Aaron Ramsdale’s standing as an Arsenal cult hero was confirmed yet again during their stunning win at Stamford Bridge.
It seems a lifetime since the England international was one of the most maligned signings of Mikel Arteta’s ambitious rebuild in north London. Having been part of relegations in successive seasons, the idea of paying £30million for his services wasn’t deemed brilliant business.
Fast forward to the end of his first season and Ramsdale is now seen as not only one of the best signings of Arsenal ’s summer, but in the Premier League as a whole. And while he may have been beaten twice against Chelsea, he still had the last laugh in their pulsating 4-2 win.
As Bukayo Saka stroked in the decisive fourth from the penalty spot in injury time, Ramsdale was spotted waving to the Chelsea fans behind his goal, who had given him some special treatment throughout the game.
The 23-year-old had a huge grin on his face and his calm and relaxed celebration had the desired impact with the home supporters able to do little more than vent their anger towards him. And it’s not the first time Ramsdale has had some interaction with opposition fans either.
In the win at Leicester City back in October, he even went as far to join in with a chant directed at him, as he tried to take a goal kick. Asked if those kinds of antics affected his concentration, he told the club’s website: "It helps me keep my focus.
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“I'm the sort of person who if you asked me to sit down and do something for an hour, a test or revision or something, I'd make mistakes because I'd be trying too hard.
"It's the same with football. I need to be able to switch off, and then when I see the ball coming into our half or something like that, I'm able to switch back on again straight away.
"I can't concentrate on just one thing for too long really. I'm always letting my mind wander, whether that's to what's happening in the crowd or anything really - I could be thinking about all sorts!"
The win over their London rivals has reignited the Gunners’ top-four bid, having gone into the game on the back of three defeats on the spin. Their destiny is now back in their own hands, level on points with Tottenham and a fixture against Antonio Conte’s side still on the schedule.
“I said to them if you want to be playing Champions League football you have to come to these big stages and beat the top teams,” Arteta said after the famous win. “Tonight we’ve done it and I’m really proud of them tonight, but I’m more proud of how they’ve reacted to every defeat over the past few weeks.
“Not only the players but as a staff and a club, and that’s what reinforces me and gives me a reminder of how lucky I am to be here.” Arsenal face Manchester United in the early kick-off this weekend, knowing they can put the pressure on their local rivals and move into the Champions League berths if they avoid defeat.
