Kepa Arrizabalaga

[Blusan Alamb 295]

Should have done better with the goals.

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

I'm not convinced that his distribution is all that good, TBH.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Might get a bit of stick for the goals but I don't think its as bad as some may make out. More importantly, the defending needs to be looked at more. Jorginho playing as that deepest midfielder without the ball has got to be closer to the penalty spot in those situations. Centre backs just stood about too. 

[MefiX19 1,092]

He was very unlucky on the first goal, he would've saved the shot but the ball bounced like a meter in front of him.

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, OneMoSalah said:

Might get a bit of stick for the goals but I don't think its as bad as some may make out.

Suspect he had nerves in his first home game? Spilled the ball twice from simple shots shot straight at him. On the two goals, especially the first one, it feels like it's easy to criticize keepers in such situations. Sometimes the player may just hit with too much pace and power for the keeper to stop, even at the near post. 

4 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Jorginho playing as that deepest midfielder without the ball has got to be closer to the penalty spot in those situations. Centre backs just stood about too. 

Agree with that. Maybe Kepa should have done better with the two goals but if you keep giving the opposing team time and space to shoot into practically an open goal time and time again, then you gotta look at issues beyond the keeper. No team should have been allowed to create that many chances from simple cutbacks, like Arsenal did.

[Jase 43,479]

13 minutes ago, Sideshow Luiz said:

I'm not convinced that his distribution is all that good, TBH.

Was tearing my hair out at the players continuously passing around the back when being pressured but given that's the way we want to play under Sarri, Kepa did alright in those situations. Imagine Courtois trying to do that! I know he's most the expensive keeper in the world but easy to forget that he's only 23 and is in his first season in English. Let's see how he does in a few months after we (hopefully) get used to Sarri's methods.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

4 minutes ago, Jason said:

Suspect he had nerves in his first home game? Spilled the ball twice from simple shots shot straight at him. On the two goals, especially the first one, it feels like it's easy to criticize keepers in such situations. Sometimes the player may just hit with too much pace and power for the keeper to stop, even at the near post. 

Agree with that. Maybe Kepa should have done better with the two goals but if you keep giving the opposing team time and space to shoot into practically an open goal time and time again, then you gotta look at issues beyond the keeper. No team should have been allowed to create that many chances from simple cutbacks, like Arsenal did.

Yeah perhaps some nerves but again, the ones he spilled he was very quick to react to and made up for it. Yeah the first one was generally poor defending. The cut backs caused a lot of problems in that 20-25 mins before half time where they edged into it, they had 3 other big chances they could have scored, if I was an Arsenal fan I'd be gutted that my team couldn't put any of them away because they were huge chances. I think Kepa will not be an outstanding GK straight away, hes been good, reliable in his 2 games but he still has to grow as a player and also physically I'd imagine he will undergo a programme to put on a bit of weight just for the difference in how much protection GKs maybe don't get as much as in Spain, needs a bit more I think, or even naturally in the long run he'll perhaps fill out a bit more. 

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

Just now, Jason said:

Was tearing my hair out at the players continuously passing around the back when being pressured but given that's the way we want to play under Sarri, Kepa did alright in those situations. Imagine Courtois trying to do that! I know he's most the expensive keeper in the world but easy to forget that he's only 23 and is in his first season in English. Let's see how he does in a few months after we (hopefully) get used to Sarri's methods.

Don't get me wrong, I know he's not the finished article.  I just didn't think his distribution skills have been all that.  Better than Courtois? yes.  If it doesn't get better, yes, there's a problem.  but, it's because that would mean he's hit his peak as a GK at 23.

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

I think Kepa will not be an outstanding GK straight away, hes been good, reliable in his 2 games but he still has to grow as a player and also physically I'd imagine he will undergo a programme to put on a bit of weight just for the difference in how much protection GKs maybe don't get as much as in Spain, needs a bit more I think, or even naturally in the long run he'll perhaps fill out a bit more. 

 

Just now, Sideshow Luiz said:

Don't get me wrong, I know he's not the finished article.  I just didn't think his distribution skills have been all that.  Better than Courtois? yes.  If it doesn't get better, yes, there's a problem.  but, it's because that would mean he's hit his peak as a GK at 23.

As long as he continues to improve and get better, then we will be in good hands. Courtois came back from Madrid in good shape but then stagnated over the last 2-3 years. 

[sainttourist 68]

He brings a lot of luck and confident on the ball, it's a good start.

[laeth 527]

He doesn't panic on the ball at all. This is important for Sure.

[Blusan Alamb 295]

Spills the ball far too often.

[robsblubot 3,595]

not a great debut (at the bridge), but a good/decent one.

Imagine his nerves playing to that crowd the first time in a frenetic derby with everything moving a hell lot faster than he was used to. 

[Vesper 30,100]

I am satisfied completely, he will so grow into the position and the EPL itself, we have a gem on our hands, naysayers aside. WE are set at GK for years to come. Huge plus is we saw the backside of that twat (as a person and a, cough,cough ....professional), Courtois. We fucked up parking his on loan at AM, where he put roots down. Rule number one on loans, NEVER send a player back over and over to a good team in a superb city, if WILL bite you in the arse.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,058]

I have nothing to complain about in regard to Kepa. It's just that I just haven't gotten over the decision to spend so big on him. I know Marcin won't be 19 for another couple of months but I'd have bitten the bullet, made the youngster our starter, and used the £71m to strengthen elsewhere. Still, we are where we are.