DAVID RAYA has opened up on his “worst game as a professional” footballer and how it inspired him to improve.
The Spanish goalkeeper joined Arsenal on loan from Brentford in 2023, with Gunners set to decide in the summer of 2024 whether they would trigger a £27million option to buy him permanently.
GettyDavid Raya has opened up on the lowest moment of his professional career[/caption]
His career had started well there as he managed to dislodge Aaron Ramsdale as the No1.
But his chances of sealing a full transfer and keeping the No1 spot took a dramatic dent after a pair of clangers against Luton in December.
Raya had firstly flapped when trying to come off his line for a cross at a corner to allow Elijah Adebayo to head home an equaliser to make it 2-2.
Less than ten minutes later Raya was once again found wanting as Ross Barkley fired a shot straight through him for the Hatters to take a shock lead.
Goals from Kai Havertz and an injury time winner from Declan Rice publicly spared Raya’s blushes, but the game proved to be a major trigger of self reflection privately.
Speaking on the Seaman Says podcast with legendary Gunners goalkeeper David Seaman, Raya said: “We go back to last year, it was like an adaptation year.
“I think we saw one David before the Luton game, and one David after Luton. That was a turning point of when I was at my lowest.
“That was the worst game I ever played as a professional. I just said to myself, ‘I need to f***ing change.’ Sorry about the language.
“I needed to change things and I need to turn it around because I wasn’t myself. So from there, I think we saw an improving David in goal and off the pitch.
“I think this season, from the start of the season, there’s been another goalie more like myself. I don’t think I was myself the whole season last year. There were good periods, very bad periods.
“And then from Luton towards the end of the season, it was a very good period, personally, but I knew I had more to give to the team and to everyone. I said to myself, this is the season.”
Raya pushed on from that disastrous performance to lead Arsenal to 12 more clean sheets that season to bring his total to 16 overall.
Mikel Arteta subsequently triggered the purchase option in the loan deal, with Raya affirming his spot as No1 in year two.
He has led the Gunners to nine shut outs and the best defensive record so far this season.
That was the worst game I ever played as a professional. I just said to myself, ‘I need to f***ing change.’ Sorry about the language.
David Raya
He added: “It was just an adaptation season because it’s difficult to come from Brentford to a big team. All the noise, of course you can not listen to it, but you know it’s behind you, so it’s tough.
“To turn it around to this season, I think I’m just myself, I’m just having fun playing. That’s the most important thing for a player. If you don’t have fun, you’re not going to be your best version.
“So I’m having fun every single game, enjoying playing and just taking the challenges.
“The pressure from last season to this season is completely different, in my opinion.
“I always said the pressures are what you put on yourself because you know how good you are, what you can do, and then just don’t listen to the outside world.”
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
