Should snap up Dean Henderson. What's done is done and we just have to accept it and move on.

Would be like insisting on playing Baka and Drinkwater as our midfield 2 because they cost big money. But we are not, we are eating the cost, loaning them and paying part of their wages.

Get a replacement and loan Kepa back to Spain, hope he hits form and gets a buyer.

And if we cannot sign a replacement then just play Jamie Cummings. He cannot be worse.

Edited January 19, 20206 yr by axman2526

The stats suggest that Kepa could be blamed for around 40% of the goals we conceded, which is horrible when you consider that our best striker is contributing to around 40% of the goals for the team, meaning whatever Tammy is trying to do for the team Kepa might directly put Tammy's efforts to a 0 overall.

Kepa doesn't look like a keepr for a top 4 team at this point. Last season was his first season so he got a pass but now it's simply impossible to defend him. There is no way to make a case for Kepa.

 

I'd re-sign Marcin Bulka ... he's only played once at PSG so far ... kept a clean sheet ...  thought he looked excellent in Sarri's pre-season. Inexplicable that he never got a look in during that regular season. I like the idea of having a 6'6" bloke in goal - better reach for shots, better on dealing with crosses ...  physically imposing ... Kepa always looks to me like he's playing two or three levels above his age group 🙂

19 hours ago, Skinnedy said:

Meanwhile, Nick Pope is putting on a master class for Burnley.

Were you not watching last week?

3 hours ago, yorkleyblue said:

Were you not watching last week?

I was. Big mistake in him. He was MOTM yesterday though, and at the exact moment I was in this thread talking about keepers, he was saving a penalty... Thought it was a bit ironic...

 

I feel we need a couple of tanks to handle opposing players. Kepa is unable to handle anything in the box.

On ‎19‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 13:59, 2211 said:

I agree, I think having confidence in your keeper adds an extra layer of protection, if not physically then at least mentally.

People always say ‘it was from 6 yards out he had no chance’ but surely there’s got to be an element of him obviously needing to control his box better, he is allowed to jump and use his hands after all.

This is a valid point. There are two trains of thought for keeping nowadays. One is the coming off your line, powerful, claiming the ball. But you run the risk of the Leno gaffe of course.

Then there is the athletic pouncers, the reactors. Those that face outwards with their feet set early ready to react and block the shots coming at them. So if our guy is this fella, then he should be stopping headers from six yards out that are still within the reach of the span of his arms.

Unfortunately this keeper doesn't seem to fall into either category.

I think it was telling that 2 minutes after Kepa wasn't able to prevent them from scoring, Dubravka came charging off is line and collected the ball in amongst the crowd of players.

He's been rumbled...

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/11913442/kepa-arrizabalagas-chelsea-future-is-he-a-problem-for-frank-lampard

I don't like to say it does really look like we need a new goalkeeper. Does anyone know if he was any better in Spain?

I know next to nothing about Bulka, except that he looked very good in pre season under Sarri. I fully understand we went out and bought a goalkeeper. But it hindsight that is starting to look like a costly mistake.

1 hour ago, coco said:

He's been rumbled...

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/11913442/kepa-arrizabalagas-chelsea-future-is-he-a-problem-for-frank-lampard

Pretty spot on. In my view we need two things to happen rapidly. One is a new goalkeeping coach and two is genuine competition for him.

I can name three keepers who are having ripper seasons in France. All of whom are pretty good in the air and are attainable:

1. Walter Benitez from Nice who is every chance of being Argentina's keeper at Copa America

2. Pedreg Rajkovic from Reims who keeps for Serbia

3. Gautier Larsonneur from Brest who is touted by many as the successor to Lloris in the French team.

All of them would jump at the chance to join us and all could be top keepers for a decade not just as competition but even as number 1s. It's a hard area to replace in January but these three should be on the list in the summer.

Edited January 21, 20206 yr by Spiller86

16 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

Pretty spot on. In my view we need two things to happen rapidly. One is a new goalkeeping coach and two is genuine competition for him.

I can name three keepers who are having ripper seasons in France. All of whom are pretty good in the air and are attainable:

1. Walter Benitez from Nice who is every chanve of being Argentina's keeper at Copa America

2. Pedreg Rajkovic from Reims who keeps for Serbia

3. Gautier Larsonneur from Brest who is touted by many as the successor to Lloris in the French team.

All of them would jump at the chance to join us and all could be top keepers for a decade not just as competition but even as number 1s. It's a hard area to replace in January but these three should be on the list in the summer.

As a matter of principle it's a no for the Benitez fella.

Just now, Valerie said:

As a matter of principle it's a no for the Benitez fella.

Oh cmon Val I promise he is neither fat nor a waiter! 

Granted none of them seem to have Carlo's Italian good looks so that might not bode well for them with you...

Keylor Navas was so wasted at Real Madrid but I don't remember why he wasn't an option or a consideration for us, he isn't perfect but he's a good keeper.

I would still consider Donnarumma, he's at least not afraid like Kepa.

2 hours ago, coco said:

He's been rumbled...

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/11913442/kepa-arrizabalagas-chelsea-future-is-he-a-problem-for-frank-lampard

@Skinnedy  On each of the charts in @coco's link above Pope is only just above Kepa, and is almost equally as bad, statistically speaking.

Clearly something needs to change. We cannot mount any kind of serious challenge if 1 in 2 shots form inside the box ends up in a goal. Not when we have a forward line that lacks the creativity and nous to unlock a a packed defence.

1 hour ago, yorkleyblue said:

@Skinnedy  On each of the charts in @coco's link above Pope is only just above Kepa, and is almost equally as bad, statistically speaking.

And look where the Newcastle keeper and dean Henderson are. Two good targets right there.

I like Dean Henderson but I think we got zero chance of Man Utd selling us a goalkeeper.

I think we should give him one last chance in the face of some competition (mainly due to his price tag over anything else) and if that still isn't enough then let him go.

Most expensive and statistically worse keeper in the league, lol. Come on Frank, you had real guts as a layer show it as a manager and drop him for either Willy Cab or even Jamie Cummings. I doubt thy do worse.

Edited January 21, 20206 yr by axman2526

Id sell personally. 

I just dont see a top keeper in him. 

He is awful at commanding his area. Never comes to even punch balls into the box, i get he is small, but surely with his reach, he is still 'taller' than even the tallest players. Keepers are so over protected, if he was a little braver, he could at least come for bals around the 6 yard box, but he is just rooted to his line.

He is a decent shot stopper, but not one of the best in the league, let alone europe. He seems slow to react at times, and when you factor in his height, it stops him reaching some shots ypu would hope a top keeper would save. 

His distribution is extremely overrated. He is decent with his feet, but he doesnt really stand out in that department compared to ederson or allison. We play out from the back, but not in the same way we did under sarri, if we are under pressure, we can and do go long. Surely another keeper could handle that. 

He has had his moments for us, and no doubt he will improve, but i dont think he will ever improve enough to make up for the frailties he brings to the team. 

We effectively paid £35m for him, so if we could recoup around that for him, then i would take it. 

I really like the lazio keeper, Strakosha. 

6 hours ago, yorkleyblue said:

@Skinnedy  On each of the charts in @coco's link above Pope is only just above Kepa, and is almost equally as bad, statistically speaking.

yup... and he cost 1.5M or something. I wasn't advocating for Pope, I just happened to be typing that message at the exact moment he was saving a penalty... which again, seemed ironic...

On 19/01/2020 at 21:43, Sexyfootball said:

I'd re-sign Marcin Bulka ... he's only played once at PSG so far ... kept a clean sheet ...  thought he looked excellent in Sarri's pre-season. Inexplicable that he never got a look in during that regular season. I like the idea of having a 6'6" bloke in goal - better reach for shots, better on dealing with crosses ...  physically imposing ... Kepa always looks to me like he's playing two or three levels above his age group 🙂

Can't believe we let Bulka go and on a free to PSG.

We had him for three years from 16-19 and I said before, he looked the best keeper we have ever had at the academy. I thought we finally had a good young keeper who could go on to be our No.1 for a good few years. Then suddenly we sign Kepa (who I had never heard of) for £70M and our young prospect sees the way blocked to regular first team football and leaves for £0. Mark my words, in a couple of seasons, this lad will be one of the top keepers in football whilst Kepa is plying his trade in the third tier of La Liga.

Really poor business by the club. We have been well & truly Mugged.

Edited January 21, 20206 yr by Nibs

5 hours ago, 2211 said:

I like Dean Henderson but I think we got zero chance of Man Utd selling us a goalkeeper.

I agree to an extent but surely it would be a worth a bid for him? Offer him the no.1 spot in place of Kepa and we’re set for the next 15 years. You’d think De Gea has their no.1 spot for the next 5 years at least? He’s having a great game against City at the moment... let’s get him! 

9 minutes ago, sabin6912 said:

I agree to an extent but surely it would be a worth a bid for him? Offer him the no.1 spot in place of Kepa and we’re set for the next 15 years. You’d think De Gea has their no.1 spot for the next 5 years at least? He’s having a great game against City at the moment... let’s get him! 

Just about to post exactly that, just saved a Pen as well

3 shots faced, 3 goals conceded. Thankfully 1 of them was offside. Sell him.