Pundit places Arsenal keeper among World’s Elite, but not yet the top. In the midst of an excellent defensive season for Arsenal, goalkeeper David Raya has found his performances under intense scrutiny. The pundits are debating whether he has truly cemented himself as the world’s best.
The Pundit’s Verdict
Thibaut Courtois, according to Pundit Richards, has been the best goalkeeper in the world and places him on top. In the Premier League, I would say, it is Alisson. Raya was heading towards being the best, all right, though you must see what there is in front of Raya. He made an implied defender of the powerful Arsenal defense. This includes William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, who helped Raya achieve his excellent clean-sheet results. Conversely, he cited the recent record of Alisson Becker and his absurd one on one shot-stopping skills at Liverpool as a point of greater achievement.
Raya’s Compelling Case
In spite of the rankings controversy, Hayes cannot deny Raya his credentials. He has been a revelation since he was permanently transferred to Arsenal. Moreover, he becoming the club goalkeeper to make 50 clean sheets, and he has only played 110 games. This season has seen him perform well especially with only five goals conceded and a series of clean sheets to his name. This made the difference between Arsenal and a club-record eight straight shutouts.
A Shadow of Criticism
The discussion has assumed a more critical twist following a 2-2 draw of Arsenal against Sunderland. It came with a 94th minute goal that deprived the Gunners a win. Technically speaking, the goal that decided the match was a direct pass to David Seaman, the club legend who personally doubted the decision-making of Raya who tried to create a catch instead of punching the ball. It is this point which indicates that despite the formation of a stellar team, the actions of a goalkeeper would continue to be under the spotlight.
The Road Ahead
To date, the opinion of most pundits is that David Raya is a goalkeeper who has been on a spectacular rise, and he enjoys a solid stand in the international discussion. But to become universally acknowledged as the undisputed best, it is expected that he has to do so over an extended period and show himself to be the difference-maker, not merely a member of an excellent defensive team. He has already made good strides toward the very top, yet there are still the last stages.
As featured on GoonerNews.com