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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher praised ‘brave’ Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)
Jamie Carragher has praised ‘brave’ Mikel Arteta over ‘one of the best transfer decisions’ he has made at Arsenal.
Arteta has attracted criticism this season for his failure to bring a top goalscorer to the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal fell short in the Premier League title race for the third year in a row and it is widely accepted that the addition of an elite striker would have taken the Gunners to the next level.
It has even been suggested that Arteta could be running out of time at Arsenal after the north London club went a fifth straight season without a trophy.
But it is worth reminding the state Arsenal were in when Arteta was appointed and the changes he has made to turn the Gunners into consistent title challengers.
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The spine of Arsenal’s team is one of the best in Europe and Carragher says Arteta’s decision to replace Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya was ‘one of the best’ he has made during his tenure.
Ramsdale recovered from a difficult start to his Arsenal career to establish himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and an England international.
Arsenal FC v Newcastle United FC - Premier League
Mikel Arteta sanctioned Arsenal’s move for David Raya (Picture: Getty)
Given the goalkeeper’s development, Arteta’s decision to sign Raya to compete with Ramsdale initially raised eyebrows but soon looked like a shrewd call as the ex-Brentford star quickly took the No. 1 jersey.
Raya won the Golden Glove award last season for keeping the most clean sheets in the Premier League and is level with Nottingham Forest’s Mats Sels for the award this term.
With Raya becoming one of the best shot-stoppers in the world at Arsenal, Ramsdale was forced to leave the club last summer, joining Southampton in a deal worth £25.
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Raya’s arrival forced Aaron Ramsdale to leave Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, ex-Liverpool and England defender Carragher said: ‘I picked Alisson as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League this season but I was very close to picking David Raya.
‘Alisson had that performance against PSG and that was one of the best we’ve seen from a goalkeeper so maybe that stuck in my head.
‘But Raya probably had five or six world-class saves this season. There was one against Aston Villa and Ollie Watkins but it was that long ago that it feels like last season.
Arsenal FC v Newcastle United FC - Premier League
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)
‘That was one of the best decisions Mikel Arteta made, it was brave because Aaron Ramsdale was a bit of a fans’ favourite but Arsenal were never going to win anything big with him in goal.
‘They haven’t done that with Raya yet either by the way but it was a good decision.’
Arsenal legend Ian Wright also heaped praise on Raya and said he has been arguably the club’s best player this season.
‘He looked a little bit shaky the other day [in the 1-0 win over Newcastle United] but then he made a couple of great saves,’ Wright said.
‘When you consider what Arsenal have done this season with so many draws, I don’t know where we would be without him.’
Asked whether Raya or Declan Rice was Arsenal’s Player of the Season, Wright added: ‘It’s one of them two. It’s tough to go against Declan but I can see it with Raya as well.
‘Declan has done so much this season and been 8/10 almost every game but Raya not playing would have caused us a lot of problems.’
With Champions League football already secured, Arsenal will look to clinch second-place in the Premier League and end the season on a high when they face relegated Southampton on Sunday.
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