‘That is a sorry story for a £70m goalkeeper’: Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher join Chelsea fans in criticism of Kepa Arrizabalaga after yet another blunder – as pair claim Blues have ‘absolutely no chance’ of winning title with him in goal
It is a new season but more of the same for Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga who again came under heavy criticism despite his side’s 3-1 victory over Brighton.
Chelsea started the season off with a win thanks to goals from Jorginho, Reece James and Kurt Zouma, but the Spanish goalkeeper came under fire for Brighton’s goal.
Leandro Trossard made it 1-1 when his long-range left-footed strike flew underneath the body of the 25-year-old.
Kepa Arrizabalaga again came under criticism following his performance against Brighton
Leandro Trossard’s long-range equaliser went under the body of the 25-year-old Spaniard
And Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher said that Chelsea will struggle to win the title unless they improve their goalkeeper.
Neville said after the game: ‘The goalkeeper, obviously, you can’t let those goals in.
‘We’re trying to not be too critical of him. Chelsea were talking about winning the league but there’s absolutely no chance if you’re conceding goals like this.
‘This will cause a real problem. This goal goes under his arm. It’s not a great shot. There’s not a lot of power. He sees it from a long way. I don’t know what happens. Goals conceded from outside the box – 19. That is a sorry story for a £70m goalkeeper.’
Carragher added: ‘It may actually push the club to get this deal (Edouard Mendy) done a lot quicker because it could have cost them.
‘They very rarely get done in the transfer market but they’ve been done. He’s not a £70m goalkeeper. They missed out on Alisson and he was a last resort.’
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher said Chelsea need to improve their goalkeeper from Kepa
There has been speculation whether Chelsea could buy a new goalkeeper this summer with Lampard looking to sign Mendy from Rennes.
Neville said that Chelsea won’t win the league unless Lampard is ruthless with the team.
He said: ‘I used to be critical of (Simon) Mignolet and (Loris) Karius. As soon as Allison came it was normal.
‘At Man United as soon as (Edwin) Van der Sar came in it was normal. You will not win a league with a goalkeeper that is letting goals in from outside the box and doesn’t dominate his area.’
Edouard Mendy of Rennes could be set to head on his way to Stamford Bridge this summer
‘A few years ago it was seen I was targeting Karius. Liverpool were being prevented from being a championship winning team from not having a goalkeeper. Lampard knows he will be sacked in the next two or three years if he doesn’t win the league. He’s got to be ruthless.’
After the match Lampard said there was no news about any new signing of a goalkeeper and that he had confidence in Kepa.
Some Chelsea fans criticised the goalkeeper on social media with candylovesCFC tweeting: ‘Let’s be honest here: with Kepa in goal we’re panicking the entire 90 minutes, even when we’re 3-1 up. This is not good, not good at all.’
McVictor4life tweeted: ‘Really Mendy deal is taking long, it was be heart breaking to watch Kepa in post against Liverpool. Chelsea should get the Mendy announcement done immediately.’ While Zappacostafan added: ‘Tbh I hope that with Mendy coming in, Kepa can motivate himself to get better and stay as our number 1.’