Aaron Ramsdale has now named the “silkiest” Arsenal player who excels with the ball in confined spaces on the pitch.
The current Arsenal squad is full of technically gifted players.
The likes of Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus, and Bukayo Saka are all capable of extraordinary things with the ball at their feet.
Mikel Arteta’s side play in such a way that allows these individuals to demonstrate their quality. The Gunners tend to push up as a unit, crowding themselves into opposition territory, forcing themselves to conjure intricate passing moves in tight areas. They have the players to do this and the results can be spectacular.
Aaron Ramsdale has now had his say one which Arsenal player really stands out when it comes to manoeuvring the ball through crowded spaces.
Aaron Ramsdale heaps praise on Arsenal fringe player Fabio Vieira
Speaking on the official Premier League YouTube channel, the goalkeeper said of Fabio Vieira: “Fabio’s the silkiest one there. Like, in tight spaces with the ball at his feet. He could take people on in a phone box.”
For all of his technical ability, Vieira has so far been unable to truly establish himself at Arsenal since his arrival at the Emirates Stadium from Porto in the summer of 2022.
The 23-year-old midfielder has played a bit-part role for the North London club this season, partially due to a groin injury which required surgery, sidelining him for a significant chunk of the middle of the season.
In total, across all competitions, he has managed just 17 appearances, only 11 of which have been in the Premier League. He has only been handed two Premier League starts, the most recent of which came in September. Since his return from injury in February, Vieira has only been afforded three run outs from the bench.
What next for Fabio Vieira at Arsenal?
This has led to speculation about his future at the club. Vieira has been named amongst 13 Arsenal players who could depart in the upcoming summer transfer window.
There have been flashes of quality, though. He caught the eye with assists against Fulham and Manchester United earlier in the campaign. Vieira also impressed in a recent cameo against Chelsea, giving hope that he could still make the grade at Arsenal.
The former Portugal under-21 international certainly has plenty of potential, and Arteta has shown faith in him in the past. If he can find the consistency and physicality to match his technical ability then he could yet shine for the Gunners.