Don't know loads myself about Raya but mentioned before I have worries about Ramsdale, just too many errors and big moments where he couldn't deliver. Not to say he can't improve but it was becoming a little too much. Some competition would definitely be better and I don't know if complacency was the cause but he's not really been able to progress so much last year.

I like the thinking behind this but am not sure if Raya is the right choice. Excellent keeper but not enough of an upgrade on Ramsdale for this to make sense.

For a goalie There's only a few metrics we are concerned about: save percentage, passing accuracy (long and short). Maybe penalties, and less errors. Raya is apparently superior in all these aspects. We needed a goalie who doesn't get dunked on from the half way line and we would have made the Europa final. We need a goalie who doesn't concede unnecessary cheap first goals or near post goals which puts us under pressure. We need a goalie who just might actually save a penalty. These are the minor details between trophies and being also rans. I'm glad we are trying to make these sort of incremental improvements. It all adds up.

    RocktheCasbah Yeah, I've really got my doubts that any keeper that looks good in a lesser side (all credit to Frank's Brentford and Raya) will look equally good under the exceptionally high demands on the keeper in Arteta's system.

    Let's not forget those are the same demands that led to Leno, who is an excellent shot-stopper with a weaker all-around game and personality, being scrapped in favour of Ramsdale—and when Ramsdale came in he was an immediate big improvement, despite his somewhat intermittent form since.

    I think the best outcome for us would be for Ramsdale to rediscover his best game, where he's a spirited and incredibly committed stopper, has unparalleled distribution, and intuitively leads the defence. That's what we need—whether it can be achieved is another question.

      Pity about Maignan , he won't be allowed to leave Milan but if we were looking for a Ramsdale upgrade he would be first on the list

        GooneriC Sanchez has always impressed me but Brighton? Nah best not hack them off until we move for Ferguson

          I think he's at least as good as Ramsdale, if not better, though it's hard to judge a goalkeeper in a team where he has to make many more saves than here.

          One more for the stats lover out there

          Off topic but the new spuds keeper Vicario scores very well too statistically

          Ball progression/long ball stats are misleading as Brentford go long a lot more than us. Probably why Ramsdale's pass accuracy is much higher too.

          flobaba We needed a goalie who doesn't get dunked on from the half way line and we would have made the Europa final. We need a goalie who doesn't concede unnecessary cheap first goals or near post goals which puts us under pressure.

          And David Raya is very much not that guy.

          at 1.34 the Fulham goal I referenced earlier.

            It's a bit like Zinchenko. People get so caught up in the 1 in 20 game errors that they overlook the extent to which these guys underpin our style of play, every single game.

              goon If that's the case isn't a keeper with a better ball playing ability advantageous to us?

                  Clrnc yeah, I was responding to Flobs' comment about the sort of keeper we need.

                    flobaba For a goalie There's only a few metrics we are concerned about: save percentage, passing accuracy (long and short). Maybe penalties, and less errors. Raya is apparently superior in all these aspects.

                    I read somewhere he's saved like 5 in 30+ and not a single pen since 2020

                      Mirth Casillas was both an outlier in athleticism and reaction time and a bit overrated anyway. Raya is a good couple tiers below him too.

                      More I think about it the more I'm against it. Would swap out a keeper with ADHD for one who sits on a booster seat in his car.

                        Ultimately I don't even believe he is a Ramsdale replacement. I think we are looking to improve on the quality of his backup, and provide some real competition - if Ramsdale starts to lose form or focus we should be able to drop him without worrying too much about if his replacement is capable.

                          flobaba spending more on a back-up than for your first choice is pretty extreme.

                          I can't help but think this is mainly to force Bayern's hand. I'm not doubting we have an interest just not sure how serious that interest is.

                              Don Pacifico

                              Sounds like we are more advanced than Bayern who has completely pulled out.

                              Raya was Arteta first choice. When he's available now he gone straight back in for him. If we sign him I'm guessing it spells trouble for Ramsdale. We are not spending 40m for a backup