The transfer of David Raya from Brentford to Arsenal during the summer transfer window raised many eyebrows, especially in light of the recent stellar performances of their first-choice goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale.
Arsenal had just secured a second-place finish in the Premier League, earning a spot in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in six years. Ramsdale played a pivotal role in achieving this feat, and his reward was the arrival of another top-class goalkeeper. This situation can be seen as quite perplexing, and it’s hard not to sympathize with the 25-year-old, who has consistently excelled since taking the No. 1 spot from Bernd Leno in August 2021.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, insists that having two world-class goalkeepers is essential to foster healthy competition within the squad, similar to other outfield positions. However, considering how Arteta managed a similar situation involving Ramsdale and the German goalkeeper Bernd Leno, it becomes increasingly evident that Ramsdale’s reign as the first-choice goalkeeper at Arsenal may be nearing its end.
Recent Arsenal matches, including their Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven and the North London derby against Tottenham, have featured Raya in goal. The 28-year-old showed glimpses of why Arteta was keen on bringing him to the Emirates after he made a stunning save in the 38th minute of the game against Spurs which many including Ramsdale watching could do little but applaud. This string of impressive showings has led to further speculation about Ramsdale’s future at the club.
Nonetheless, in this article, we will compare the performances of these two goalkeepers and assess what the future might hold for Arsenal’s goalkeeping department.
Ramsdale rise at Arsenal
Since his arrival at the North London club in 2021 for a fee in the region of £30 million, the English goalkeeper quickly cemented his position as the undisputed number one in the team’s goalkeeping department. This was essentially thanks to his exceptional ability to make crucial saves and his outstanding skill in distributing the ball. Ramsdale’s arrival led to the eventual departure of the then first-choice goalkeeper, Leno, who later moved to Fulham.
The former Sheffield United shot-stopper not only established himself as one of the premier goalkeepers in the division but also earned a spot in the England national team, solidifying his status as a top-tier talent in his position.
However, the arrival of Raya from Brentford has now turned the tables, with ‘the usurper becoming the usurped’. The Spaniard has taken over the goalkeeper position from Ramsdale in much the same way that Ramsdale had taken over from Leno.
Raya’s rise through Brentford’s ranks
The 28-year-old Spaniard, who had a brief stint as a futsal outfield player, began his professional career as a goalkeeper with the current English Championship team, Blackburn Rovers. Raya played a pivotal role in helping Blackburn Rovers secure promotion to the Championship during the 2017/18 season. He then made a permanent move to Brentford in July 2019.
His time with Brentford culminated in guiding the team to the Premier League in the 2020/21 season. The Spanish international developed a sterling reputation, largely attributed to his exceptional ball-playing skills, which could be traced back to his earlier days as a futsal player.
Raya made 161 appearances for Thomas Frank’s side and consistently attracted attention from prominent European clubs.
The Barcelona-born goalkeeper would eventually complete a surprise move to Arsenal, having stated his desire not to extend his current contract at the Gtech community stadium.
What sets these two goalkeepers apart, and why did Mikel Arteta opt to replace Ramsdale with the more experienced hands of Raya? Let’s delve into the statistics from the 2022/23 season to draw our conclusions.
In the recently concluded 2022/23 Premier League season, both goalkeepers played all 38 games for their respective clubs. Ramsdale kept 14 clean sheets, while Raya secured 12 for Thomas Frank’s side. Ramsdale conceded a total 43 goals, which was only three fewer than Raya’s 46.
However, it’s worth noting that the Brentford goalkeeper faced a significantly higher number of shots on target compared to the Arsenal keeper. Raya made an impressive 154 saves, boasting an impressive save percentage of 77.7%, whereas Ramsdale saved 94 shots with a save percentage of 70.6%.
Raya also excelled in other key aspects of goalkeeping. He displayed a superior cross-stopping ability, with an 8.7% success rate compared to the Englishman’s 5.8%. Furthermore, Raya showcased his prowess as a sweeper-keeper, a quality highly valued by Arteta, with 54 defensive actions outside the penalty box, slightly edging out Ramsdale’s 43. Both goalkeepers shared a similar average distance for defensive actions, with Raya at 15.8 yards and Ramsdale at 16.1 yards.
Another area where the Spaniard outperformed the former Sheffield United star was in distribution. While both had high short and medium pass completion percentages, Raya had a significantly better long ball completion rate at 44.7%, compared to Ramsdale’s 35.8%. Additionally, Raya completed 13 progressive passes, surpassing Ramsdale’s tally of 8.
| Ramsdale v Raya 2022/23 | ||
| Player | Ramsdale | Raya |
| Matches | 38 | 38 |
| Passes into final third | 234 | 384 |
| Final third passes completed | 43 | 118 |
| Passing accuracy own half | 92% | 87% |
| Passing accuracy in opp. half | 23% | 37% |
| Clean sheets | 14 | 12 |
| Total Clearances (inc. punches) | 34 | 20 |
| Shots faced | 343 | 562 |
| Shots on target faced | 137 | 200 |
| Save Percentage | 69% | 77% |
| Save percentage (in box) | 67% | 71% |
| Save percentage (out. box) | 76% | 87% |
| Save per 90 mins. | 2.4 | 4.1 |
| Catches | 17 | 51 |
| Punches | 14 | 10 |
| Clearances (inc. punches) | 34 | 20 |
| Errors | 6 | 2 |
| XG Prevented | -4 | 5.8 |
These statistics highlight two highly talented, confident, and composed goalkeepers, with Raya demonstrating a slight edge in fulfilling the modern goalkeeper’s expectations.
Although coach Arteta recently mentioned his willingness to rotate goalkeepers between games in an interview with Sky Sports, the future for both these talented players and the club remains uncertain. Nonetheless, it promises to be an intriguing narrative to keep a close watch on.
For Ramsdale, securing a starting spot for England in next year’s EURO 2024 tournament slips away if he doesn’t maintain his position as Arsenal’s first choice. On the other hand, Raya aims to usurp Unai Simon, who has consistently divided opinions in Spain, and move ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga to become La Roja’s top choice goalkeeper.
Considering Arteta’s dynamic playing style and the calibre of players he has signed, it becomes challenging to overlook Raya’s exceptional ball-saving and distribution abilities when determining the preferred choice.
Raya’s edge over Ramsdale is further exemplified by his superior save percentage, indicating that the goalkeeper can be relied upon in crucial moments, a situation in which Arteta’s side found themselves in their gameweek 2 clash against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
