Like all slow burns, appreciating something that took time to grasp gives the heat a different kind of depth. David Raya, whose signing confused and frustrated many Arsenal supporters at the time of his arrival, was given a special ovation by the travelling corner at Atalanta’s new stadium. They were not the only ones in awe of his breathtaking double save. “He’s a cat!” exclaimed the Italian Mister who has been around many blocks, Gian Piero Gasperini.
He’s a cat who has lived through a couple of personalities in his Arsenal career. The first was tentative, a little cautious, while he got used to his new surroundings. The present one behaves like a bolder creature, who prowls confidently around his area, checking everything out, unperturbed by whatever he confronts.
Raya’s double save from Matep Retegui was the defining moment of this Champions League tussle. It was almost like two penalties in one move with a gasp in between, such was the one-v-one nature of the chances. The first stop down to his right was solid — but the burst of agility to twist and reach over to make the second one, Retegui’s rebound, was stunning. “I witnessed two of the best saves of my career in that moment,” Mikel Arteta said.
DAVID RAYA, TAKE A BOW!
One of the best double saves you’ll ever see 🤯
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/sPgZF293QI
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 19, 2024
Confidence, as Arsene Wenger always used to say, is the easiest thing to lose and the hardest thing to gain. It is extraordinary what confidence has done for Raya, 29. Right now, unquestionably established as Arsenal’s No 1, he carries himself differently. He exudes calmness and control. He is not the tallest (6ft) for his position — which was one the criticisms at the start of all this — but in stature and presence he has grown.
It was understandable if he felt inhibited when he first arrived at the club. It was complicated. He was taking a vast leap in terms of scrutiny from Brentford to Arsenal. He was not particularly welcomed by the supporters who adored his predecessor, Aaron Ramsdale. He lived and trained every day with the goalkeeper he suddenly replaced, even though it was a credit to Ramsdale that he was never unfriendly or unsupporting in difficult circumstances.
This is no reflection at all on Ramsdale as a man or a goalkeeper, but Raya seems liberated by the fact he has been through his transition season and come out the other side, and is living up to the trust put in him by Arteta. He has found a higher level of consistent excellence and he looks so comfortable in his goalkeeping skin. To be so relaxed, so composed and concentrated, is Seaman-esque. “I am in a good place now,” he said.
Raya dives right to keep out Retegui’s penalty (Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
When Petr Cech joined Arsenal from Chelsea, John Terry commented that he was the kind of keeper that wins you points, predicting that he would be worth 12-15 points to his club. It didn’t actually happen for Cech once age began to catch up with his reactions. But it is a compliment to Raya’s form this season that he is playing like a goalkeeper who wins his team points.
“Certainly last year was already very impressive, even in that different context for sure,” Arteta says, “This season he’s been exceptional. The saves he made against Villa and Atalanta kept us in the game. You need that from a goalkeeper at this level.”
When the pressure was on to preserve the team’s outstanding defensive record this year, he handled it with aplomb. Atalanta were awarded a penalty after Thomas Partey made clumsy contact with Ederson, and the penalty check took a while.
Raya took advantage of the delay and left his goal to head to the dugout on the wrong side of the half way line, quite the adventure for a man in his position, to touch base with Inaki Cana.
“I went to speak to the goalie coach to get a better sense of what to do and what not to do,” Raya said. “He helped me a lot in every aspect, so credit to him as well. He does all the work with everything. The players, the staff, the fans, the belief they have in me, and Inaki has so much confidence in me, I just have to deliver for the club.”
Retegui revved himself up for the spot kick, his feet stomping the turf like a souped up tap dance, and ran to shoot. Raya dived right to intercept, but better was to come with the follow up save as he leapt up to switch direction to claw away the rebounding header. He was engulfed in a bear hug from William Saliba, Gabriel and Benjamin White — that is a whole lot of embrace — for his efforts.
Arsenal’s defensive nous was needed on a night which underlined that they are still looking to establish a way of playing without Martin Odegaard holding the conductor’s baton.
The altered system makes a lot of sense. It enables Arsenal to keep Kai Havertz towards the front of the team and in theory use plenty of forward players. But without the well practiced combinations and moves, there was a lack of cohesion and composure. It was not the best night for the final pass. No doubt Arsenal will be working on their fluency and sharpness in that department.
It was Raya’s night. At the end of it all, he quietly gathered all his stuff from his goal mouth and walked on his own half a pitch towards the rest of the team. He had a long hug with Cana, then Arsenal’s reserve goalkeeper Neto, and then his Atalanta counterpart Marco Carnesecchi, before making his way to the visiting supporters. The ovation was his. The song they sung was his. The recognition was his.
This is why he came. This is why he was signed. Unflustered, unfussy, he is no longer under appreciated. He wears No1 on his back, a remnant from his arrival with another keeper in possession of the main shirt. But he is No 1 every other way.
(Top photo: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)