Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta takes part in a training session (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised goalkeeper David Raya for his development as a leader for the team.
The Spanish shot-stopper impressed at his former club Brentford before joining Arsenal, but has looked even stronger this season in particular.
As well as being a good keeper for Arsenal, Raya is starting to stand out as a big personality within the Gunners squad, and Arteta admits that is part of the 30-year-old’s settling into his role at the Emirates Stadium.
At today’s press conference, Arteta was asked about Raya and told reporters:
“Personally, things change. I think his role is obviously much more defined than before,” Arteta said.
“But David has always been a really determined and confident person and I think he showed that from the first moment he joined the club.”
David Raya plays a key role in Arsenal’s rock-solid defence.
Some may joke that it’s easy to be Arsenal’s goalkeeper now, but it’s probably true that Raya is helped by the fact that he has such a well-developed back four ahead of him.
Arteta has built a very strong defensive line around the likes of Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba, but other players such as Julian Timber and Riccardo Calafioli are also important, and defense from the midfield by Martin Zvimendi and Declan Rice is also important.
However, Raya has also made some great saves in the AFC and certainly looks like a vocal and demanding ‘keeper who knows how to organize the defender in front of him.
