Arsenal missed out on what could have been a valuable win after conceding a late equalizer away to Sunderland, but David Seaman shares his thoughts on the result
Arsenal icon David Seaman has suggested David Raya had to bear some responsibility for Sunderland’s sucker punch at the Stadium of Light. The Gunners thought they were on the brink of a valuable win in the North East after goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard turned the game on its head.
Former Arsenal academy graduate Dan Ballard opened the scoring for the Black Cats. However, Brian Brobbey scored an acrobatic equalizer in stoppage time and the hosts were not denied an attack.
Gunners legend Seaman, in his analysis of the match, suggested Raya was to blame. Speaking on Premier League Productions, he said: “Whether Raya should come or not, I question that. And the way he comes for the ball and tries to catch it, is he aware that he (Blobby) is coming?”
“Great finish from Blobby, but I question Raya’s decision. Should he have come for the punch instead of trying to catch the ball?”
Raya’s lapse in concentration was somewhat unexpected given the form he has shown for Arsenal in recent seasons. The Spaniard has developed into one of the Premier League’s outstanding goalkeepers and has been a major factor in the Gunners’ impressive defensive performance so far this season.
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Raya has made 111 appearances for the Gunners since joining from Brentford, keeping 50 clean sheets.
Arsenal opened up a seven-point gap at the top of the table after drawing with Sunderland, but that gap could close when Liverpool face Manchester City on Sunday. But Seaman suggested a draw against Sunderland would not be the end of the world given the circumstances.
“It was a difficult game, especially if you look at the first half,” he added. “It looked difficult, but Sunderland were well organized and knew exactly what to do against Arsenal, which was to hit long and play inside Arsenal’s half rather than coming out from the back.”
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“When they played from the back, they conceded goals. But Arsenal… this was a big test, so they’re in a good position.”
Arsenal will be inactive domestically for the next few weeks due to international matches in November. And they face a very difficult task with the latest North London derby against fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur coming up in two weeks’ time.
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