David Raya was hailed as âphenomenalâ by Mikel Arteta and âunbelievableâ by Kai Havertz after Arsenalâs 1-0 win over Sporting, but Kenny Cunninghamâs not having the Spanish goalkeeper, claiming he lacks the âauraâ to be considered among the worldâs best and that his teammates are âblowing smokeâ.
Havertz scored the stoppage-time goal for the Gunners in a victory typical of Arsenal this season, in which their strength in defence was key while they lacked creativity in the final third.
Raya made a couple of very good saves to keep Sporting at bay and Rui Borges hailed him as âthe best player on the pitchâ after the game.
But Cunningham evidently has quite the vendetta against Raya, with his argument against him falling down somewhat at his insistence that compatriot Caoimhin Kelleher is âthe better goalkeeperâ.
The former Republic of Ireland and Birmingham defender said on Premier Sports Ireland: âIn terms shot-stopping: very good, athletic. Does he make a fair number of good quality saves? Yeah, absolutely.
âDecent with the ball at his feet, yeah. I think Caoimhin Kelleher is better in terms of his ball distribution.
âIn terms of coming off his line and dominating the box, the six-yard box and beyond, and really imposing himself, I donât think he does it often enough.
âI think he goes into his shell a little bit when the opposition put players into the six-yard box and I donât think he dominates. I think thatâs the small weakness in his game.
âThatâs why I donât put him up with the likes of [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, [Thibaut] Courtois⊠Alisson we know is on the slide a little bit, to an extent.
âCaoimhin Kelleher, for me, is the better goalkeeper. You need to tell me what attribute in his [Raya] game is better than Caoimhin Kelleher in terms of his shot-stopping, his distribution and his ability to command his box.
âWhere does he get the advantage on Caoimhin Kelleher? Those three facets.â
Given gave Cunningham the short shrift his comments deserved in reply.
âIâm not sure you can compare Caoimhin Kelleher and David Raya. Iâm here to talk about David Raya because he played tonight,â Given responded.
âI said this before the game and Iâm not saying Iâm right and heâs [Cunningham] is wrong, Iâm just saying the performance tonight was absolutely brilliant.
âWe talk about the save in the first halfâŠâ
Cunningham cut in: âOne save, one very good save in the first half! Thatâs it. That [the praise from Kai Havertz] is his team-mate there, blowing smoke.â
But Given insists Raya is one of the key reasons why Arsenal have done so well this season.
âYou speak to people who know about goalkeepers and ask them⊠I think heâs one of the reasons theyâre nine points clear at the top of the Premier League,â Given explained.
âOne of the reasons why theyâre probably one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League is because of David Raya as well.
âThere are big games coming up around the corner over the next seven weeks and heâll play a huge part in what theyâre going to succeed with.â
READ MORE: Arsenal are not bottlers; they are just exhausted
On Cunninghamâs insistence that Raya fails to dominate his box, Given added: âI disagree with that as well. Heâs one of the springiest, he picks crosses up from lots of stuff that other goalkeepers donât come for.
âI disagree with that totally. There was one at the start of the second half, he was on the halfway line, out for a header.
âHeâs a sweeper âkeeper, heâs on the front foot and he reads the game so well. Itâs not just about shot-stopping, itâs about decision-making, setting the tone of the game.
âAs a goalkeeper, he does everything.â
Refusing to back down, Cunningham insisted Raya lacks the âauraâ or âpersonalityâ to be thought of in the same bracket as the very best goalkeepers in the world.
âI think it is just in terms of the confidence. I think itâs an aura, a personality, a presence,â he said.
âItâs difficult to put your finger on it. Hopefully Iâm giving you an understanding of what Iâm talking about.
âIâm talking particularly in terms of crosses coming into the box, corner kicks, long throw-ins, itâs such an important part of the game.
âThose other goalkeepers that youâre speaking about [Donnarumma and Courtois], for me, are ones who take responsibility.â
Given his back: âI think Donnarumma has struggled this year, at times, with balls into the box and crosses into the box.
âHeâs getting involved in fighting people and punching at stuff, flapping at things when balls are in the box and the physicality of it so I donât think thatâs a good example.
âI think Donnarumma is a brilliant goalkeeper, I just think youâre being extremely harsh [on Raya], to say the least.â
Havertz scored the stoppage-time goal for the Gunners in a victory typical of Arsenal this season, in which their strength in defence was key while they lacked creativity in the final third.
Raya made a couple of very good saves to keep Sporting at bay and Rui Borges hailed him as âthe best player on the pitchâ after the game.
But Cunningham evidently has quite the vendetta against Raya, with his argument against him falling down somewhat at his insistence that compatriot Caoimhin Kelleher is âthe better goalkeeperâ.
The former Republic of Ireland and Birmingham defender said on Premier Sports Ireland: âIn terms shot-stopping: very good, athletic. Does he make a fair number of good quality saves? Yeah, absolutely.
âDecent with the ball at his feet, yeah. I think Caoimhin Kelleher is better in terms of his ball distribution.
âIn terms of coming off his line and dominating the box, the six-yard box and beyond, and really imposing himself, I donât think he does it often enough.
âI think he goes into his shell a little bit when the opposition put players into the six-yard box and I donât think he dominates. I think thatâs the small weakness in his game.
âThatâs why I donât put him up with the likes of [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, [Thibaut] Courtois⊠Alisson we know is on the slide a little bit, to an extent.
âCaoimhin Kelleher, for me, is the better goalkeeper. You need to tell me what attribute in his [Raya] game is better than Caoimhin Kelleher in terms of his shot-stopping, his distribution and his ability to command his box.
âWhere does he get the advantage on Caoimhin Kelleher? Those three facets.â
Given gave Cunningham the short shrift his comments deserved in reply.
âIâm not sure you can compare Caoimhin Kelleher and David Raya. Iâm here to talk about David Raya because he played tonight,â Given responded.
âI said this before the game and Iâm not saying Iâm right and heâs [Cunningham] is wrong, Iâm just saying the performance tonight was absolutely brilliant.
âWe talk about the save in the first halfâŠâ
Cunningham cut in: âOne save, one very good save in the first half! Thatâs it. That [the praise from Kai Havertz] is his team-mate there, blowing smoke.â
But Given insists Raya is one of the key reasons why Arsenal have done so well this season.
âYou speak to people who know about goalkeepers and ask them⊠I think heâs one of the reasons theyâre nine points clear at the top of the Premier League,â Given explained.
âOne of the reasons why theyâre probably one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League is because of David Raya as well.
âThere are big games coming up around the corner over the next seven weeks and heâll play a huge part in what theyâre going to succeed with.â
READ MORE: Arsenal are not bottlers; they are just exhausted
On Cunninghamâs insistence that Raya fails to dominate his box, Given added: âI disagree with that as well. Heâs one of the springiest, he picks crosses up from lots of stuff that other goalkeepers donât come for.
âI disagree with that totally. There was one at the start of the second half, he was on the halfway line, out for a header.
âHeâs a sweeper âkeeper, heâs on the front foot and he reads the game so well. Itâs not just about shot-stopping, itâs about decision-making, setting the tone of the game.
âAs a goalkeeper, he does everything.â
Refusing to back down, Cunningham insisted Raya lacks the âauraâ or âpersonalityâ to be thought of in the same bracket as the very best goalkeepers in the world.
âI think it is just in terms of the confidence. I think itâs an aura, a personality, a presence,â he said.
âItâs difficult to put your finger on it. Hopefully Iâm giving you an understanding of what Iâm talking about.
âIâm talking particularly in terms of crosses coming into the box, corner kicks, long throw-ins, itâs such an important part of the game.
âThose other goalkeepers that youâre speaking about [Donnarumma and Courtois], for me, are ones who take responsibility.â
Given his back: âI think Donnarumma has struggled this year, at times, with balls into the box and crosses into the box.
âHeâs getting involved in fighting people and punching at stuff, flapping at things when balls are in the box and the physicality of it so I donât think thatâs a good example.
âI think Donnarumma is a brilliant goalkeeper, I just think youâre being extremely harsh [on Raya], to say the least.â
