Kepa Arrizabalaga continues to prove his importance to Chelsea through penalty-saving heroics

It’s been over three and a half years since Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in a £71.6 million move that made him the world’s most expensive goalkeeper.

The Spain international has, however, never quite managed to nail down a starting spot. Under Frank Lampard, Kepa was often error-prone, leading the club to acquire the services of Edouard Mendy a year ago.

Since then, Mendy has been the Blues’ undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, with Arrizabalaga playing second fiddle. Even the arrival of Thomas Tuchel did not affect the pecking order at the club.

However, with Mendy travelling to the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, it opened up space for Arrizabalaga to prove his worth. So far, he has not disappointed.

Kepa saves Chelsea’s blushes in FA Cup

Since Mendy’s departure, the Spain international has been playing in goal and he has been very impressive. His latest masterclass was against Plymouth in the FA Cup fourth round.

The 27-year-old may still have a few errors in him but he’s one of the best when it comes to stopping penalties. Kepa's penalty-saving heroics are the reason why Chelsea won the UEFA Super Cup. He was at it again when the Blues defeated Aston Villa on penalties on their way to the final of the Carabao Cup.

On Saturday, when the going got tough for Chelsea in the FA Cup against Plymouth, Arrizabalaga came up clutch again to save Ryan Hardie’s extra-time penalty as the Blues went on to win 2-1.

He literally saved Chelsea’s blushes on a day when they could easily have been frustrated by League One opposition.

Kepa has made the most of Mendy’s absence

Mendy may yet return to claim his position in the team. However, Arrizabalaga has done enough to earn Thomas Tuchel’s trust for now.

The Blues boss will know that he can rely on the Spaniard to get the job done at any time. Arrizabalaga had a rare opportunity to play his way back into contention and he has made the most of it. The club’s assistant coach Arno Michels said of Kepa, as quoted by Chelseafc.com:

“It’s not about his penalty save but also about his performance, which was very good. In the last few matches, I found him very reliable in his game so we’re very happy with Kepa. He deserves our trust because he’s a fantastic guy who is constantly doing very good and reliable work in training."

Arno Michels continued:

"He has these strengths to save penalties and has shown it a few times now, in the Carabao Cup twice and against Villarreal [in the Super Cup]. Even in training, it is hard to beat him. He has the ability to read the mind of the player and what he’s going to do so we’re pleased he could save us today.”

What a month Arrizabalaga has had. With his confidence currently soaring, he could just kick on and finally live up to his hefty price tag.