Stats back Arsenal star’s claim that teammate is among world’s best

Stats back Arsenal star’s claim that teammate is among world’s best

Kai Havertz claimed on Tuesday night that David Raya has been maybe the best goalkeeper in the world for the last two years, and the stats back up that claim.

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Following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Sporting CP, match-winner Kai Havertz heaped praise on Gunners goalkeeper David Raya for keeping the scores level for so long.

“He’s unbelievable – I still think people underestimate him in the football world,” Havertz said. “For the last two years, I don’t know, maybe he’s been the best ‘keeper in the world, and we’re all glad to have him here.”

Raya won the Player of the Match awards for his efforts against Sporting, and statistics after the game backed up Havertz’s claim about the Spaniard’s performances.

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There’s little argument that Raya isn’t one of the best around when it comes to claiming crosses, playing out from the back, and sweeping, but the goalkeeper’s shot-stopping is occasionally called into question compared to the very top keepers in Europe.

Yet OptaJoe reports that based on the expected goals totals of shots on target faced over the last two Champions League campaigns, no one has prevented more goals than Raya.

The 30-year-old has faced 21 xG on target in the Champions League over the last two campaigns, meaning the average goalkeeper would have been expected to let in 21 goals. Raya has only conceded 12.

TNT Sports also highlight that no goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets than Raya in the Champions League (seven) or the Premier League (15) this season.

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Former goalkeeper Shay Given told Premier Sports Ireland that he’s been very impressed with Raya, saying: “The performance again tonight was absolutely brilliant. I think he’s one of the reasons [Arsenal] are nine points clear at the top of the league.

“One of the reasons why they’re probably one foot in the semi-final of the Champions League is because of David Raya as well.

“He’s a sweeper keeper, he’s on the front foot, he reads the game so well. It’s not just about shot-stopping, it’s about decision-making, setting the tone of the game as a goalkeeper. He does everything.”