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David Raya was hailed as \u201cphenomenal\u201d by Mikel Arteta and \u201cunbelievable\u201d by Kai Havertz after Arsenal\u2019s 1-0 win over Sporting, but Kenny Cunningham\u2019s not having the Spanish goalkeeper, claiming he lacks the \u201caura\u201d to be considered among the world\u2019s best and that his teammates are \u201cblowing smoke\u201d.<\/p>\n
Havertz scored the stoppage-time goal for the Gunners in a victory typical of Arsenal this season<\/strong>in which their strength in defence was key while they lacked creativity in the final third.<\/p>\n Raya made a couple of very good saves to keep Sporting at bay and Rui Borges hailed him as \u201cthe best player on the pitch\u201d<\/strong> after the game.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cthe better goalkeeper\u201d.<\/p>\n The former Republic of Ireland and Birmingham defender said on Premier Sports Ireland: \u201cIn terms shot-stopping: very good, athletic. Does he make a fair number of good quality saves? Yeah, absolutely.<\/p>\n \u201cDecent with the ball at his feet, yeah. I think Caoimhin Kelleher is better in terms of his ball distribution.<\/p>\n \u201cIn terms of coming off his line and dominating the box, the six-yard box and beyond, and really imposing himself, I don\u2019t think he does it often enough.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he goes into his shell a little bit when the opposition put players into the six-yard box and I don\u2019t think he dominates. I think that\u2019s the small weakness in his game.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I don\u2019t put him up with the likes of (Gianluigi) Donnarumma, (Thibaut) Courtois\u2026 Alisson we know is on the slide a little bit, to an extent.<\/p>\n \u201cCaoimhin 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere does he get the advantage on Caoimhin Kelleher? Those three facets.\u201d<\/p>\n Given gave Cunningham the short shrift his comments deserved in reply.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure you can compare Caoimhin Kelleher and David Raya. I\u2019m here to talk about David Raya because he played tonight,\u201d Given responded.<\/p>\n \u201cI said this before the game and I\u2019m not saying I\u2019m right and he\u2019s (Cunningham) is wrong, I\u2019m just saying the performance tonight was absolutely brilliant.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talk about the save in the first half\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Cunningham cut in: \u201cOne save, one very good save in the first half! That\u2019s it. That (the praise from Kai Havertz) is his team-mate there, blowing smoke.\u201d<\/p>\n But Given insists Raya is one of the key reasons why Arsenal have done so well this season.<\/p>\n \u201cYou speak to people who know about goalkeepers and ask them\u2026 I think he\u2019s one of the reasons they\u2019re nine points clear at the top of the Premier League,\u201d Given explained.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the reasons why they\u2019re probably one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League is because of David Raya as well.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are big games coming up around the corner over the next seven weeks and he\u2019ll play a huge part in what they\u2019re going to succeed with.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: Arsenal are not bottlers; they are just exhausted<\/strong><\/p>\n On Cunningham\u2019s insistence that Raya fails to dominate his box, Given added: \u201cI disagree with that as well. He\u2019s one of the springiest, he picks crosses up from lots of stuff that other goalkeepers don\u2019t come for.<\/p>\n \u201cI disagree with that totally. There was one at the start of the second half, he was on the halfway line, out for a header.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a sweeper \u2018keeper, he\u2019s on the front foot and he reads the game so well. It\u2019s not just about shot-stopping, it\u2019s about decision-making, setting the tone of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a goalkeeper, he does everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Refusing to back down, Cunningham insisted Raya lacks the \u201caura\u201d or \u201cpersonality\u201d to be thought of in the same bracket as the very best goalkeepers in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it is just in terms of the confidence. I think it\u2019s an aura, a personality, a presence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s difficult to put your finger on it. Hopefully I\u2019m giving you an understanding of what I\u2019m talking about.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m talking particularly in terms of crosses coming into the box, corner kicks, long throw-ins, it\u2019s such an important part of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cThose other goalkeepers that you\u2019re speaking about (Donnarumma and Courtois), for me, are ones who take responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n Given his back: \u201cI think Donnarumma has struggled this year, at times, with balls into the box and crosses into the box.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s 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 don\u2019t think that\u2019s a good example.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Donnarumma is a brilliant goalkeeper, I just think you\u2019re being extremely harsh (on Raya), to say the least.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n