Mikel Arteta has warned Aaron Ramsdale that he may resort to set-piece mind games to confuse the former Arsenal goalkeeper on his return to the Emirates.
Having been deposed as Arsenal’s first-choice keeper by David Raya, Ramsdale left the club this summer to join Southampton in search of regular minutes.
Now preparing for his return to the Emirates on Saturday, the England international will hope to use his inside knowledge of Arteta’s methods to guide his new club to an unlikely first Premier League win of the season.
The work done by set-piece guru Nicolas Jover has turned the Gunners into the league’s most feared side from dead-ball situations, but Arteta admitted they may have to change tack to keep their former keeper guessing.
‘Maybe we tell him that we will adapt something but then do the same thing so he’s gonna be thinking we’re gonna adapt it,’ Arteta replied when asked if he would change his set-piece plans because of Ramsdale.
‘So there’s maybe gonna be some mind games. I’m sure that they (Southampton) will have discussed that. It’s not the first time that we have played against a player that was in our camp, it’s natural that it happens.
‘We need to have the capacity to understand and continue to do our things.’
Asked about Ramsdale’s decision to leave the club, Arteta insisted he valued the 26-year-old as a backup for Raya but understood his desire to seek pastures new.
‘Obviously, he (Ramsdale) decided he wanted to take another step in his career,’ the Spaniard added.
‘We were really happy with him, we wanted that competition and that level because we need a lot of competition in the position. But we wish him all the best and he’s doing really well.’
Speaking ahead of his return to north London, Ramsdale said he felt no ill will towards Raya but that the time was right to move on.
‘It used to do my head in coming off the pitch and then my wife would say you were on TV five times today,’ Ramsdale told BBC Sport.
‘I tried my hardest to dislodge David I do think now the rewards are showing. He’s started the season incredibly well. He was actually the first person to text me from Arsenal after my move here.
‘He was great and he was top. Like I say he’s made some big, big saves this season and kept them in some games. Just desperate he doesn’t have one of those games on Saturday.’
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