Vindication for Mikel Arteta! Arsenal boss' much-maligned signings have been pivotal to 2024 revival

That Raya would turn out to be the match-winner was further vindication of Arteta's brutal and brave decision to move on from Aaron Ramsdale as his first-choice goalkeeper in the summer.

That move was not widely popular at the time, both within sections of the fanbase and in the media. Raya wasn't immediately inserted into the starting XI, not making his Premier League debut until September, but once he made that maiden bow, it soon became clear that he was now Arteta's go-to option between the sticks, despite the coach outlining a utopian vision where the pair would rotate - perhaps even during a game.

Arteta was criticised by a host of media figures for his ruthlessness, including David Seaman and Peter Schmeichel, with Ramsdale's father even infamously chipping in with some harsh words.

However, after some shakiness early on, Raya has more than proved that he is an upgrade on the man he replaced in goal. Most obviously, the Spaniard has facilitated a marked improvement in how Arsenal have dealt with balls into the box this season. No Premier League goalkeeper has claimed a higher percentage of crosses (14.9%) they have faced this term, with Ramsdale racking up a figure of just 5.8% in 2022-23.

Raya is far more comfortable in the build-up phase too. His pass completion numbers are superior to Ramsdale's last season, while his quick throws and goal-kicks regularly create good opportunities for his team-mates.

Despite this, if there was any question mark remaining over Raya's superiority over Ramsdale, it would be shot-stopping. Neither goalkeeper is among the absolute best in the world in this area, but on Tuesday, the ex-Brentford man proved he can be relied upon to come up with game-settling stops.

Even before the penalty shootout began, Raya was called into action, saving well from Evanilson in the first half and Francisco Conceicao in the second. When his big moment came, he relished it, diving down to his left to keep out Wendell and Galeno's efforts from 12 yards, while also getting something Marko Grujic's spot-kick.

Raya was understandably delighted at full-time, saying: "This means everything. You play football for these kind of things and I'm lucky to be playing for Arsenal, to be in the Champions League and to get through to the quarter-finals. We're just going to enjoy the night."

Securing their passage into the last eight for the first time in 14 years is a massive moment for the club, and finally winning a European knockout game at the Emirates (after five previous, unsuccessful attempts) ensured Arteta got a sizeable monkey off his back. That it was one of his most-maligned signings who got them there will only make the victory sweeter.

Raya is not the only of Arteta's recruits who have been proving their doubters wrong recently, too. When Jorginho arrived at the club in January 2023, there were concerns. Arsenal had had their fingers burnt recruiting aging Chelsea players in the past and supporters were frustrated that the Gunners hadn't managed to secure their top midfield target: Moises Caicedo.

The Italian's slow start to life at the Emirates did little to quell this disappointment, either. He was even linked with Fenerbahce last summer and made a poor error in the Gunners' underwhelming north London derby draw in September.

After that, Jorginho looked set to be consigned to the status of bit-part player under Arteta. However, more recently, the midfielder has stepped up with a string of player-of-the-match performances. He was vital in unpicking Sevilla's stubborn defence at the Emirates in November, and was absolutely brilliant when the Gunners romped to a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in February.

After that display, Arteta revealed that Jorginho has been dealing with a niggling injury all season, a complaint he appears to have now shaken off.

"(He was) Unbelievable. I always say that he’s an example, a role model. He’s been in a lot of pain because he’s had an issue he’s been carrying for months. He didn’t want to stop, he’s been playing with that. He’s been training, always the first one in and the last one out.... I’m really lucky to have players like this," the Arsenal boss said.

He added: "I was imagining how much we were going to need him. He’s a really intelligent player, his biggest quality is that he makes the people around him better. He connects everybody."

Arteta is spot on. In recent weeks, Jorginho has been a near-constant starter at the base of midfield, conducting the Arsenal attack perfectly. It was more of the same against Porto, as he picked his passes terrifically and broke up the play.

His presence also allows Declan Rice to push forward more regularly, and he has a similarly fruitful understanding with Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard.

Caicedo, in stark contrast, is still finding his feet at Chelsea. At this point, there's little doubt that Arteta and Co were right to pick up the experienced operator for a comparable pittance. He is exactly what they need, radiating composure to his younger team-mates.

Jorginho's rise in importance has been mirrored by another ex-Chelsea man's improvement too. No Arteta signing has received as many negative reviews as Kai Havertz this season, as his £65 million ($83m) transfer fee was repeatedly called into question when Arsenal were scratching around for cash to fund their pursuit of a goal-scoring striker in January.

In response, Havertz has finally started to find the back of the net with regularity since the turn of the year, enjoying a run of four goals and two assists in his last four Premier League appearances. This period included an absolutely vital winner against Brentford, with the German's powerful header settling things at the Emirates last Saturday.

Not every question mark has been answered, of course, with Havertz sleepwalking through the Porto game and committing a few petulant fouls. But even when he isn't completely effective, he has a habit of still contributing to results. On Tuesday, for instance, he coolly tucked his penalty away in the shootout, as he continues to prove he might just turn out to be an inspired signing after all.

They may not have attracted as many headlines as Havertz, but fellow new-ish arrivals Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior have also proved their usefulness in 2024. Like Jorginho, Trossard was dismissed as another 'safe' signing compared to more exotic Mykhailo Mudryk, who Arsenal were heavily linked with in the same window, but his list of iconic Gunners moments grew further on Tuesday night when he finished superbly from Odegaard's ingenious pass to draw Arsenal level on aggregate.

Kiwior, meanwhile, is growing into his role at left-back nicely. Considering how hard he found first-team minutes to come by during the early part of his Emirates career, the fact he's now above Oleksandr Zinchenko in the defensive pecking order speaks volumes of his patience and reliability.

He has made the position his own since coming on as a half-time substitute in his side's win over Liverpool last month, starting every game since, with Arsenal winning each of these aside from the away defeat to Porto.

Kiwior is not the flashiest going forward, and his arrival last January did not get many supporters excited, but he is building confidence defensively and is beginning to look like very good value at just over £20m ($25m).

After spending most of January being questioned for his spending choices, Arteta will take a great deal of satisfaction from some of his most controversial signings coming up big for him this calendar year. But the Gunners can't afford to rest on their laurels in the summer.

Despite Havertz's improved form, his earlier goal drought raise concerns over whether he's the man to lead the line for Arsenal over the next few years. The club have been linked with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney in the recent past, and all the signs seem to point to Arteta needing to go big on a reliable, attacking focal point at the end of the season.

Still, right now Arsenal are in a far better place than seemed likely back in January. And for that, Arteta and his recruitment team deserve credit, with plenty of humble pie being served up by the Gunners' under-fire arrivals over the past few weeks.