Goalkeeping icon reveals SIX secrets to David Raya's success: The Arsenal No 1's 'K-block', his spring, how he compensates for his height, the area he's always prided himself on... and where he can still improve

Gravity-defying leaps, match-winning blocks, brilliant distribution and calming catches are just some of the attributes that have helped David Raya become one of most important lieutenants in Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.

The Spaniard has won three consecutive Premier League Golden Gloves (awarded to the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets) and was instrumental in last season's title glory. 

Only Petr Cech and Joe Hart have more Golden Gloves, on four apiece, and Raya is hunting them down. He is also in the running for the Yashin Trophy – the Ballon d’Or for goalkeeper of the year.

Daily Mail Sport has enlisted the help of Asmir Begovic, the former Chelsea Premier League-winning goalkeeper with more than 300 appearances in the top flight, to break down Raya’s strengths, weaknesses and development across six key areas. 

The result is a portrait of a goalkeeper whose game is not simply about spectacular saves, but about making the right decision, at the right time, again and again.

ONE-ON-ONES

There is probably no better example of Raya’s proficiency at this element of goalkeeping than his wonder save against West Ham in May. With the score at 0-0, Mateus Fernandes was one-on-one against Raya with plenty of time on his side and a huge portion of the goal to aim at.

Yet Raya refused to commit early, standing tall and making himself as big as possible, forcing Fernandes to take the near-post option. When the shot finally came, Raya reacted brilliantly at point-blank range to block it with his body and keep the scores level.

It was that save that sent Arsenal on their way to the title, a stop made under intense pressure. Rather than gambling on where a striker will finish, he stays patient to narrow the angle and make the attacker beat him.

‘This is where he comes to life,’ says Begovic, who runs a goalkeeping academy specialising in coaching and educating young keepers.

‘He’s very good in terms of his decision-making, which techniques to use, when to go out, how to go. He's excelled in this part of the game. You can use different techniques. You can use a full spread: a smother where you throw your body and chest at the ball and go with your hands first.

‘You can use the K-block, which is something some goalkeepers use when you get really close to an attacker – when a keeper goes on his knee and puts his arms out like a K sign.

‘There's different ways you can challenge the attackers in a one-v-one situation. He has all those techniques. He's really good and selective as to when to use them.

‘The best (keepers) have different strings to their bow and are able to use different techniques and use them really well in times they need to.’

Begovic's verdict: 9/10 

SHOT-STOPPING

Raya’s reflexes are super sharp. And there are plenty of examples. There’s the save against Atalanta in the Champions League in September 2024 where he first sprang low to his right to parry Mateo Retegui’s penalty before somehow scrambling back to his feet and throwing himself in the opposite direction to claw the striker’s header off the line from the rebound. It was a remarkable display of agility and recovery.

Most recently, of course, he denied Enzo Le Fee from the penalty spot against Sunderland, diving sharply to his left and pushing the midfielder’s effort on to the post.

‘His shot-stopping has been one of the best (in the world), absolutely tremendous,’ says Begovic. ‘When you play for a team like Arsenal, it's not so much multiple shots a game, it's about having to make that one save. 

'And he's been able to do that. He's showed up in big moments and helped them win many, many games.

‘There's many things in shot-stopping. Of course, years of practise and training, your physicality, your power, your speed. So I think balance, technique, many different factors go into it.

‘In particular, if you look at his power, his spring is able to really cover the goal. That's what's needed. If you look at goalkeepers (like Raya) that are slightly shorter in height, then they need a lot of power and push to be able to go and cover the goal.

‘Goalkeepers that are a bit taller, bigger, they have a bigger wingspan, they can get away with maybe not having as much power. So his spring and power is second to none. You have to compensate.’

Begovic's verdict: 9/10 

AERIAL ABILITY

Of Raya’s many strengths, it’s in the air where a chink in the armour can be found. He is still very good, no doubt, just not superhuman like he is in most other categories.

At 6ft tall, he is one of the smaller goalkeepers in the Premier League, so can’t easily rise above everyone else on crosses and corners to steal the ball away from giants trying to score. Rather than simply plucking the ball out of the air, Raya often has to rely on his positioning.

‘He copes well but it’s the trade-off,’ says Begovic. ‘If you're at a certain height, and obviously you can't do everything, you have to rely on your team-mates to help in the air.

‘He competes, he punches, he uses different techniques. He might not be able to catch often because he might not be able to reach a certain place (due to his height), but he certainly makes good decisions as to when to go, when not to go for crosses.’

His size does, however, force Raya to compensate in other ways. It leaves him making use of his goalline more, instead of always coming out to catch the ball. ‘His main strength will be on the goalline and that's where he'll always look to revert to and make the save as and when he needs to,’ Begovic says. ‘People might assume that is not being aggressive, but actually sometimes it's being more sensible. 

'Because if you can't get the ball, you still give yourself a chance to make a save if you stay on the line. But if you go out and miss it, then you're usually in a world of trouble.

‘The best thing about Arsenal is they've built that relationship over time where they know what Raya’s strengths are and what they aren't, and when he's going to do things. He knows when to rely on his defenders (on aerial balls), and help them out in different ways.

‘It's very difficult to find goalkeepers who do absolutely everything. You have to pick and choose your battles.’

Begovic's verdict: 6/10 

DISTRIBUTION

Raya is amazing at distributing the ball quickly to set up counter-attacks through long throws and pin-point kicks down field. 

It helps make Arsenal deadly in transition. Raya can turn a defensive situation into an attacking opportunity within seconds. His long throws are particularly useful after corners, allowing Arsenal to bypass the first line of pressure and release players into space before the opposition can reorganise.

His solid distribution extends to a confidence in playing short passes under pressure, making him an important part of Arsenal's build-up from the back when they don't want to go long.

Begovic sees this as a real strength of Raya’s. ‘Making sure his distribution is spot on is something he's always prided himself on,’ he says.

‘He doesn't get into too many uncomfortable situations because of Arsenal’s backline but when he does, he has the different range of passing, which he also had at Brentford and Blackburn. It was always one of the strengths of his game.

‘There's the distribution with your feet, out of your hands, goal kicks. Obviously then in live play there’s dealing with pressure and dealing with different presses. Looking at his body type and the way he presents himself, it's something that he's quite comfortable in doing.

‘If I look now at Raya and Aston Villa’s Zion Suzuki and Jordan Pickford. They are very, very good at distribution. But Raya is right up there.’

Begovic's verdict: 9/10 

PERSONALITY

Raya is not a goalkeeper who hides from the spotlight. He is an assured and vocal presence behind Arsenal’s defence, demanding concentration from those in front of him while taking responsibility when the pressure is on.

He is also highly competitive and animated, his frustration quick to rise when things go wrong. Most importantly, Raya has shown a strong mentality when he has made mistakes, continuing to demand the ball and play out from the back, for example, rather than allowing errors to affect his confidence.

Begovic says: ‘He seems really well-balanced in how he approaches the game, great composure. He's been so reliable and that's the sort of presence you need at any club, but especially at a big club.

‘It's important to convey that sense of calmness. We call it being almost emotionally neutral, never get too high, never get too low, being consistent. They (the backline) look around and see you're very assured in what you're doing, very safe, very comfortable and that gives a lot of confidence to the other players.’

Begovic's verdict: 8/10 

THE 'BIG' MOMENTS

From all of Raya’s strengths, there is one area Begovic believes the Spaniard has improved most in.

‘That ability to make the big saves,' says Begovic. 'In Arsenal's progression, he's not had to make as many saves, but we can look at many games where he makes those big, crucial saves.

‘That's a skill because it takes concentration, it takes focus, a save that happens in the 75th minute after maybe not having had an awful lot to do. So that's definitely something where he's progressed his game and again, it shows why he’s of the world's best. The other thing is consistency. His consistency at the highest level has definitely improved.’

For Begovic, Raya should win the Yashin Trophy. ‘Yes, he’s been the best all-round goalkeeper in the season and the most consistent in his performances,’ he says.

Raya will certainly have earned the accolade.

Begovic's verdict: 9/10 

Follow this link https://ab1academy.com/ to find details of Asmir Begovic’s goalkeeping academy which has five centres in the UK and is inspiring the next generation of keepers