Ben Foster labels 'world class' Aaron Ramsdale the 'ideal modern goalkeeper'
Watford’s Ben Foster has described Arsenal stopper Aaron Ramsdale as ‘world class’, insisting the 23-year-old has got ‘everything to his game’ and fits the profile of the ‘ideal modern goalkeeper’, alongside the likes of Premier League superstars Alisson and Ederson.
Ramsdale suffered back-to-back relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield United before joining Arsenal in a transfer that made him one of the most expensive English goalkeepers ever.
But after initially starting out on the bench in north London, the rising England star quickly displaced established number one Bernd Leno and hasn’t looked back, keeping ten clean sheets in 18 league appearances to help the Gunners climb rapidly back up the table.
“There’s a massive difference between up and coming and should be and might be, because when you actually get out there and you have to do it week in, week out, it’s a very different proposition,” Foster told 90min when asked about the next generation of elite goalkeeping stars.
“That’s when you can really see if you’ve got that few extra percent which makes you either world class or just a good goalkeeper,” the ex-England goalkeeper added.
“At the minute, I think the one that’s out there doing it, proving it and showing it is Aaron Ramsdale. It’s very easy to say that, but he’s actually doing it.
“He is showing everyone that he is world class. He’s got everything to his game, he can make saves, he’s dominant, he plays out from the back and he’s doing it week in, week out. You’ll very rarely see a mistake from him, he’s always the same temperament and he looks like he’s a leader as well.”
Foster described Brazilian stars Alisson and Ederson as ‘absolute monsters of the game’ who can do everything, whether it be playing with the ball at their feet or making outstanding saves. But he also considers Ramsdale to be increasingly part of that category of all-round elite stoppers.
“You look at the way Ramsdale has been doing this season, playing it out from the back – incredible – side-volleying it all over the shop, then making saves to boot. That is the ideal modern goalkeeper nowadays,” he explained.
Having been in England’s provisional Euro 2020 squad and an emergency replacement in the final squad, Ramsdale returned to the Three Lions setup in October after establishing himself at Arsenal and made his debut in November’s 10-0 thrashing of San Marino.
A place in the World Cup squad later this year is a strong probability and Ramsdale will spend the next nine months attempting to wrestle the number one jersey off Jordan Pickford.