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Aaron Ramsdale was reduced to fist-pumps on the bench reacting to team-mate David Raya last weekend — but last night, a flurry of his quality saves spurred Arsenal to the Carabao Cup’s fourth round.
Mikel Arteta, as expected, rang the changes, which included a start for Ramsdale. To the backdrop of ‘You’re just a s**t David Raya’ chants from behind the goal, the goalkeeper pulled out a sensational diving save on 66 minutes to deny Brenford’s Yoane Wissa.
The ball had been arrowing into the corner before his intervention. A fist-pump to those home supporters came out.
‘He has been exceptional around the place with the situation (of being dropped).’
Arsenal reached the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a narrow victory against Brentford
Arsenal wasted no time getting out of the blocks with Reiss Nelson putting them ahead early
Aaron Ramsdale produced a sensational diving save to deny Brentford on his return to the XI
Minutes later, he parried away Frank Onyeka’s strike. It followed Reiss Nelson’s first-half strike after just eight minutes.
Emile Smith Rowe made his first start of the season — a 100th appearance for the club — while Charles Sagoe Jr was awarded his Arsenal debut.
The Gunners were in front after a catalogue of errors. Zanka, under pressure, blindly passed backwards into the path of Eddie Nketiah, who raced to the byline.
His cross went straight through Nathan Collins, who should’ve intercepted it, and Nelson coolly finished into the corner.
Wissa scuppered Brentford’s best chance of the first half, finding himself alone on the edge of the box from Christian Norgaard’s incisive low cross.
Wissa blasted it wide. He ought to have scored.
Smith Rowe showed glimpses of why fans have been calling for him to feature this campaign, dribbling past a couple of defenders before his shot was blocked by keeper Mark Flekken’s foot on the line.
Upon the restart, the Bees had improved. In fairness, they could not have been any flatter in the first period.
Yet in the second, they ignited. In the space of six minutes, three goalbound shots had been blocked away.
It was Wissa’s on 66 minutes that so nearly crept in, only for Ramsdale to deny it.
Nelson should have stuck a second before the end, firing wide from a Kai Havertz cross, but in the end, just the one was enough.
Ivan Toney, who has been linked with a January move to Arsenal, watched on from behind the bench
Ramsdale was brought in for David Raya and had a hairy moment with Yoane Wissa but did well to stop the Brentford forward
Brentford’s Nigerian midfielder Frank Onyeka battles for possession with Arsenal’s Nelson
Thomas Frank played a strong side against the Gunners but they couldn’t find a way back
Vitaly Janelt and Christian Norgaard react following their narrow Carabao Cup exit
