Can Van Domselaar gradually solidify her position as Arsenal Women’s No. 1 Goalkeeper?

Just Arsenal News

·8 October 2024

Can Van Domselaar gradually solidify her position as Arsenal Women’s No. 1 Goalkeeper?

Manuela Zinsberger may end up in the same situation as Aaron Ramsdale was in 2023–24. Arsenal recruited David Raya in the summer of 2023, and Mikel Arteta confirmed, after the trade was completed, that the Spaniard was brought in to compete with Ramsdale for a starting berth.

Ramsdale began Arsenal’s first three league games of the 2023–24 season as the team’s No. 1, but when Raya received a chance to play on Match Day 4, the Arsenal technical bench never benched him. Despite his initial shakiness, Mikel Arteta chose to stick with Raya at goal, even though he was never ready to call him his No. 1. Ramsdale, as outstanding as he was after moving to the Emirates Stadium, ended up warming the Arsenal bench since PL Match Day 4.

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Could Zinsberger, who has been Arsenal’s first choice for some time, find herself in the Ramsdale situation, warming the bench as a fresh recruit takes over in goal? Daphne van Domselaar joined from Aston Villa in the summer to compete with Zinsberger. In the Champions League qualifiers and the first game of the season, Netherlands international goalkeeper, Van Domselaar, warmed the bench while the Austrian goalie played.

Even so, on Match Day 2, Van Domselaar started against Leicester, and she impressed. Many assumed her start against the Foxes was due to squad rotation; therefore, her start against Everton surprised many. Does her starting in goal against the Toffees mean anything? Well, Jonas Eidevall was asked about that, and he admitted:

“I don’t know, is the short answer. We have really good competition on the goalkeeper position, like we have in other positions. This was the decision for today, and we will see what the decision is for Wednesday. She will get more chances, so will Manuela Zinsberger.”

It may be too early to evaluate, but I believe Van Domselaar can gradually solidify her position as Arsenal’s No. 1. Jonas Eidevall is following Arteta’s lead; the men’s boss remained reticent about his first choice last season, potentially signalling a shift in Arsenal’s Women’s goalkeeping lineup.

Michelle M

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