Probably going to have a game time against Krassnodar.

Just now, IliyaKrostin said:

Probably going to have a game time against Krassnodar.

A shame Petr isn't in the Champions' League squad...

 

2 minutes ago, DidierDrogbalala said:

 

Honestly, Lampard deserves his own personal trophy for getting a top 4 finish with Kepa as his goalkeeper last season. 

11 hours ago, IliyaKrostin said:

Probably going to have a game time against Krassnodar.

I wouldn't have him on the pitch personally.

It's quite clear that the entire defence is gaining confidence by the minute playing in front of Mendy instead of Kepa. "Forcing" the likes of Christensen & Rudiger who's likely going to feature against Krasnodar to play with Kepa behind them again can only hurt that confidence for me.

I really wanted to like this guy and support him but he is just not up to it. Mendy dominates his box without fail.

Almost you can see the hunger in Mendy.

43 minutes ago, Brutos said:

I really wanted to like this guy and support him but he is just not up to it. Mendy dominates his box without fail.

Almost you can see the hunger in Mendy.

I can make you hate Kepa just fine with a few words. 

Sarri, cup final. 

Mendy has clearly established himself as first choice now so it will be interesting to see him Kepa pushes for a move in the January transfer window even if it is just a six month loan. 

3 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Mendy has clearly established himself as first choice now so it will be interesting to see him Kepa pushes for a move in the January transfer window even if it is just a six month loan. 

Hate to say it, but I think we're lumbered with Kepa for years, just like Drinkwater and Bakayoko. Hell we still have Moses and Zappacosta on loan and haven't been able to get rid of them. 

I think we will get some loans for him, but I can't see him being sold. It would be up to him, if he wants to take a salary cut for the sake of his career, or if he wants to drag out his contract and make money. Either way that's his choice, I won't begrudge a player in his position to make either or. I personally as a fan would love to see him take a pay cut for the sake of his career and try and rebuild it elsewhere, but I can't see that happening. Especially when he can sort of already do that with loans anyway. So we'll likely have Kepa for another 3-4 years is it? Hopefully the other deadwood I just mentioned are soon off the books. 

6 minutes ago, Slojo said:

Hate to say it, but I think we're lumbered with Kepa for years, just like Drinkwater and Bakayoko. Hell we still have Moses and Zappacosta on loan and haven't been able to get rid of them. 

I think we will get some loans for him, but I can't see him being sold. It would be up to him, if he wants to take a salary cut for the sake of his career, or if he wants to drag out his contract and make money. Either way that's his choice, I won't begrudge a player in his position to make either or. I personally as a fan would love to see him take a pay cut for the sake of his career and try and rebuild it elsewhere, but I can't see that happening. Especially when he can sort of already do that with loans anyway. So we'll likely have Kepa for another 3-4 years is it? Hopefully the other deadwood I just mentioned are soon off the books. 

He's contracted too 2025. So five long years.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Sindre said:

He's contracted too 2025. So five long years.

 

 

So you're telling me I'm going to be 30 by the time I see Kepa officially leave the club? f**king hell...

2 minutes ago, Slojo said:

So you're telling me I'm going to be 30 by the time I see Kepa officially leave the club? f**king hell...

Don't know what you're moaning about, I still won't be retired when his contract ends.  

I don't know how these things are calculated but I find them interesting. His value started to plummet in December last year, after he'd been at the club for half a season. Is it a case of him having always been sh*t but nobody noticed until a year ago? Or did he just suddenly forget how to be a decent goalkeeper?

I suspect the best thing for him (and us) would be to send him on loan somewhere with less pressure in order to regain some form and confidence, and hopefully also generate some interest on the transfer market.

 

1 hour ago, bluedave said:

I don't know how these things are calculated but I find them interesting. His value started to plummet in December last year, after he'd been at the club for half a season. Is it a case of him having always been sh*t but nobody noticed until a year ago? Or did he just suddenly forget how to be a decent goalkeeper?

I suspect the best thing for him (and us) would be to send him on loan somewhere with less pressure in order to regain some form and confidence, and hopefully also generate some interest on the transfer market.

 

The signs of weakness were already there, even in his first season he was letting in soft shots that he gets a hand too, long range shots (apart from Sturridge' at The Bridge none were unsavable, not even Salah's) and flapping in the air. I think most of us tried to convince ourselves it was a first season in England thing and/or his sweeping skills made up for it in our style of play (ala an Ederson at City type situation).

My first red flag was the United game at home with Martial's second goal, the ball was near enough shot next to him and he just watched it go in.

2 hours ago, bluedave said:

I don't know how these things are calculated but I find them interesting. His value started to plummet in December last year, after he'd been at the club for half a season. Is it a case of him having always been sh*t but nobody noticed until a year ago? Or did he just suddenly forget how to be a decent goalkeeper?

I suspect the best thing for him (and us) would be to send him on loan somewhere with less pressure in order to regain some form and confidence, and hopefully also generate some interest on the transfer market.

 

Football is a confidence game. He lost his sometime last year, which rippled out to our defence, since Rudiger was always error-prone and Christensen as well as Tomori are young as well. There was no trust between our back 4 and the keeper last year, you could tell.

I still don't think he's a good keeper, but he's definitely not the worst in the league. The issues last year were mostly psychological imho, he even asked to be left out at one time if I remember correctly.

48 minutes ago, Argo said:

The signs of weakness were already there, even in his first season he was letting in soft shots that he gets a hand too, long range shots (apart from Sturridge' at The Bridge none were unsavable, not even Salah's) and flapping in the air. I think most of us tried to convince ourselves it was a first season in England thing and/or his sweeping skills made up for it in our style of play (ala an Ederson at City type situation).

My first red flag was the United game at home with Martial's second goal, the ball was near enough shot next to him and he just watched it go in.

I don't remember being particularly dissatisfied with him during his first season (btw I mistyped in my post - his value dropped after 1 and a half seasons with us, not after half a season, but I think that was obvious enough). I think most of us were more concerned about arguing for/against 'Sarriball' at the time, and our possession orientated style of play could have hidden his weaknesses, so it's not unimaginable that I might have missed them.

24 minutes ago, Vagabond said:

Football is a confidence game. He lost his sometime last year, which rippled out to our defence, since Rudiger was always error-prone and Christensen as well as Tomori are young as well. There was no trust between our back 4 and the keeper last year, you could tell.

I still don't think he's a good keeper, but he's definitely not the worst in the league. The issues last year were mostly psychological imho, he even asked to be left out at one time if I remember correctly.

I definitely think confidence is a big part of his problem, possibly also with the dawning realisation that he's not really the 60 million Euro keeper that people (including himself) thought he was. So you have a decent but flawed keeper with a crippling lack of self-confidence.

18mill plus a sell on percentage would be fair imo.

On 03/12/2020 at 22:27, Vagabond said:

Football is a confidence game. He lost his sometime last year, which rippled out to our defence, since Rudiger was always error-prone and Christensen as well as Tomori are young as well. There was no trust between our back 4 and the keeper last year, you could tell.

I still don't think he's a good keeper, but he's definitely not the worst in the league. The issues last year were mostly psychological imho, he even asked to be left out at one time if I remember correctly.

He is the worst keeper in the league stats-wise.

@Deino
Well that was my whole point, wasn't it? Stats don't consider things like low confidence even though football is a confidence game, they will only ever show the result of it.

2 hours ago, Vagabond said:

@Deino
Well that was my whole point, wasn't it? Stats don't consider things like low confidence even though football is a confidence game, they will only ever show the result of it.

That's true even moreso for keepers. They are a different breed in that confidence is a huge part of their game. 

That being said, Kepa had a free run as our GK last season and he was found out. Even Kepa at high confidence won't be any good anymore imo. 

33 minutes ago, Deino said:

That's true even moreso for keepers. They are a different breed in that confidence is a huge part of their game. 

That being said, Kepa had a free run as our GK last season and he was found out. Even Kepa at high confidence won't be any good anymore imo. 

He’s never looked great but I agree, last year he was in a league of his own in terms of calamities and costing points. 

On 03/12/2020 at 17:11, axman2526 said:

18mill plus a sell on percentage would be fair imo.

I’d take 2m for him never mind 18m!

Accidentally stumbled across this highlight reel. Even though it obviously doesn't say much, but after this horrible run of form Kepa had in recent times it was quite a reminder that he actually put in some great saves for us too. 

He’s back, in goal and in the mistakes. And boy have we missed his butter fingers, statuesque positioning and complete lack of footballing ability in between the sticks. Welcome back to the starting 11 you are quite possibly the worst piece of business in the club and leagues history. Special thanks to the manager for selecting him !!