David Raya and his long-range shooting weakness: Arsenal paid a heavy price in the title race.
With the lowest long-range save percentage in the Premier League, David Raya is becoming the weakest link causing Arsenal to stumble against Wolves and threatening their title ambitions.
The disappointing draw against Wolves at Molineux not only cost Arsenal their advantage in the title race but also exposed a serious weakness in their goalkeeping position. Despite taking the lead through goals from Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie, the uncertainty surrounding goalkeeper David Raya negated all the attacking efforts.
The haunting memory of artillery fire.
Since the beginning of 2026, David Raya has consistently been the victim of long-range shots. The 61st-minute goal conceded from Hugo Bueno was just the latest link in a series of systematic errors. Before that, players like Eli Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth), Patrick Dorgu, and Matheus Cunha (Man Utd) had all beaten the Spanish goalkeeper from outside the penalty area.
Statistics show this is no matter of luck. In the Premier League this season, David Raya has faced 13 long-range shots on target and conceded 6 goals. His save percentage for shots from outside the box is a mere 54%, the lowest among goalkeepers in the league. For comparison, Sam Johnstone of Wolves, who is just above him, still has a save percentage above 70%.
Panic in injury time
Besides his technical weaknesses, David Raya's mental state is also at an alarming level. Edozie's equalizer in the 90+4th minute was the result of a series of clumsy defensive actions, with Raya being the main culprit with his unnecessary decision to rush out.
Speaking on Sky Sports, former player Alan Smith suggested that Raya's instability had spread anxiety to teammates like Leandro Trossard. He emphasized: "David Raya panicked and rushed out when he didn't need to. That's not a good sign for Arsenal's ability to handle pressure at this stage."
A wake-up call for Mikel Arteta.
With a score of 6.1 in the recent match, David Raya was the lowest-rated player for Arsenal. This is an extremely dangerous sign, especially considering Manchester City's frequent strong surge in the final stages of the season. If manager Mikel Arteta doesn't soon address the psychological issues and long-range shooting weaknesses of his number one goalkeeper, Arsenal risks once again watching their rivals lift the Premier League trophy for the fourth consecutive year.
