When Arsenal purchased David Raya through the summer season, it all the time felt ominous for Aaron Ramsdale for my part. Arsenal awarded Ramsdale a brand new contract through the summer season and there’s little doubt in my thoughts that Arteta and the teaching employees had been joyful sufficient for Ramsdale to be the long-term primary and any points they felt he had could possibly be labored by means of with teaching.
Raya turned obtainable pretty surprisingly with Spurs and Chelsea each in want of latest goalkeepers however each passing up on Raya. The signing might need been opportunistic however I believe it clearly occurred as a result of Arteta feels Raya is best suited to what he desires his workforce to be. I believe there are a variety of sentimental issue arguments round this that I might not solely dismiss out of hand, even when I don’t solely subscribe to them.
It’s a massive name to make, Ramsdale definitely wasn’t a serious weak hyperlink so I believe it’s cheap to ask whether or not the tactical upheaval is well worth the stage of potential disruption. It has definitely turn into a serious speaking level within the media (and that is the second column I’m writing about Raya in three weeks so I can’t exclude myself from that in any good conscience).
I wrote a column a couple of weeks in the past forecasting that the Occam’s Razor rationalization was that Raya will likely be Arteta’s primary and I believe it’s secure to say now that that’s what has occurred. I coated the explanations I believed Raya had been signed in that column and gained’t rehash them right here. Nonetheless, I do suppose it’s value Raya’s performances and the way issues Arsenal have modified with the Spaniard between the sticks.
I’m acutely aware that I’m scripting this after Raya made a reasonably pricey error towards Lens on Tuesday night however I believe Arteta will tolerate that distribution error from Raya. When quizzed on it in his post-match press convention, the supervisor was definitely very abrupt together with his reply.
on if it was disappointing to see David Raya’s error in distribution for the aim:No.
The explanation I believe Arteta will tolerate the error is as a result of it was a technical error, Raya was trying the form of move he’s being requested to play. My concept on why Ramsdale misplaced his place was as a result of he was, primarily, going rogue. Ramsdale developed an inclination to go lengthy too usually when the workforce got here underneath strain, which resulted in lack of concession and opponents with the ability to construct momentum.
There has, for higher and for worse, clearly been a give attention to the workforce exerting better management over video games this season. I’m sure that Arteta can have rewatched the Liverpool and West Ham away video games from April recurrently this summer season, trying again at how Arsenal coughed up two aim leads, permitting each groups and their crowds again into the sport.
Arsenal haven’t conceded a aim away from house domestically to date this season and this has been, partly, as a result of they’ve strangled groups by retaining the ball. Within the earlier column from a fortnight in the past, I talked about how Ramsdale performed 9 lengthy passes after Tomiyasu’s pink card at Selhurst Park in August when the workforce got here underneath strain with a slender benefit. Seven of these lengthy passes went to a Crystal Palace shirt.
Arteta now I get why you needed David Raya so unhealthy. That is the following stage of our challenge. Raya very calm with possession,giving our again 4 confidence,discovering the correct passes to play. This comes with expertise, Ramsdale has a superb platform to be taught from,nonetheless very younger. pic.twitter.com/dI3CZ7TLcw
— ArsenHolic🇰🇪 (@Dancomunyao) October 2, 2023
Arsenal have averaged 61.9% possession this season (I haven’t included the Neighborhood Defend right here), with the typical possession away from house at 62%. Final season that determine was 59.3% total and 55.6% away from house. Clearly, we’re coping with a smaller pattern measurement this season however, particularly away from house, I believe there’s a clear emphasis on ball retention as a method of safety. (In fact, this has been compromised in house video games and in France by pointless errors).
Taking part in Raya forward of Ramsdale is a part of this drive to scale back equalising components in matches like emotion, chaos and lack of possession. The naked info present you that Raya retains the ball higher than Ramsdale does. Ramsdale averaged 68.5% move completion final season, Raya is averaging 84.7% presently. Once more, there’s the caveat that Raya’s pattern measurement is way smaller and doesn’t but embody venues like Anfield or the Etihad.
Final season, Ramsdale was trying 5.16 brief passes (outlined as a move between 5 and 15 yards by FBref) per 90. Raya presently makes an attempt 10.7 per 90. That may be a very distinct shift and it’s very deliberate. Arteta desires Raya in aim as a result of he can function like one other centre-half in possession when the Gunners wish to bait the opposition press and draw them out slightly. Ramsdale is much less comfy on this facet of the sport.
I believe that is the correct day to say this as Raya wasn’t his finest, so right here goes:I don’t suppose the difficulty for Arteta was that Raya is best or Ramsdale wasn’t ok.It’s stylistic. Ramsdale admitted that he and Arteta needed to negotiate (ie compromise) how he performed. Arteta… https://t.co/POpVZr256W
— Poz (@PoznanInMyPants) October 3, 2023
Spurs had an affordable quantity of success urgent Raya onto his weaker left foot, leading to some concessions of possession. Arsenal’s response towards Bournemouth was instructive. They usually dropped Raya even deeper into his penalty space and dared Bournemouth, who satisfaction themselves on being a urgent workforce, to return and meet him.
There are two dominant positions we’re seeing Raya take up in possession. Typically, we’re seeing him over at left centre-half in build-up. With Zinchenko inverting into central areas, it means Gabriel shifts in direction of the touchline. Raya is usually enjoying like a left-sided centre-half between Saliba and Gabriel. Listed below are some examples.
Saliba passes the ball to Raya right here and we see he’s primarily the left centre-back, Gabriel is at left-back with Zinchenko in midfield. Raya gestures for Rice to maneuver to the left to take his marker with him, Zinchenko is aware of what’s going on and asks Raya simply to delay as a result of he’s going to take a marker with him too.
Zinchenko takes Lewis Cook dinner for a stroll, which clears some house for Odegaard.
And that’s the place Raya sends his move the place there’s extra space, increased up the pitch. He abandoned his aim to create this angle as a result of he’s turning the again three right into a again 4. One of many causes that I believe Arteta will likely be comparatively unconcerned about Raya’s error in Lens is as a result of it was clearly from a rehearsed play. We noticed one thing very comparable within the Bournemouth sport.
He takes the ball from Saliba right here once more at left centre-half. We see Odegaard run over in direction of that aspect of the pitch, he desires to draw Bournemouth gamers with him.
With Rice, Odegaard and Zinchenko making a focus of gamers near Raya, it opens up house on the alternative aspect of the pitch.
And now Ben White has a number of house to assault from the lofted move. This was the play Arsenal had been attempting to repeat in Lens that went awry (a-Raya?) Within the column from a fortnight in the past, I highlighted how usually Arsenal went again to Raya after taking the lead at Goodison Park as a method of strangling the sport. He accomplished 12 of his 13 passes as soon as the Gunners had been a aim up.
All of which makes Raya’s error in Lens which, it must be stated, was completely brutally punished, sadly ironic. Lengthy-term, I believe Arteta will see it nearly as good course of, unhealthy consequence which is why I don’t suppose it should hurt Raya in his estimation. In addition to seeing him pop up on this left centre-half place, we additionally see Raya baiting the press fairly often, typically very near the touchline, daring opponents to enter his territory.
Listed below are 4 examples from the Bournemouth first half alone the place he stands with the ball to bait the Bournemouth press within the fashion popularised by Roberto de Zerbi’s groups.
Observe how, in every of those photographs, Raya is standing to the left of his aim once more. This wasn’t only a tactic for Bournemouth. Lens are additionally a excessive urgent outfit and we noticed one thing comparable.
On this instance, Raya has the ball in his palms and drops it to the ground after which waits.
And waits. He desires the Lens gamers to edge nearer to him in order that Arsenal can play across the press. Right here is one other instance from simply 30 seconds later.
Right here he takes the again move, once more rolls his studs over the ball and waits.
Have a look at how shut the Lens gamers get earlier than he decides to play the ball to Saliba.
Saliba shortly shifts the ball to Rice who has house to dribble out and Arsenal have exited. This is the reason Raya is enjoying, as a result of Arteta sees him as an eleventh outfielder, able to behaving as a left-sided centre-half in possession, which plugs among the gaps left when Zinchenko inverts into midfield and Gabriel strikes to left-back.
We noticed this far much less with Ramsdale in aim, allied to Ramsdale’s tendency to go lengthy underneath strain. In brief, it signifies that Arsenal have been capable of go from this:
To this, in build-up:
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