Lee Dixon thinks Aaron Ramsdale “is a captain without an armband” for Arsenal this season after his summer move.
The England international moved to the Emirates Stadium at the start of the season from Sheffield United, who were relegated from the Premier League last campaign.
There were many doubters when Ramsdale joined with some fans mentioning his back-to-back Premier League relegations with the Blades and Bournemouth as a reason why the club shouldn’t have signed him.
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However, he has kept nine clean sheets in 16 Premier League matches so far this season with Gunners supporters impressed with his ability and personality on the pitch.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was recently stripped of the Arsenal captaincy after a disciplinary breach and former Gunners defender Dixon is happy that Ramsdale is providing some leadership.
Dixon told the Daily Mail: “I’m not a massive fan of having forwards as captains. It doesn’t sit right with me. I think Tierney is the future captain, but I’m not sure if now is the right time.
“But he [Ramsdale] is a captain without an armband. He doesn’t need an armband on him, he is leading from behind.
“Dave Seaman is my best mate and we talk about him a lot. He is hugely impressed with what he sees with what he is doing with his hands and his position and his playing out from the back.
“The way he has connected with the fans, and the away fans at times, is brilliant, so he is playing a captain’s role at the back. I don’t think he is right to be captain right now though.”
Asked whether Arsenal – who made several young signings in the summer – have the most exciting crop of youngsters in Europe at the moment, Dixon added: “It has got to be up there. I think great credit has to go to Arteta for giving these players opportunities.
“It is a gamble. Not many clubs go down the route of signing players under 23 years of age when you have youngsters coming through at the same time.
“They are a very, very young side and with that comes the risk of inconsistency, which we have seen from other teams but also this side this season. You have to take that on the chin because that is what you get.
“For him [Arteta] to come to the club with a list of players, and you look at the age groups of those players, it would be quite easy for the club to say ”that is a big risk, we have little experience, how are we going to go through the tough months or a bad run?”
“But they have stuck by Arteta’s plan and great credit has to go to the club for allowing that policy because it is paying off now.
“The impressive thing is you do see a plan at the moment, you can work out what Arsenal are trying to do, and all the players are buying into the philosophy. The future looks quite rosy at the moment.”
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