I don’t even assume Kepa Arrizabalaga was dangerous in opposition to Brighton on Sunday morning, and as all the time, the snippet highlights reels of him from our ‘personal followers’ displaying solely the ‘dangerous bits’ is simply ridiculous and doesn’t assist something or anybody.
In fact, we should always voice our views on issues, and that’s precisely what I’m doing right here. However I additionally wish to attempt to do not forget that Kepa has truly been tremendous professional at our membership and we’ve to respect that. He’s by no means moaned, by no means gone to the press, by no means achieved any silly interviews, and every time he has been requested to play he has are available in and achieved his greatest regardless of dropping his primary place to Edouard Mendy, who has now paradoxically been offered!
It’s not his fault that he has a brief attain and simply isn’t adequate to be a primary goalkeeper at Chelsea. I do assume while providing criticism to those gamers, it’s necessary to attempt to respect them as people as properly – one thing that I attempt to be extra conscious of the older I get. Romelu Lukaku actually pushes that barrier, however Kepa isn’t any Lukaku and I believe it’s necessary to do not forget that.
Some Chelsea followers actually appear to hate Kepa. However I actually don’t hate the man, I simply don’t charge him, and I do know that many different Chelsea followers really feel this fashion and will likely be indignant if we don’t signal a brand new primary.
I’m nonetheless massively annoyed that we’re not listening to any strong information on a brand new goalkeeper coming in. Not even something strong on a backup possibility, although it needs to be a brand new primary coming in and never a backup.
On the opposite aspect of this, I’m additionally questioning and hoping that the silence may very well be an excellent factor and one thing is being labored on behind the scenes. It’s clear to see of late with how a few of these strikes have simply come out of nowhere (Kudus and Olise), that Chelsea are actually attempting to maintain issues as quiet as they presumably can. And perhaps that’s why we’re listening to inconsistent and contrasting stories on the Moises Caicedo deal.
In order that hope is maintaining me as optimistic as potential on this and as I all the time say, there’s no manner I’m judging a switch window till it bodily closes.
However as a lot as I respect Kepa, there is no such thing as a manner we should always even be considering going into one other season with him as our primary stopper. If anybody, and I don’t even care if Mauricio Pochettino’s goalkeeping coach thinks Kepa is nice, but when anybody thinks Kepa is an efficient sufficient choice to the primary goalkeeper for a membership who need to be on the very high once more, then I’ve critical questions for them.
By all means if Kepa needs to remain as backup then tremendous, I’m content material with that. However we must be going all out for a brand new primary as precedence, and for me it’s not even a rattling debate.
I didn’t even assume Kepa’s distribution was that dangerous in opposition to Brighton and I truly gave him an OK write up in my report. However after I appeared again and dissected it some extra, there was some clear errors there. However that’s not even my foremost subject with Kepa. My foremost subject is his lack of pure attain. He concedes so many targets {that a} goalkeeper with an extended attain would save. He has no presence on crosses, and he’s horrible at saving from long-range.
Individuals say he’s an excellent shot-stopper from shut vary and I agree, he’s. However then why can’t we’ve a goalkeeper who is nice at saving from close-range, in addition to being good at saving from long-range, has an excellent attain on him, and dominates his field? Is that basically an excessive amount of to ask for a membership who need to climb again to the highest once more!? Nope, it completely isn’t.
I’m staying calm on transfers proper now, although the Liverpool recreation is fast-approaching. I’ve issues and frustrations that we’ve nonetheless but to deal with our two most necessary positions, a defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper. However I’m not at panicking phases simply but.
What I wish to see proper about now although, is a few strong actions for a high goalkeeper choices who’s no less than going to problem Kepa for the primary spot, if that’s the greatest we are able to do. Time is working out and there’s no manner that we needs to be beginning a brand new season with Kepa as our primary, with all due respect to him.
I’m not even going to start out on the captaincy factor….
I’ll preserve banging this drum.
