- Neville slams Arteta for signing Raya
- Teams should have a designated first choice goalkeeper
- Arsenal signed Raya on loan with an option to buy
WHAT HAPPENED? The former Manchester United defender suggested that having two goalkeepers of equal skillset in a team creates insecurity among the custodians as they fear getting replaced in the starting lineup if they commit even a slight mistake on the pitch.
Neville is of the opinion that a club should have designated number ones and number twos in their roster who will have separate roles in the team.
WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to Sky Sports, Neville said, "I’ve said this before, I’m not a fan of competition for goalkeepers. I think you need a clear number one and then a clear number two. That’s my view. Obviously, I’ve experienced it at United, where we had clear number ones and number twos and we’ve had in some situations two, sort of, equal keepers.
"The problem is, you end up with a situation every time a goalkeeper makes a mistake, which they inevitably do, where you say ‘Will they play the other guy the next week?’ Once you do that once, you’ve undermined the situation and you’ve created what I think sometimes is a very difficult situation for everybody in the team. You haven’t got stability with your back four, both goalkeepers feel a little bit unnerved, a little bit anxious that if they make a mistake they’re out."
He added, "So I’m interested to see what Mikel Arteta does with it and how he manages it because I’ve never seen it work before, really well."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The Gunners signed the Spaniard last week on an initial season-long loan deal that will cost them £3 million ($3.8m), with an option to buy for £27m ($34m).
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL? Arteta's side got off to a flying start, winning their first two matches of the 2023/24 season and they will now face Fulham on August 26.