The arrival of David Raya (£5.0m) at Arsenal is worrying FPL managers who own Aaron Ramsdale (£5.0m). Raya performed well for Brentford last season and might take Ramsdale’s starting spot. Ramsdale, as a premium goalkeeper, now has lower potential due to possible rotation.
Owners of Ramsdale need to be careful with this premium asset. Should they sell? Who are the best replacements? Let’s look at the stats.
Goalkeeper Points
Keepers get points from:
- Clean Sheets (CS)
- Saves (S)
- Penalty Saves (PS)
When picking a keeper, consider the potential for clean sheets and saves. Clean sheets are harder to predict (team performance, defense, opponents). Saves are more individual.
Ramsdale vs. Raya – Last Season’s Stats
- Clean Sheets (CS): Ramsdale had 14 CS, Raya had 12 CS. (Ramsdale +2)
- Saves (S): Raya made 154 Saves, Ramsdale made 97 Saves. (Raya +57)
- Shots on Target Faced: Raya faced 197, Ramsdale faced 136.
- Save Percentage: Raya 78.2%, Ramsdale 69.9%. (Raya +8.3%)
Conclusion from Stats: Raya performed better overall because the difference in Clean Sheets was small (2), but his Save Percentage was much higher (almost 10% better).
Team Condition, Play Style, and Arteta’s View
Arsenal focused on defense last season, bringing in new players. Their defense looks strong on paper. However, Jurrien Timber (£4.9m) is injured long-term, and some defenders might leave (Cedric Soares £4.0m, Nuno Tavares £4.0m, Rob Holding £4.5m, Kieran Tierney £4.5m). This could weaken their defense.
Ramsdale and Raya have a similar playing style as “ball-playing goalkeepers.” Their pass accuracy last season was close: Ramsdale 68.5%, Raya 64.3%. This likely won’t lead to assists, so ignore it.
It seems Arteta brought in Raya for competition, not to replace Ramsdale completely. This is good for Arsenal but tricky for FPL managers.
Summary:
Statistically last season, Raya was better. But Ramsdale has been at Arsenal longer. Arteta says Raya is there for competition. There’s not much information yet, and it’s uncertain what will happen.
Advice for Ramsdale Owners:
- If your second keeper plays regularly and has good fixtures in the next 3-4 gameweeks, play them.
- If your second keeper isn’t a starter, consider getting a new, reliable keeper to avoid rotation risk at Arsenal.
- If your team is balanced and you don’t need to transfer this gameweek, it might be safer to sell Ramsdale for a more secure starting keeper.
Recommended Replacements for Ramsdale:
- Vicario (TOT, £5.0m)
- Onana (MUN, £5.0m)
- Steele (BHA, £4.5m)
- Sanchez (CHE, £4.5m)
