Former goalkeeper Shaka Hislop is “thoroughly confused” at Mikel Arteta’s suggestion he could switch Arsenal goalkeepers mid-match this season.

Aaron Ramsdale started the Gunners first four Premier League matches of the season but he was dropped by Arteta for their 1-0 win at Everton on Sunday.

Ramsdale has been solid for Arsenal since signing from Sheffield United two years ago but Arteta brought in David Raya from Brentford over the summer to give the England international some serious competition.

Raya kept a clean sheet against Everton and Arteta was defensive when asked about his decision to start with the Spaniard ahead of Ramsdale.

When questioned about his decision the Arsenal head coach Arteta said: “The same rationale about why Fabio (Vieira) played here or Eddie (Nketiah) or Gabriel Jesus.

“I haven’t had a single question on why Gabriel Jesus didn’t start. He has won more trophies than anybody else, including me, in that dressing room.”

READ MORE: Transfer gossip: Chelsea, Bayern eye Arsenal keeper as Man Utd target Bayern forward

Before suggesting that he would have no problem utilising two goalkeepers in one match in an attempt to win the game.

Arteta added: “I cannot have two players in each position and not play them. David has tremendous qualities, like Aaron has, like Karl (Hein) has and we have to use them.

“I am a really young manager and I have only been in the job for three and a half years and I have few regrets in what we have done.

“One of them is that on two occasions I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes in two games in this period, to change the keeper in that moment and I didn’t do it.

“I didn’t have the courage to do it. But I am able to take a winger, or a striker and put a central defender back and go to a back five to hold that result.

“And we drew those games and I was so unhappy and someone is going to do it and maybe it (the reaction) will be, ‘oh! That is strange. Why?’

“Why not? Tell me why not. You have all the qualities in another goalkeeper and you want to do something to change the momentum, do it.

“It is a regret that I have and my feeling is to get everyone engaged in the team. They have to play regardless of the competition. Do it. That is my message.”

But former West Ham and Newcastle United goalkeeper is struggling to understand what Arteta means and reckons the Arsenal boss has now “alienated” Ramsdale.

Hislop told ESPN: “I am thoroughly confused by what Mikel Arteta is trying to get at. I don’t understand what he is saying. About his suggestion.

“So, the reason why you drew two games is because you didn’t change your goalkeeper on 60 and 85 minutes.

“As bad ideas go, this is right up there. I don’t think I have heard a worse idea in football. I am not sure whether it’s bad to think it or worse to say it out loud. I think what he has done there, and I have said this from the get-go, is that he has certainly alienated Aaron Ramsdale.

“I said all along. If David Raya is your number one, say that. That’s my number one, that’s who I am going with. If it’s Ramsdale, say that. But this kind of playing the two off each other, I don’t think it serves either well. This has gone above and beyond what I certainly didn’t expect.”

The article Ex-PL star slams ‘worst idea in football’ at Arsenal as he reveals he’s ‘thoroughly confused’ by Arteta appeared first on Football365.com.