Arsenal “monster” has just made himself as undroppable as Rice & Raya

The banter years may be no more at Arsenal Football Club but the fact they were forced to contest the first penalty shoot-out in the Champions League since 2016 was just typical.

The Gunners never do things the easy way and that was seen at the Emirates Stadium on a dramatic Tuesday night.

Mikel Arteta’s men had conceded a late goal in Portugal a fortnight ago, meaning they headed into the second clash 1-0 down. Fortunately, one all was said and done, that didn’t matter.

Leandro Trossard’s superb opener on the night could and should have given the hosts control but after 210 minutes of football across the two ties they couldn’t be separated. Step forward David Raya, the man of the hour or hours.

David Raya’s performance vs Porto in numbers

At the beginning of the season, Arteta admitted that he was delighted to have two such excellent goalkeepers at his disposal. “We have to use them” he barked, hinting that a real battle could play out between Raya and Aaron Ramsdale for a starting spot.

The latter began the campaign as the no.1 but since the first international break of 2023/24, it is the Brentford loanee who has been preferred. Initially, he looked edgy, perhaps not quite comfortable with the demands of playing for Arsenal.

Why had Arteta disrupted things in such a crucial position? No one really had the answer. Well, in 2024 the critics have been hammered away with vigorous force. If anyone still had doubt regarding who should be Arsenal’s ‘keeper moving forward their 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Porto should squash those once and for all.

Raya made two crucial saves and could have saved a third as the north Londoners made it through to the last eight of the competition where a whole host of European heavyweights sit in store.

The Spaniard’s display was arguably about more than just his heroics in the shoot-out, making three saves during normal time and succeeding with 100% of his run-outs. That was as well as boasting plenty of influence in possession with the goalkeeper’s 54 completed passes only two fewer than skipper Martin Odegaard and more than Kai Havertz.

Another one of the heroes on the night was Declan Rice. Of course it was.

The £105m summer signing stepped forward comfortably to net a penalty having been everywhere during the 120 minutes. He won five duels, completed 84% of his passes and even if none of his corners came off, was mightily impressive.

The two players in question have both marked yet more superb pieces of business by Arteta and Co but there is another rather underrated signing who deserves just as much praise; Jakub Kiwior.

Jakub Kiwior’s game vs Porto in numbers

Raya and Rice have both quickly cemented themselves as undroppable figures in this Arsenal team but Poland international, Kiwior, has had to bide his time for a fair share of playing time.

Signed rather unexpectedly in a £20m deal from Serie A side Spezia in the winter of 2023, the defender only played in seven matches in the Premier League last season.

However, with Oleksandr Zinchenko enduring a period of time on the treatment table in the opening stages of 2024 Kiwior has finally got his chance for regular minutes, albeit in an unfamiliar position.

A central defender by trade, the 24-year-old has been forced to play as a left-back which to begin with wasn’t met with great success. Having struggled in an inverted role in the 4-3 win over Luton, eventually hooked just after the hour mark, it looked as though we wouldn’t be seeing much more of him.

Though, since that moment Arteta has tweaked things. Kiwior doesn’t step inside like Zinchenko but operates as more of a typical full-back. Indeed, with four goal involvements in his last six domestic games, he’s still more than making an impact on proceedings.

No such attacking contribution was made in the win over Porto in midweek but as analyst Ben Mattinson suggests, he was a “monster” on the night defensively.

Handed an 8/10 match rating by The Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick, the reporter described it as the defender’s “best performance for the club.”

It’s certainly hard to dispute that, even if he did only complete 73% of his passes and ceded possession on 12 occasions. That said, he won 100% of his aerial battles and his one and only dribble.

Perhaps his finest moment came late in the second half to deny what would have been a certain goal, only for the offside flag to intervene. After Raya was forced into parrying a shot the ball sat up perfectly for Evanilson to find the net from close range, only for Kiwior to use his body as a shield and prevent an effort on goal.

It was a moment that summed up his gladiatorial display in the Champions League on Tuesday. He was eventually sacrificed for Zinchenko for the second period of extra time but it spoke volumes that he lasted that long.

The left-back position is now the former Spezia man’s to lose. Alongside fellow 2023 signings Rice and Raya, he is surely undroppable for the time being. A start against Manchester City at the end of the month would be truly deserved.