The fate of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has not changed despite a change of coach at Chelsea. The new coach Thomas Tuchel continues to reserve the Spanish goalkeeper, and the Blues are counting on Edouard Mendy who showed a brilliant performance.
Kepa, who started to become a reserve since Frank Lampard bought Mendy, is still the second in the Tuchel era. Of course, many are curious about why Tuchel still chooses to reserve Kepa and continues to play Mendy in goal for Chelsea.
Even though Kepa was brought in by Chelsea at a very expensive price, making the former Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper the most expensive goalkeeper in the world.
It is a loss to see that the goalkeeper who holds the status of the world’s most expensive is more often than not warming the bench. However, Tuchel has reasons why he still trusts Mendy more as the main goalkeeper than Kepa.
Tuchel saw Mendy as much better than Kepa from various sides. Of course Tuchel’s assessment is not subjective because he sees the results of the performance and appearance of the two goalkeepers when playing or during training.
Tuchel also listened and discussed with the goalkeeping coach to determine who deserves to be Chelsea’s main goalkeeper and from all of that, Mendy’s name is at the forefront. So, don’t be surprised if Mendy is played more often than Kepa.
“It is a decision we take together with the goalkeeping coach and the goalkeepers. We see them as a team competing for that one place, “said Tuchel as quoted by the London Football, Tuesday (9/3/2021).
“I am very happy with his performance (when Kepa played), but Edouard Mendy is number one (as a Chelsea goalkeeper),” added the German coach.
Tuchel’s choice to play Mendy in goal proved to be very precise. Because so far Chelsea have not been beaten at all in various competitions since Tuchel became the team coach.
Mendy has just conceded two goals and that is enough to prove how strong Chelsea’s defense is when guarded by the French goalkeeper. Most recently, Mendy has just returned to a clean sheet when he met Everton at Stamford Bridge, Tuesday (9/3/2021).
In the 2020/2021 English Premier League continued match, Chelsea won with a score of 2-0. The victory made Chelsea more firmly perched in third place in the competition standings.
