‘It’s very close’: Pundit says 24-year-old Arsenal player has caused Arteta more problems than David Raya

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Mikel Arteta has barely put a foot wrong at Arsenal over the past 12 months, but, at the moment, he’s continuously being beaten by the same stick.

Indeed, fans and pundits alike continue to question Arteta’s decision to stick with David Raya as his number one goalkeeper.

Raya has made a couple of mistakes now while Aaron Ramsdale barely put a foot wrong before he was dropped, and there is a feeling that Arteta has backed himself into a bit of a corner here.

However, speaking on ESPN, Shaka Hislop has claimed that this isn’t the first time that Arteta has given himself this kind of problem.

Indeed, the pundit says that this position is very similar to the situation he created with Kai Havertz, claiming that the Havertz situation was actually worse than what is happening with Raya right now.

Havertz was a bigger problem than Raya

Hislop spoke about the Arsenal goalkeeping situation and Havertz.

“I think Arteta will stick with him because he’s boxed himself in the corner with that weird precursor saying there were times where he wanted to change his goalkeeper during the game. Everything about it was odd. He’s found himself in a very similar position to the one he was in with Havertz, I don’t think it’s as bad as it was with Havertz, but it’s very close to it where he doesn’t have any choice but to,” Hislop said.

“He’s left one player out to bring in Raya, and there wasn’t a good reason for that.”

Patience needed

What has Mikel Arteta always said at Arsenal? Trust the process.

Yes, Havertz and Raya don’t seem to be getting things right at the moment, but they’ve only just signed for the club and we’re only nine games in.

Let’s not forget, the likes of Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey had slow starts to life at Arsenal under Arteta before later hitting their stride, and perhaps the same could happen here.