David Seaman Questions Aaron Ramsdale’s England Chances at Southampton

Former Arsenal goalkeeping legend David Seaman has questioned whether Aaron Ramsdale will be better off at Southampton when it comes to deciding his England future – after his move from the Gunners in the summer has seen him trade the top of the Premier League table for the bottom.

Ramsdale joined Arsenal three years ago, and forced his way into the first-team early doors by displacing Bernd Leno at the Emirates Stadium. He kept his shirt for two seasons, including when the Gunners finished second in the table in the 2022/23 campaign, but a spate of slight errors saw Mikel Arteta sign David Raya from Brentford, and the Spaniard hasn’t looked back since. Ramsdale has since moved to Southampton in a bid to revitalise his career, and though he’s played well, the south coast side have conceded plenty already – which has seen Seaman question whether his move down south was the right one in terms of his England career.

Seaman Examines Ramsdale’s England Chances

His Arsenal exit is good for minutes but maybe not for his England career

The Stoke-born stopper originally made his Premier League bow with Bournemouth under Eddie Howe, but the Cherries suffered relegation in the 2019/20 season before he moved to Sheffield United. That first season with the Blades was also followed up with a relegation to the Championship. Ramsdale then moved to Arsenal in a surprise deal that saw him eventually become their first-choice stopper for the 2021/22 campaign.

Speaking on the Seaman Says Podcast, brought to you by Betway, Seaman debated whether having ‘lots to do’ as a goalkeeper at club level is more or less beneficial when it comes to choosing the No.1 for the England national team – using Everton’s Jordan Pickford as a prime example. Seaman said:

Being Busy May Not Translate to England Form

Players at the bottom of the table will naturally have more to do

Pickford has been fighting relegation with Everton for what could be his fourth season this term if their poor form doesn’t quickly turn on its head, but that hasn’t stopped him from excelling and garnering England caps at major tournaments.

However, with the rest of the England squad mainly playing at top-half or European-chasing clubs where they can strut their stuff on the pitch against inferior opponents, perhaps always having a lot to do could be detrimental to matters on the international stage, where quality in possession and staying focused for extended periods of inactivity will be bigger factors.

Goalkeepers fighting relegation definitely get to demonstrate their shot-stopping abilities more frequently because they often face superior attacks. That may help quickly build a reputation, but whether it translates to what the Three Lions need is another matter entirely.

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 27-09-24.