Arsenal’s David Raya in trouble after complaining about Brentford’s set piece tactics

That’s the situation facing goalkeeper David Raya after Arsenal conceded a late equaliser against Brentford in the Premier League. 

Keane Lewis-Potter’s 71st minute goal which forced the Gunners to share the spoils following a 1-1 draw at B-Tech Stadium has led to debate not just about the result, but its irony. 

The equaliser followed one of Michael Kayode’s trademark long throws into the Arsenal penalty area, a chaotic moment that saw Raya surrounded and crowded as Brentford attacked the second ball.

After the goal, videos captured the Arsenal goalkeeper appearing to complain to the referee John Brooks about obstruction and physical blocking during the set piece. 

The reactions from Premier League followers have been brutal as Arsenal dropped two crucial points that blew the title race open again.

“I can’t believe Raya is complaining that the players are blocking him when Kayode does his long throws. Am I dreaming? He’s really complaining?” one fan wrote on social media.

Another fan added sarcastically: “David Raya was complaining to the ref about Brentford set piece tactics and the ref did nothing. Poor decision from the ref!”

But it was the accusation of irony and a touch of hypocrisy that gained the most traction on micro-blogging platform X, formerly Twitter.

“The irony of Raya’s complaint is his inability to tolerate the very behaviour the exhibit,” another fan stated, referencing Arsenal’s aggressive set piece routines in the League this season. “Equally amusing was Odegaard's theatrical attempt to fake an injury, hoping VAR would disallow the goal.”

“This is karma, when the hunters become hunted,” another fan stated, before leaving sympathetic words for the Spaniard goalkeeper.

Mikel Arteta’ Arsenal have built a reputation this season for maximising marginal gains at set pieces, often crowding opposition goalkeepers to disrupt their command of their area. That reputation has fuelled the narrative that what unfolded against the Bees was poetic justice.

For Raya, however, the scrutiny goes beyond one complaint. In a title race where every dropped point is magnified, body language. Reactions, and perception all come under the microscope.

Whether his latest protest was justified or not, it indicates a simple truth - in football, especially at the highest level, there is little sympathy for irony, at least not from your rivals.