Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta certainly faced a lot of backlash for one or two of his transfer decisions last summer.
The club spent big, bringing the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber to the club.
Declan Rice’s deal was a no-brainer, very few imagined the midfielder wouldn’t continue his immense individual success at Arsenal.
Jurrien Timber was also causing very little reason for concern in pre-season, a player who promised a lot before his injury.
But when it came to Kai Havertz, there has been an incredible amount of noise.
Perhaps that is subsiding now, fans and pundits are starting to understand his role and skill set, but at times the confusion and frustration was deafening.
But in truth, Arteta’s decision to replace Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya at Arsenal even trumped the fallout from the Havertz deal.
But just over six months on, fans are starting to see the impact that Raya’s move is having.
Arsenal are growing as a team, and they are starting to suffocate teams in the middle of the pitch – as we saw against Liverpool.
As a result of that midfield dominance, Arsenal regularly face teams pumping the ball into the box from wide areas.
And that’s where David Raya comes in.
Mikel Arteta proved everyone wrong with decision to bring David Raya to Arsenal
Arsenal are now facing a ton of balls into the box, be it from set pieces or from open play.
And fortunately for Arteta, he now has a keeper who has a ridiculous record at preventing deliveries reaching the box, or plucking them out of the air.
Of course, from Arteta’s perspective, that’s no coincidence.
FB ref’s data shows that Raya is in the top percentile of Premier League keepers when it comes to the metrics mentioned above.
It’s become a common theme to see Raya suddenly pop up and place two hands on an awkward ball into the Arsenal box at the Emirates, even if he’s not the biggest in stature.
So whilst the £27m-deal was questioned by many at the time, Jermaine Pennant even called it ‘baffling’, Arteta’s decision now looks an excellent one for Arsenal.
The Spaniard will have been working closely with Inaki Cana to ensure the club made the right call, afterall, Ramsdale wasn’t exactly a problem.
But Arteta saw a chance to improve, and clutched it with both hands – as Raya does with almost every delivery into Arsenal’s box these days.
And whilst fans are entitled to their opinion, many of us were disappointed to see Ramsdale dropped, we should remember to trust the process under Arteta.
That being said, Opta’s predictions are still very pessimistic about The Gunners winning the Premier League this season.
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