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Three big questions: Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga and the way forward

By Travis Tyler

Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga looks on during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and Chelsea at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on July 11, 2020. (Photo by Rui Vieira / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga looks on during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and Chelsea at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on July 11, 2020. (Photo by Rui Vieira / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (C) saves a shot from Liverpool’s Senegalese striker Sadio Mane (L) during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in London on March 3, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /

Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga has had a rough season. Which three big questions should be asked ahead of the 2020/21 season?

The world knows Kepa Arrizabalaga had a terrible season. That should not be new information. It was so bad, in fact, that Chelsea already seems poised to move on from their record signing with just about any promising warm body to put between the sticks. What that means for Arrizabalaga remains to be seen but there are several questions that linger over the coming season for the Spanish keeper.

1. Is there any way to rebound from this year?

Arrizabalaga had a terrible season. In far too many metrics, he was not the worst keeper of the top six. He was the worst keeper in the Premier League. Chelsea managed to finish fourth on the back of every other stat, but having a keeper turn up like that could have made for a much more disastrous season than it did.

The season is an outlier, but not so far out that the Blues should not be alarmed. This is clearly the keeper’s worst season as a professional, but his stats in other seasons are not so much better that the Blues can simply wave away 2019/2020.

Add on that Frank Lampard has clearly lost faith in him and it becomes a very sticky situation. Willy Caballero should not be starting over the club’s record signing. Yet he is and he has done better. That is a major issue.

If Arrizabalaga is somehow the starting keeper next season, there will need to be a massive rebound in form or Chelsea will be hoping the ten outfielders carry them along again.

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