SINGAPORE — Is the world’s most costly goalkeeper now an understudy? Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Arsenal firstly of July in a shock transfer after the Gunners triggered his £5 million launch clause to signal him from Chelsea.
It got here nearly seven years to the day because the Blues paid a document £71.6m to take the Spaniard from Athletic Club. Whereas his inventory has fallen significantly since then, it was nonetheless one thing of a shock that Kepa would be a part of a membership with a well-established No. 1 in David Raya.
Lengthy since discarded by Chelsea as a viable choice for his or her first group, Kepa spent the 2023-24 marketing campaign at Real Madrid the place he was ostensibly a alternative for Thibaut Courtois — paradoxically the person he initially changed at Chelsea in 2018 — after Courtois suffered a critical knee damage. An adductor drawback of his personal pressured Kepa again to the sidelines and gave Andriy Lunin an opportunity he was not about to relinquish, remaining first selection on the Bernabéu for the remainder of the marketing campaign.
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Higher days got here at Bournemouth in August 2024 the place, in one other ironic twist, he changed Neto, who joined Arsenal on a season-long mortgage. Kepa stored solely seven clear sheets in 26 appearances, however appeared to have re-established himself as a No. 1 as soon as once more.
So how might issues play out at Arsenal this season? May the Gunners be about to undergo one other tough goalkeeping scenario as Raya skilled when signing — initially on mortgage — in the summertime of 2023, ultimately usurping Aaron Ramsdale, a fan favorite on the time, as Arsenal’s No1?
Why did Arsenal signal Kepa?
There was one thing of a shift in Arsenal’s method to squad-building in current home windows. Arteta as soon as prompt he would like a smaller group of elite gamers to work with, however of late he has more and more seemed so as to add depth throughout the group. Raya just isn’t rotated. Arsenal performed 58 matches in all competitions final season and the Spain worldwide performed in 55 of them. Teenager Jack Porter began towards Bolton Wanderers within the EFL Cup third spherical, Tommy Setford performed towards Preston North Finish within the EFL Cup fourth spherical and Neto’s sole look for the membership was a UEFA Champions League lifeless rubber towards Girona in January.
Nevertheless, Arteta’s rhetoric through the preseason tour to Asia has been to underline how accidents price Arsenal dearly final season and to speak up the bodily calls for of making an attempt to win on 4 fronts (Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and each home Cups). That strain has led the Gunners to desert their tier system of signings.
“Tier 1 signifies that they’ve the capability to be starters principally,” Arteta mentioned this week. “However the Tier 1, 2, 3 system I do not consider in that a lot now. The best way the sport’s evolving, the calls for we put in with 70, 75 video games per season.
“On the finish we wish to construct a group, like different golf equipment have already got, the place you take a look at the squad and you can’t actually determine who’s going to play tomorrow. If we get to that time, and that competitiveness has as nicely the fitting stage of co-operation between the gamers, that is what we would like.”
Kepa, 30, has had his detractors, however he’s of an altogether completely different pedigree to Neto, Raya’s earlier competitor. As Raya put it: “Realizing how the signings are going, understanding that we’ve two high gamers in every place — that is the way in which the boss desires to work and that is how it’s.”
How has Raya dealt with the information?
Talking to ESPN in Singapore, Raya was requested what he had been informed by Arteta following Kepa’s arrival and particularly whether or not he had been given assurances he was nonetheless Arsenal’s No. 1.
“Nothing,” mentioned Raya. “He simply got here as a brand new teammate and so as to add one other goalie to the group. The supervisor hasn’t mentioned something so we are going to see what occurs.” However does it not put extra strain on him to have the world’s most costly goalkeeper coming in? “No, I feel it’s only a wholesome relationship,” Raya replied. “We’re pals. We have now been collectively within the nationwide group and now we’re right here so we’ve that wholesome relationship and, as an example, ‘wholesome partnership’ in objective. We all know how robust it’s to be a goalkeeper. There’s just one goalkeeper taking part in and we are going to see what occurs. That’s the job of the boss and he’ll resolve.”
He has, after all, been right here earlier than. Ramsdale loved a promising begin to his Arsenal profession after becoming a member of the Gunners in 2021 from Sheffield United. Nevertheless, inside two years, the Gunners moved for Raya, partly on the advice of goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña, who had labored with Raya at Brentford.
What adopted was a clumsy interval by which Raya regularly changed Ramsdale as Arsenal’s first selection. Arteta’s public messaging throughout this era wasn’t significantly clear, and sources have informed ESPN the Spaniard felt Raya was unfairly handled by some observers as he began taking part in extra usually. Sources say the teaching employees seen Raya’s distribution and quietness as key attributes that gave him the sting.
For Raya, the expertise might help him this time. “It will assist anybody,” mentioned Raya. “Competing in each single place, that raises your stage. I’ll elevate my stage and he’ll elevate his stage. That may solely profit the group. That is the primary factor.”
How does Kepa examine to Raya?
Wanting on the information for each goalkeepers from their final two league seasons, Kepa made 45 appearances in that point for Actual Madrid and Bournemouth whereas David Raya made 70. Kepa had a barely greater save share (72.7% to 69.3%) and a greater cross completion share (74.1% to 70.7%), however the disparity in matches performed makes that edge nearly non-existent.
Maybe of best significance, Raya made 11 errors resulting in a shot by an opponent. Kepa made two in the identical interval. Raya’s determine is the best of any Premier League goalkeeper previously two seasons.
What’s going to Arteta do?
Though it may be futile making an attempt to attract significant conclusions from pre-planned penalty shootouts on the finish of pleasant matches, Kepa may have obtained a notable confidence increase from saving three spot kicks as Arsenal misplaced 6-5 to AC Milan in Singapore (having received the precise match 1-0 because of a objective from Bukayo Saka). Sources say Arsenal’s coaches have been impressed with Kepa’s angle and willingness to be taught; Caña may very well be seen telling Kepa the place to place his palms when he does not have the ball throughout an open coaching session two days later.
Arteta mentioned: “Kepa just isn’t from very removed from the place I reside [in San Sebastián] and whenever you see him stroll by way of the door, instantly firstly, what do you suppose? I say, ‘Woah, Oh my god. Immediately, What a pleasure to work with.'”
Each goalkeepers performed 45 minutes towards Milan, however it’s logical to imagine Raya will begin the season as Arsenal’s No. 1. He has received the Premier League’s Golden Glove award — given to the keeper with essentially the most clear sheets — for the previous two seasons. Maybe Kepa’s arrival may even allow Arteta to do one thing he beforehand prompt was on his thoughts: substituting goalkeepers.
“I’ve few regrets, however considered one of them is that on two events, I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes of two video games on this interval to alter the goalkeeper in that second,” Arteta mentioned in September 2023, not lengthy after Raya had joined. “I did not do it, I did not have the braveness to do it. However I will take a winger or striker and put a centre-back on to play a again 5 to carry on to a end result. We drew these video games, and I used to be so sad.”
Sources have informed ESPN that one of many matches he’s referring to is a 2-2 draw at Liverpool in April of that yr. In his ongoing seek for the marginal positive aspects wanted to win a primary trophy in 5 years, Arteta could also be about to increase his progressive pondering to the goalkeeping division.