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Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink mocked Kepa Arrizabalaga after the Chelsea goalkeeper’s wayward penalty proved the decisive moment in an epic Carabao Cup final defeat against Liverpool.
The Spain international has gone some way to rebuilding his reputation in recent months having successfully deputised for Edouard Mendy while the club’s No.1 was on international duty with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Thomas Tuchel restored Mendy to his starting XI on Sunday, despite Kepa’s heroics in the League Cup this season, and the Chelsea manager’s decision was vindicated during an absorbing contest with the 29-year-old making a string of superb saves.
Kepa, however, was controversially introduced as a late substitute ahead of the shootout but was unable to save any of Liverpool’s 11 penalties and when it was his turn from 12 yards, he blazed his effort way over the crossbar to hand the Reds the first major silverware of the season.
‘He was confused with taking a goal kick and a penalty,’ joked former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink afterwards. ‘It was a good goal kick, though.’
‘Taking a penalty is not one of his strongest points,’ he added. ‘Tuchel made the decision to bring him in for penalties, because he thinks he is better at saving penalties.
‘I wouldn’t have advised him to take it with his laces.’
It was a brave call by the Chelsea boss, but one which ultimately backfired yet Tuchel insisted it was a decision taken with sound logic in mind.
He said: ‘We did it before with Kepa, he is slightly better in penalty saving and that is why I made the decision.
‘It is unusual all 11 players need to shoot, he took it a bit too quick. Sometimes these things can turn against you but you make them when they need to be made, not after…
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Source : metro
