AAStyle It sounds like he made the club an ultimatum about being first choice. He probably would have taken the spot had he remained patient but he was desperate to be first choice but Leno up until his injury that season had looked like one our best players. So the club had to take that into consideration. Also the club can’t let players dictate to them whether they play or not so we made the right choice letting him go.

I do get it as well, he’s spent his whole life as reserve keeper and after he got a taste of first team doesn’t want to go back on the bench. As a player if you let these opportunities pass you might regret them. He can say his stance was justified because he broke into the national team and won the Copa America and World Cup.

    I was against buying Raya even before we ended up getting him. When Brentford got promoted a few years ago we wanted him, but it did not happen. The only reason I was against it, is that he is so small. I need a 1.90 at least in goal, that's what I was thinking. But while I still think like that in general, he is an exception, his aerial domination and protection of his area might just be the best qualities he has, and that is saying something as I rate his passing a lot. Just grabs everything with ease....crazy to watch. Compare him to Vicario who is like 11 cm taller then him...but the italian is so weak and scared to grab any ball while Raya is just a baller.
    Last season was good, but not great I think...but the way he started this season, he is moving into being great, just needs to keep it up...for good.

    A lesser keeper would have fumbled one of Spurs' crosses or longshots but Raya just catches everything with ease - and he does it incredibly consistently. He's the new Safe Hands.

    My fucking keeper

    That is probably the best double save I’ve ever seen!

    This guy. Wow.

    Feels like he's gone up a level this season, maybe from being more settled and by extension more confident.

      One to file away and worth points and morale too. Brilliant.

      Don Pacifico Feels like he's gone up a level this season

      I think he's mostly just getting more opportunities to make saves this season so far. Hopefully it doesn't last.

          DiabyKungFu yeah, you might be right. Either way he's been unquestionably good/reliable. Long may that continue.

            Playing like prime Casillas this season. Insane double save

            flobaba Towards the end there was that free kick when Everton sent everyone forwards and Pickford launched it into the box. Raya came out, claimed and was fouled. In my mind I was thinking Ramsdale would probably have sat back and let the defenders deal with it or tried to punch instead of catching, and then it becomes a 50-50 situation which could cause trouble at a critical point in the game. That's the kind of subtle difference in goalkeeping approach - taking the initiative and calming things down, keeping everyone comfortable - that wins you games and helps you defuse a potential shaky scenario.

            This may not be a good situation for Ramsdale to be in and I sympathize with that, but it's 100% a win for Arsenal.

            A year ago Flobaba wrote this about Rays claiming balls. It was very under appreciated because the dominant conversation at the time was about this 2 goalie nonsense that somehow became a story. This for me is one of his biggest strengths and has been on display all season. Not just the headline-making saves, or the distribution, the calm demeanour. This was an instant upgrade

              TambourineMan he suffered a horrible injury in a collision with a player which basically jutted his nose back in to his head

                So glad Arteta showed real courage to ditch Ramsdale and sign this guy. Everyone in the media and even some of our fans railed on him and he’s proven them all wrong. I’d gone off Ramsdale for a while now, he was becoming a liability for us.