I can stay in the team.
“You have got to be ready to play as a goalkeeper. You don’t know when anything is going to happen. I’m ready every week.
“It could have been in a few months’ time but it has happened here.
“So now we have got to continue the competitiveness on the training ground and I’ve got to try and stay in the team and help them. There is a lot to carry on going and we will see where it takes us this season.”
While Arsenal are now off the mark for the campaign, Norwich sit bottom of the table having lost their last 14 Premier League games.
Canaries manager Daniel Farke made four alterations to his side at the Emirates Stadium, handing a top-flight debut to teenage defender Andrew Omobamidele in the process.
It has been some month for the 19-year-old centre-back, who made his senior Republic of Ireland bow during the recent international break.
🗣 "There's boys who've been away on international duty and some boys that didn't. A week altogether at the training ground getting ready for Watford will be good."
📽 https://t.co/jBaU18O8si pic.twitter.com/bS1N0YgUOC— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) September 12, 2021
A tough start for Norwich has seen them lose to Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester and Arsenal – but with fellow promoted side Watford next up at Carrow Road, Omobamidele believes they can be ready to kick-start their season.
“I think it was a good performance from the boys and we can be proud of it. It was just a disappointing end,” he told Norwich’s official website.
“It (facing Watford) is going to be good because there are boys coming back from international duty and some boys that didn’t go on international duty so a week altogether on the training ground getting ready for Watford will be good.”
