David Raya unique interview: Arsenal’s grasp of ‘proactive’ goalkeeping able to go once more after ‘wonderful’ yr

It says loads about David Raya’s character that, through the delirious Spanish celebrations that adopted their European Championship ultimate win over England, his precedence was to hunt out Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale to supply comfort.

“Obviously, I was over the moon, but I was upset for them as well because they worked so hard,” Raya tells Sky Sports activities. “They’re actually, very nice guys and they’re my team-mates.

“It’s upsetting for them, and for the whole country, but for myself,” Raya provides, the intense expression on his face giving option to a smile, “this is something that I will never forget.”

We’re a month on from the ultimate and Raya, sun-tanned and nonetheless on a excessive from that historic success in Germany, is again within the acquainted environment of Arsenal’s coaching floor, stepping up preparations for the brand new season and aiming to select up the place he left off final time period.

Being part of Spain’s European Championship success capped a dizzying yr for him. “Coming here on loan and playing for this amazing club, making my debut in the Champions League, being that close to winning the league, then winning the Euros as well.”

And that wasn’t all. Along with the European Championship winners medal sitting in his rucksack at residence – “I haven’t unpacked yet,” he grins – Raya has a Premier League Golden Glove award to point out for his document of 16 clear sheets in 32 video games final time period.

It’s some going for a goalkeeper whose skilled profession started on mortgage at Southport, in English soccer’s fifth tier, with a 3-0 loss to Macclesfield City in entrance of a crowd of 1,450 in 2014, having left Spain, alone, to enrol in Blackburn’s academy.

“When I came to England at 16, the only thing I wanted to do was enjoy football and enjoy the challenge,” he says. “Of course, you think about stuff that you might be able to do, but I just kept giving myself targets in the short and medium term, footballing-wise.

“Winning the Euros was one and playing for Arsenal was one.

“I am blissful to say that I’ve achieved a few of my desires.”

Some but not all.

Raya helped Arsenal accrue their second-highest points total in Premier League history last season. They set club records for wins and goals scored. For a second consecutive year, though, they ultimately fell short of Manchester City in the title race.

“I feel we had a very good marketing campaign however at some phases we did not handle the video games the place we dropped just a few factors nicely,” says Raya. “It is that steadiness of understanding when it’s a must to handle video games. Additionally, it’s a must to go all in, particularly firstly of the season.”

That’s the intention now and Arsenal look in good condition having warmed up for Saturday’s opener in opposition to Wolves with pleasant wins over Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon on the Emirates Stadium, of which Raya, Arsenal’s returning No 1, performed each minute.

He and his team-mates know there may be little margin for error.

“Our second half of final season was practically excellent however it’s a must to be excellent to win the league, particularly in opposition to Man Metropolis. They’re so good and they’re so skilled on this setting.

“We have to learn from everything, from every mistake and from the good things that we have done as well, to carry on and improve them. That is what we need to do. It has been a fantastic year but we have to – and I have to – make the next one better.”

Resilience and dealing with setbacks

Raya is approaching the problem forward having turned his mortgage transfer from Brentford everlasting in July and signed a long-term contract, one other satisfying milestone in a yr filled with them.

“Obviously, last year, I was only on loan but I gave everything for the club and I wanted to stay here for as long as possible,” he says. “When you break up for summer and you go with the internationals, you focus more on international football at that moment.

“However I had it at the back of my thoughts, ‘Am I going to signal? Am I not?’ It was a reduction to signal the contract for the approaching years. It is a pleasure to be right here, it is unbelievable, with the way in which the membership goes, the gamers, the workers, everybody across the membership, the followers. It is wonderful.

“You don’t know how good it is until you are inside. It’s a pleasure to be here and it’s a dream come true to be able to be part of this club.”

Not that it has all been simple.

His arrival was greeted with scepticism given Ramsdale’s recognition amongst followers. The stress on him was ramped up by some high-profile errors within the first half of final season.

Raya was closely scrutinised in consequence however his braveness within the face of setbacks was part of his attraction to Mikel Arteta within the first place.

It carried him via. Few are doubting him now.

“I think that’s been the key of my career,” says Raya. “When I came to England for the first time, to train with Blackburn with my old club, Cornella, my old goalie coach, César, told them, ‘You need to take Dave. He is the only one who, mentality-wise, can cope with it.’

“And he wasn’t incorrect. I had lots of lows and lots of highs, however I feel my mentality has been very, very key. Keep robust within the powerful moments and benefit from the good ones.”

Proactive goalkeeping explained

Of course, Arteta’s pursuit of Raya was based on his goalkeeping qualities as well as character and mentality.

The 28-year-old has introduced a brand new interpretation of the position to the membership; extra aggressive, with a better willingness to take dangers each out and in of possession. He places it right down to Arsenal’s goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña, with whom he beforehand labored at Brentford.

“He has changed my style of being a goalkeeper,” says Raya.

“If you watch highlights from me when I was back at Blackburn, you will see a keeper that just stood on the line, not coming for anything, rarely going for a cross, rarely going outside the box, rarely anticipating, just waiting to make that save.

“When I signed for Brentford, Iñaki just completely changed my style of being a goalkeeper, to be more proactive and anticipate stuff that has not happened yet.

“So, should you can go for a cross, simply go for it. Do not watch for the save. As an alternative, keep away from the possibility. For balls in behind and all that, keep excessive as a lot as potential to have the ability to reduce out the assault.

“If you see me at Blackburn and then after I signed for Brentford, it’s two completely different goalkeepers. At Blackburn, I wasn’t going for any crosses. And then at Brentford and here, I think my numbers on crosses are remarkable.”

Raya is true about that. He stopped a better proportion of crosses than some other Premier League goalkeeper final time period, his charge of 12.2 per cent means up on the 6.8 per cent common.

His proactivity applies in possession in addition to out of it, the concept being to launch Arsenal assaults in addition to finish the opponent’s.

Throughout Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Crystal Palace on the Emirates Stadium in January, Arteta may very well be seen turning straight in direction of his goalkeeper to applaud him after his fast throw allowed Gabriel Jesus to put on a speedy, breakaway objective for Leandro Trossard.

It was one in every of seven throws by Raya final season which led on to an opportunity being created. No different Premier League goalkeeper made greater than two. When he’s not launching the ball along with his fingers, Raya is utilizing his ft with an analogous degree of precision.

“I love it,” he says. “It’s one of the parts of being a goalkeeper I enjoy the most, especially playing for Arsenal. We need that extra player to get that security straight from the back.

“I really like being a part of the build-up, being a part of attempting to create targets and to create assaults.

“It’s fun. I enjoy the challenge. I know there are going to be mistakes and goals conceded because of it, because that’s the way we play. But that’s the risk that we take and that’s the risk that the manager wants us to take. The benefit is bigger than the risk, I think.”

Arsenal’s robust foundations

Raya acknowledges life at Arsenal is made simpler by the presence of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes in entrance of him. The pair are a formidable centre-back duo. Like Raya, they performed an essential position in Arsenal’s excellent defensive shows final time period.

“Pfff,” he says, puffing out his cheeks on the point out of them, as if not sure the place to start out. “They are so strong and the relationship they have between them is incredible,” says Raya. “They both know where the other one is in every situation, so they have each other’s backs.

“They usually’re so intelligent, each of them, contemplating they’re comparatively younger. I do know Wilo is a bit youthful than Gabriel, however they’re each comparatively younger and the positions they take up on the pitch to keep away from stuff taking place are unimaginable.”

Arsenal’s defensive unit has been further bolstered by the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori, a £42m signing from Bologna whose full-blooded playing style has already made an impression on Raya.

“First of all, he’s a great guy,” he says. “He’s young, only 22, and he’s hungry. In terms of football, he’s a great player who has a great future. He can play left-back, he can play left centre-back. So, the first impression has been very, very good.

“He’s very, very robust,” Raya adds with a smile. “He goes for the tackles. He simply goes for it. He would put his head in a washer, if you recognize what I am saying. However the primary factor is that he is an amazing man in addition to an amazing participant.”

Raya’s team-mates, particularly these sporting England colors again in Berlin final month, would likely say the identical about him. After a dizzying yr, during which some, however not all, of his desires have been fulfilled, it’s time for him and Arsenal to go once more.

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