Chelsea: Kepa deserves more protection, not just from defence

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has come under fire for performances all season, but it’s about time he gets some protection.

The football media has barraged Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga over the last few weeks through articles, social media and videos. The posts paint an extremely damming view of the Blues’ No.1. No keeper this season has been subject to such ridicule like the 25-year-old, due to his heightened status as the world’s most expensive player in his position and the fact he has made some questionable decisions in the Chelsea net.

However, Arrizabalaga deserves more protection and less mockery from the outside world. Many have been too quick to jump on the bandwagon by picking out every perceived error rather than focusing on the positives of the young goalie. He was terrific in the face of Liverpool’s rampaging forwards in the FA Cup, a performance that was swiftly swept under the carpet, despite earning another clean sheet in the following game.

Life has not been easy for the £75 million man since landing in London; price tag aside, Arrizabalaga had to adjust quickly to his new surroundings after signing from Athletic Bilboa. Bilboa is the team his footballing cycle began with, so he had to quickly slot into the Chelsea first team whilst leaving his native country permanently for the first time in his professional career. The young keeper had the big gloves to fill of Thibaut Courtios during his maiden campaign, for which he did remarkably well, adding 14 clean sheets to the third strongest defence in the league for 2018/19.

The 25-year-old also has the pressure of following in the footsteps of the club icon Petr Cech, the pair now in close quarters with the Czech as Chelsea’s technical and performance adviser. Continuing on from that impressive first spell has been difficult, not only for Arrizabalaga, but the whole of the Blues’ backline. The defence’s ability to consistently concede goals has been an increasing concern for Frank Lampard and his free scoring squad.

Part of Arrizabalaga’s problem has been the frailties by the men in front of him and their part to play having already been condemned in their ‘keepers misgivings. Rumours have also started to circulate of Lampard’s hunt in replacing the Spaniard with Andre Onana of Ajax now representing a likely replacement. This may well be an improvement, but do not let this mask the fact Onana and Arrizabalaga were opposite numbers when Chelsea and Ajax shared four goals apiece in the thrilling European tie at the Bridge last November.

Lampard has already taught Arrizabalaga a lesson by dropping him for Willy Caballero, so perhaps the manager needs to start injecting more faith into his player rather than swamping him with doubt about his future. If the Blues were to sell, the price they’d receive in return would be considerably smaller than the hefty chunk shipped out for him last summer, a figure that certainly will not please Roman Abramovich.

So why not be patient for just a little while longer? Take David de Gea for example; like Kepa, he arrived fresh from Spain from Atletico Madrid and was pretty poor during his opening few years at Old Trafford. Gradually, he transformed into one of the world’s best and although his form has dipped recently, Manchester United has stuck with him. This is due to his integral part of the post-Alex Ferguson era.

Every top flight keeper makes mistakes: Ederson being lopped from 40 yards, the theatre of Jordan Pickford, even Allison Becker was caught out attempting a Cruyff Turn during his early days at Liverpool. Arrizabalaga is not perfect, but he has the abilities to be an excellent addition to the Chelsea spine, as long as he gains the backing of Lampard and the board instead of being shoved straight back into the transfer market.