Chelsea: Club World Cup is Kepa Arrizabalaga’s chance to make history

Kepa Arrizabalaga’s Chelsea career has come with its fair share of ups and downs. He was always going to be judged more harshly than others due to the fact the Blues paid his massive release clause back in 2018, making him the most expensive goalkeeper transfer to date. However, the former Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper has had to deal with a lot of unnecessary criticism from football fans all over the globe through the last few years.

Arrizabalaga’s career in England began under Maurizio Sarri. The young goalkeeper wasn’t the best in the league under the Italian manager, but he did help his side reach the UEFA Europa League final via some penalty heroics. Chelsea would go on to lift the trophy with Arrizabalaga seen as the hero of the campaign. The following year was a different story.

The Spaniard struggled heavily under Frank Lampard, so much so the club saw it necessary to replace him. Arrizabalaga came under fire from supporters during that period of time. Edouard Mendy’s arrival and subsequent success only added to the scrutiny surrounding the now No. 2 goalkeeper. Nevertheless, Arrizabalaga has been given more opportunities under Thomas Tuchel’s guidance. He’s looked like a changed man, even better than in his first year in England. As the Blues now prepare to kick off their Club World Cup campaign, Arrizabalaga has an opportunity to immortalize himself in the club’s storied history.

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has a chance to write his name in the club’s history books at the FIFA Club World Cup this week

The 27-year-old’s renaissance of sorts over the last 12 months is nothing short of remarkable. He looked like one of the worst keepers in the league under Lampard and almost overnight, he became an entirely different player thanks to the semi-frequent votes of confidence from Tuchel. This is evidenced by a couple of simple goalkeeping statistics from his time under both managers. Overall, the numbers are almost night and day to each other by comparison.

Arrizabalaga played in 47 matches under Lampard over the span of 18 months. In that time, he allowed 66 goals and kept just 11 clean sheets. Looking at these stats in isolation, it is easy to see that these struggles were a product of both a leaky back line and a keeper short on confidence. However, in the safe hands of Tuchel’s defense, Arrizabalaga has become one of the most feared keepers in the country once again. The Spaniard has gotten playing time in 20 games since January of 2021. He’s conceded just 11 goals in that time and racked up an equal amount of clean sheets. “Equal to what?” you may ask. Equal to the number of goals conceded in the last 20 matches AND the same number of clean sheets he had in 27 more games under Lampard.

Arrizabalaga now has the opportunity to write his name in the club’s history books once again. His penalty-saving heroics helped the Blues lift their first trophy of the season in the UEFA Super Cup to kick off the campaign. Chelsea’s back-up now has the opportunity to win yet another trophy for his club this season in the Club World Cup. It’s also worth mentioning that Arrizabalaga’s contributions and a few other penalty shootout victories have the club sitting pretty in the Carabao Cup final, as well. Mendy’s participation in AFCON (which he won with Senegal because all the Blues do now is bring home silverware) means he will miss at least the semifinal against Al Hilal on Wednesday. Tuchel hasn’t named a starter for the next match—after all, the Blues do need to qualify first—but if history is anything to go by, the gaffer usually rewards the players that got them there in the first place.

The scrutinized Spanish international has already done enough in Mendy’s absence and over the course of the season to earn the supporters’ respect once again. However, if he is able to guide Chelsea to the first Club World Cup victory in the club’s history, he will be immortalized. As the spotlight shines down on the Blues over the next few days, it is Arrizabalaga that finds himself center stage on his journey to embed his name in the club’s folklore.

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