Another 166 million in nines, but in the end it all depends on Kepa

Kepa sent the decisive penalty of the Carabao Cup to the clouds. The Spanish goalkeeper came out for the shootout, in a strategy that on other occasions, such as in the European Super Cup, had worked for Tuchel. Kepa failed and now we have to find a culprit. The goalkeeper took on the pressure after having performed during the time that Mendy has been fulfilling his commitment in the Africa Cup of Nations. Kepa, in fact, has reversed the inertia that was about his person and his performance in goal for Chelsea at the start of 2022.

Tuchel used a tactic that already gave him success in the European Super Cup against Villarreal in the Carabao final against Liverpool. He took Kepa out because he is the best of the goalkeepers he has in terms of penalties, but this time he could not stop any shooter. The starting probability of a penalty being converted is 70 percent. Kepa could not stop any of the 11 that Liverpool shot and some try to focus criticism on the goalkeeper for missing a shot, something for which he obviously does not prepare or is his job. Kepa came from a good moment of lucidity and this accident should not blur what he had been doing. Perhaps Tuchel could have built his confidence by making him start the entire game, as he had done in the previous five games of the same competition, which had seen Chelsea reach the final.

“This season he has repaired part of the damage that his performances had done to him before and also what happened in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City when he refused to leave. There was no one willing to take Kepa on loan and less so permanent (transfer). Considering what Chelsea paid for him makes it very difficult, because they don’t expect anyone to make as big a hit as they would expect as an offer. But this season with Tuchel, when he replaced Edouard Mendy, he’s shown some of his qualities and there’s a much better chance there’s a market for him now because of it, even though Sunday’s final didn’t go as planned.” analyzes for As Adrian Kajumba, a reporter for the Daily Mail.

Who did come out in defense of the Spanish goalkeeper was former footballer Jamie Carragher. During the post-match gathering in Sky Sports, the same in which Jamie Redknapp charged against Kepa Arrizabalaga and Thomas Tuchel, the former Liverpool player defended the decision made by the German coach. In addition, on his personal Twitter account, he published the statistics of Chelsea’s Spanish goalkeeper that would support his entering the pitch for the penalty shootout: “The day before yesterday… Kepa played in all 3 penalty shootouts this season, conceding 11 of the 17 he faced (4 saves plus 2 missed). He has conceded 65% of penalties. Mendy has conceded 12 of 13 penalties for Chelsea (92%), including the 5 he conceded in his only penalty shoot-out for the club (against Spurs).”

The final ended 0-0 and Chelsea were unable to score against Liverpool, despite all the artillery that the London team has in their squad. You have to keep an eye on other details to see that Chelsea is experiencing a more than strange situation at the forefront. His last two great signings in the forward end started the game on the bench. 163 million between Lukaku and Werner, who later had their moment, but also did not give Tuchel’s team the necessary boost in attack. The German even saw how Kelleher was about to save his penalty in the shootout.

Since Abramovich made his first signings for Chelsea in 2003, only nine 571 million euros have been invested in transfers. Drogba, Shevchenko, Falcao, Torres, Diego Costa, Batshuayi, Morata, Higuaín, Crespo, Eto’o, Pizarro, Kalou, Anelka, Mutu, Kezman have passed through Stamford Bridge… But lately not even the millions are conducive to hitting the key . Lukaku has just arrived after turning Serie A upside down, but he doesn’t quite fit into the system of a Tuchel who has been finding better performance with Havertz at the top, but the German is not a pure nine. He was already getting tired of Werner last season, when the German accumulated errors and more errors in the definition, despite having invested 53 million for him.

But Tuchel had just won the Champions League and was allowed the signing of a nine as a prize to attempt the assault on the Premier. At any cost. No Haaland was reached and Lukaku was signed for 113 million. Now the Belgian has already made his divorce with his coach publicly palpable. He came from being the player on which the Serie A champion Inter orbited to be one more piece of a London gear where he does not finish adjusting. 166 signings in center forwards in two years, but in the end everything has to depend on whether or not Kepa scores a penalty…