Mario Melchiot predicts Chelsea ace to struggle under Frank Lampard

Mario Melchiot predicts a hard time for Kepa Arrizabalaga under Frank Lampard

Speaking on ESPN FC (h/t Mirror), former Chelsea player Mario Melchiot has predicted a hard time for Blues keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga under interim boss Frank Lampard.

When Lampard was previously the manager of Chelsea, Kepa was his starting goalkeeper, before the Spaniard got replaced by Edouard Mendy in 2020.

Back in June of 2022, Kepa aimed a dig at Lampard while comparing his tactics with the-then manager Thomas Tuchel. The Spaniard pointed out that the team restored control under the latter. Now, less than a year on from that, the club legend is back in charge of the team till the end of this season.

Talking about the awkwardness between the two when they meet again, here’s what Melchiot said (h/t Mirror):

“You know how hard it will be for Kepa to be in the dressing room? You had a go at your coach and ten that coach comes back and now you have to sit with him. Oh my God… So Kepa, I don’t know what he is going to do.

“The one piece of advice I want to give to any footballer: never talk about your coach in public, always do it directly. Don’t do it in public, keep your mouth shut. You might meet him again.”

For a player who has underwhelmed since for Chelsea, Kepa does speak a lot of nonsense. The Spaniard has never any control of his spot in goal but is never short on words.

We would not be surprised if Mendy is restored into the XI by Lampard, just like he did back in 2020 before getting sacked later on in that season.

Although Mendy hasn’t been in the greatest of forms, he is a better goalkeeper than Kepa in every aspect. We can expect the Senegal international to show some pride in his performances after being dropped by former boss Graham Potter.

Whatever happens between the two, let’s hope that the team is up for the challenge to do well under a manager most of them played under in his previous stint.

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• Jamie Redknapp say Frank Lampard has unfinished business at Chelsea
• Liverpool are ready to offer Mason Mount the wages he is seeking at Chelsea

A good end to the season would be a nice base ahead of the potential arrival of the permanent manager in the summer. The last thing they would want now is an internal conflict due to the happenings of the past.