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Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has questioned Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya's decision-making following the Gunners' elimination from the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals after a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Bayern Munich.
Hamann claimed that he is still unconvinced by Raya's performances, and pinpointed one mistake by the Spaniard in the first leg that cost Arsenal the tie. He said (via Mirror):
"I think they've got a very good defence, but I'm not sure about the keeper. I don't think you win a big title with a goalkeeper who doesn't fill you with confidence."
"It was his mistake coming 40 yards off his line in the first leg, it changed the whole tie. Then obviously they brought Rice and Havertz in, I don't think they've improved from last season."
David Raya arrived from Brentford in a loan deal which Arsenal are expected to make permanent in the upcoming summer window. He was straight away brought into the starting XI by Mikel Arteta and took over from Aaron Ramsdale as the club's first-choice keeper.
While Raya's initial few performances fostered confidence due to his calm presence compared to Ramsdale, questions about the Spaniard being the real deal have begun to be asked. His positioning and judgement for long balls and crosses has sometimes looked off, which has made Hamann question his abilities.
David Raya has made 35 appearances for the north Londoners across competitions so far, conceding 28 goals and keeping 16 clean sheets in the process.
Eight Arsenal players have played 40 or more games this season
While several pundits have discussed the reason behind Arsenal falling off from contention around April for the third-successive season, a new stat has emerged highlighting what the underlying cause might be.
A whopping eight Gunners players have played 40 or more matches already this season, with the list including most of the key starters.
Declan Rice, Benjamin White and Kai Havertz have all played 45, while William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have played 44. Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka have played in 42 each and Leandro Trossard has played in 40 games.
In comparison, none of Manchester City's players have played in 40 games this season. This shows that Pep Guardiola is able to rotate his squad effectively and still see no drop in quality, while the Gunners can ill afford that kind of luxury for now.
