David Raya has said competition for starting spots is driving Arsenal’s blistering form and the goalkeeper believes the “incredible” depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad means they are capable of challenging on multiple fronts.
The 4-0 thrashing of Atlético Madrid on Tuesday was Arsenal’s sixth successive victory and their 10th win from their first 12 matches. Arsenal have conceded only three goals – the fewest at this stage in the club’s history – to help establish a one-point lead at the top of the Premier League and a perfect record in the Champions League after three matches.
Raya has started in every game apart from the Carabao Cup win over Port Vale last month but Arteta has been regularly rotating after spending more than £250m on recruits in the summer. Raya, asked whether that meant they could challenge for more than one trophy this season, said: “Yes, I think so. I think the depth of the squad is incredible. We have a lot of players and we have a lot of players that can play in two, three, four different positions.
“Like [against Atlético], [Mikel] Merino came on as a striker and he can play as a No 8, he can play as a No 10. So, that’s the variety that the boss has and he’s using it for our advantage and for the best of the team. It’s looking very, very good and that depth is very important for us.”
The Spain international added: “That gives you an extra level in training and in games because if you’re not at it every day, you can lose your spot in a fraction [of a second]. So, that gives that competitiveness in training and in games. That’s really, really important and everybody is on board with that.”
Arsenal have conceded only one goal from open play this season and Raya has had only one shot on target to deal with in their past three wins, over Atlético, Fulham and West Ham.
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“It’s a collective effort from the striker to the goalie,” he said. “So, everyone is on it, everyone doesn’t want to give anything and everyone wants to intercept that ball before it is getting even to the halfway line. So, if we intercept that ball, that means we can have a short counter. It’s really, really important for everyone to feel that way and we’re not giving away that many chances, which is perfect.”