Frank Lampard didn't take long to follow the precedent that Graham Potter had set before him. Having made a big U-turn in his team selection to face Nottingham Forest the interim coach went back to his preferred option against Manchester City.
In Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga, the two players in the mix here, Chelsea have moved from a position of relative strength. Under Thomas Tuchel and the true emergence of Mendy as one of the world's elite, they had claim to the best goalkeeper and reserve in the league.
In terms of balance between first choice and back-up there were few better. Now, 12 months later and they are without a No.1 capable of leading the team forward. Mendy is a shadow of his former self and has been shot by confidence, not a surprise given his lack of football this season.
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Kepa, who has had an upturn in form, is the better performing option but still leaves questions over his consistency, ability under pressure and long-term suitability. With an increase in confidence he was one of the best rotation options but even with his best statistical season in England has made some high-profile errors.
It was Kepa that got the nod for the 1-0 loss to Manchester City - Julian Alvarez's goal not one the Spaniard could do anything about - and it shows just as much about the uncertainty in-between the sticks as it does the quality of Kepa. Whereas Mendy was afforded a chance to play at home against Forest, his return to the side was ropey.
The 31-year-old rushed out from goal to collect a cross between Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile and Taiwo Awoniyi but got it all wrong and left the Nigerian forward an empty goal to head into once he'd won the first ball. 15 minutes into his first Chelsea performance of 2023 there was a realisation as to just how serious his form had been.
Going back to late 2021 and there were signs of his world class levels slipping up. Mendy came back from the African Cup of Nations victorious but not in the same rich vein of life as he had previously. It carried over to this season, too. He was questioned for his role in both goals at home to Tottenham in August before losing the ball to allow Leeds an opener in a 3-0 loss at Elland Road weeks later.
Mendy, the firm favourite of Tuchel, was on the brink of being dropped by the German coach before Potter came in. His mistake against West Ham in Tuchel's last league game was further evidence of things continuing to go wrong. Kepa played later that week in the fatal Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb and that was the last time Mendy was in control of his position.
An injury suffered during the same week meant he missed Potter's first five league games before Kepa's own fitness allowed him back in during a run of three losses. He then had another spell on the treatment table in the New Year and has never recovered. As much as Kepa has had his own ups in that time he is far from settled and Mauricio Pochettino is set to make a new signing to takeover in goal.
Lampard's decision to have Kepa return was an effective vote of no confidence after just 90 minutes of having Mendy back. It will have done the Senegal international no good personally and also failed to move the needle with regards to his price. There are still two years left on his deal and no long-term future at SW6.
Pochettino is keen on having a ball-playing goalkeeper, something that Kepa is more than Mendy, but has also favoured players good in the air and aggressive with crosses. In his pomp this was certainly a big plus for Mendy but now fits neither player in an unsettling turn of events.
At a combined value of £91m there is unlikely to be anywhere close to a return on the investment made on the two keepers. Mendy has arguably repaid his small outlay already with his role in the 2021 Champions League win. As for Kepa, finding a club capable and willing to pay his large wages will be a challenge.
Lampard has already made his feelings clear, however, and it's unlikely that Pochettino will be of a dissimilar mind.
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