It’s going to be difficult to pick Arsenal’s Player of the Year this season.
Indeed, Arsenal have had tons of solid performers this season. Declan Rice has been excellent in the midfield, while Gabriel Magalhaes has been excellent at centre-half.
Meanwhile, David Raya could be a more unconventional choice as Raya has been fantastic in goal.
Speaking to The Athletic, Petr Cech has offered an interesting comparison between David Raya and Gianluigi Donnarumma, and his comments underline why Arsenal’s number one has become such an important part of Mikel Arteta’s system.
Goalkeepers are often judged on their saves, but the modern game demands far more than that. Distribution, composure under pressure, and the ability to start attacks have all become essential qualities. Cech believes this is where Raya stands out.
Arsenal fans…if David Raya isn’t Arsenal’s best Premier League goalkeeper ever, then who is?
Petr Cech hails David Raya’s on-ball ability
Speaking to The Athletic, Petr Cech pointed to Donnarumma’s struggles in possession during their recent game against Man City.
“Donnarumma was not particularly good with his feet in the game. He gave away the goal, but then he made two important saves for Arsenal to lose the game. In the end, the save is more important.”
“Overall, you need your goalkeeper to be a goalkeeper. If you look at David Raya, he’s brilliant with his feet, but he makes the important saves too.”
Raya combines both aspects of modern goalkeeping. He is comfortable in possession, capable of playing out from the back, and able to handle pressure when teams press high. At the same time, he delivers in the moments that matter most, making saves that keep Arsenal competitive.
This dual ability is what makes him so valuable.
Under Arteta, Arsenal rely heavily on building from the back. The goalkeeper is not just the last line of defence, but also the first point of attack. Raya’s confidence on the ball allows Arsenal to maintain their structure and control games, even against aggressive pressing teams.
Donnarumma may be one of the best in the world in terms of stopping shots, but in the modern game, there’s more to goalkeeping than that.
Raya may well make the Team of the Season ahead of Donnarumma for that reason alone.
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