Aaron Ramsdale vows to push Jordan Pickford ‘all the way’ for England spot
Arsenal and England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has stated that he will not rest on his laurels ahead of the World Cup, as he hopes to push Jordan Pickford ‘all the way’ in his bid to claim the national team’s number one spot.
Playing down the idea of being a subsidiary, Ramsdale affirmed that he embraces the healthy competition within the England squad, and that both keepers will fight it out for the starting place between the sticks.
Gareth Southgate awarded Ramsdale his second international cap in a big match against Italy, where he managed to keep a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. Although it’s not overly certain, it appears as though he already has usurped Nick Pope in the pecking order.
For a player who had just 10 clean sheets in 75 Premier League appearances, the former AFC Bournemouth and Sheffield United man seemed like a gamble from Arsenal’s viewpoint. Soon, he displaced Bernd Leno as the Gunners’ best goalkeeper, and in turn, paved his way into the conversation for the English side.
In what was a bright, young Arsenal side, Ramsdale led the way as the first line of defense. Pickford, meanwhile, escaped relegation with Everton but has always been Southgate’s preferred choice in goal.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup in winter, it’s likely that he will hold the responsibility for England’s rear-guard. Ramsdale, however, has set his sights on becoming the best goalkeeper in the country. He stated “By no means am I the second choice. I am pushing me; I am pushing him. (Pickford) If I can put performances in like that a little bit more when I get the chance, I think I will be pushing him all the way.”
He further added“The challenge is amazing and trying to put in performances like that whenever I play will only push Jordan. I was happy with a few saves and the clean sheet.”
Regardless, the Three Lions have a lot to consider in the Nations League, as they sit bottom of their group that comprises Hungary, Germany and Italy. With two draws and one defeat, England will hope to exact revenge on the Hungarians next time out when the two face-off on June 14 at the Molineux.
-Akarshak Roy
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: AFC Bournemouth. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.