Annoyed Arteta slams the doubters: "I was the one who brought Ramsdale to Arsenal, remember?!"

It's a strange world in which a head coach of a football team has to explain his every decision and being questioned by the press. Even if that club is a Premier League powerhouse.

Mikel Arteta is emphatic that Aaron Ramsdale remains a key part of his plans at Arsenal and has a message for his critics.

"I was the one who brought him to the club."

Ramsdale made a return to Arsenal's starting lineup in their 1-0 victory against Brentford in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. Earlier this month, he had been temporarily benched following the arrival of David Raya on a season-long loan from Brentford.

The decision to field Ramsdale against Brentford was somewhat forced upon Arteta, as Raya couldn't play against his parent club. Despite this, many pundits speculate that Ramsdale's future at the Emirates Stadium is uncertain, with club legend Ian Wright even describing Ramsdale's exclusion as "ruthless."

However, Arteta has chosen to respond to his critics by recalling the scrutiny he faced when signing Ramsdale from Sheffield United two years ago. At the time, Arsenal's transfer strategy was criticized for spending $36.5 million on a goalkeeper from a relegated team.

When Ramsdale initially joined Arsenal, he was expected to be the second-choice goalkeeper behind Bernd Leno, but Arteta placed his trust in the Englishman. After Wednesday's match, Arteta was keen to remind everyone of this decision.

"I don't think I'm the one to question the quality of Aaron Ramsdale, because I was the one who brought him in when everyone doubted that choice."

However, it's worth noting that a lot has changed since Arteta initially gave Ramsdale an opportunity two years ago. The goalkeeper has performed admirably during his first two seasons at Arsenal and has since become an established international, earning four caps for England since his transfer.