David Raya vs Aaron Ramsdale: Comparing Stats of Arsenal Goalkeepers After Chelsea Blunder

• The debate for who should be Arsenal's number one intensified after David Raya's blunders against Chelsea
• Raya was caught out by Mykhailo Mudryk, prompting calls for Mikel Arteta to reinstate Aaron Ramsdale
• Herein, we compare the stats of the two goalkeepers this season

Mikel Arteta's decision to sign David Raya from Brentford provoked mixed reactions from fans and pundits alike. Aaron Ramsdale's loss of concentration around the same time the Gunners' title ambitions crumbled showed the Spanish head coach that change was needed.

It was the brutal and unforgiving side of football for Ramsdale, who just two seasons earlier had come in from a relegated side and displaced Bernd Leno as Arsenal's number one.

As soon as Raya's loan deal with an option to buy went over the line, it became apparent that he would be the go-to custodian. Ramsdale would have to play second fiddle.

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But five games since his debut, Raya has left more questions than answers on whether he was really an upgrade on Ramsdale. He had shaky moments against Manchester City, when Julian Alvarez almost caught him out, plus a few wayward passes.

The concerns grew at Stamford Bridge, where apart from Mykhailo Mudryk catching him off-guard, he was once again guilty of misplaced passes, which the hosts failed to capitalise on. This drew reactions from the travelling fans, who called on Arteta to reinstate Ramsdale. The England international was away for the birth of his son.

"Great. I love him and I will sing as well for him every single day. We sang a lot for him yesterday because he became a father - the most beautiful thing," said Arteta, as quoted by GOAL.

Comparing Raya and Ramsdale's stats

Sports Brief takes a look at how the stats of the two goalkeepers compare. Ramsdale was in goal for the first four games, which means Raya has played a game more.

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They have each conceded four goals, but Raya has three clean sheets compared to Ramsdale's one.

Arteta was said to have been interested in a ball-playing goalkeeper, which is understood to be one of Raya's greatest assets. According to Premier League stats, the 28-year-old has attempted 198 compared to Ramsdale's 96.

Of the attempted passes, Raya has a successful completion rate of 78%, one ahead of Ramsdale's. This metric can be used to argue that as much as Raya has double the passes Ramsdale has, his successful completion ratio is way lower, exposing the team to turnovers in possession.

Raya is way better in terms of long pass accuracy, with 43% compared to 33%. His save success rate stands at 66.67% compared to Ramsdale's 55.56%.

Most valuable goalkeepers in the world

Sports Brief also reported that FC Porto's goalkeeper, Diogo Costa, has been adjudged to be the world's most valuable goalkeeper. Aged 24 years old, he has seemingly become Roberto Martinez's first choice for the Selecao.

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His fellow 24-year-old, Gianluigi Donnaruma, is second, with the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper also doubling as Italy's number one.

Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois has surprisingly ranked highly, featuring at position four despite being ruled out of the entire season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.