3 reasons why Kepa Arrizabalaga is still a key player for Chelsea 

Kepa Arrizabalaga has endured a roller coaster 2019. Chelsea broke the bank to secure his services prior to the start of the ongoing season, and he has returned with 11 clean sheets this term.

It takes a while for a goalkeeper to adapt to the English game, be it in the shot-stopping aspect, or mentality, or the task of handling a debilitating run of fixtures over Christmas.

The former Athletic Bilbao custodian has provided the goods for Maurizio Sarri, but he has received major stick for his misbehaviour during the arduous Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

In case you are still unaware, Kepa headed into the game after having seen off a minor hamstring pull. He made a save in the 115th minute of the game to deny Sergio Aguero, thereby pulling his muscle.

Sarri called penalty shootout specialist Willy Caballero to don the gloves in the shootout and the final few minutes, but Kepa waved his fingers again and again, refusing to come off. He told the coaches he was alright, and call it a rush of blood, the youngster probably wanted to take home the hero's tag after the game.

If looked at the moral side of it, a keeper who has kept his side in the game for almost two hours would ideally want to continue in goal, but one simply cannot exercise player power over the boss' ideologies and tactics.

And who knows, a former Manchester City player in Caballero could have steered Sarri to his first-ever trophy at the top level?

Kepa apologised, and he was benched for the game against Spurs, but matters have been handled well by the club. A lot of fans might still be fuming at him, but he is an invaluable asset to the team at present.

And here, we'll discuss three reasons why Kepa is still a key player for Chelsea.

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#1 The age factor

Kepa is just 24 years of age

Most undoubtedly, Kepa, being a goalkeeper, is still taking his baby steps if viewed through the spectrum of top-tier, fast-paced football.

He has a lot to improve, and certainly, the Spaniard has shown glimpses of how good he can be in between the sticks. For sure, should he stay fit and continue to work, he is destined to be a Chelsea legend - arguably a bigger one than Petr Cech himself.

Apart from the last-gasp nature of the deal that brought him to West London, age was a huge factor behind Chelsea dishing out big money.

#2 The form factor

Kepa has been one of the best keepers in the league for sure

Now after reading the previous point of discussion, you might argue why any youngster should be backed. But it doesn't end there.

To an extent, the world's most expensive goalkeeper has served the purpose. To kick-start matters, let's begin with the concept of Sarri-ball. Tons have been spoken about what it takes to meet the demanding philosophy of Sarri's style, but not much has been iterated with respect to a goalkeeper's aspect.

The number one has to be adept with his feet, calm under high pressure and of course, in short - a modern-day goalkeeper. Now Kepa has done brilliantly well, with 140 successful long balls in the league, along with a total of 784 passes. He plays just under 30 passes per game on average in the Premier League. That's an outstanding return.

In the Europa League, the 24-year-old boasts a pass completion rate of 92.1.

He has amassed 11 clean sheets in the Premier League, and despite not claiming one against Fulham last time out, Kepa smothered four shots away to win the player of the match in a game where Chelsea narrowed in on victory.

All in all, with 59 saves to his name, the Spain international has taken the PL by storm.

#3 Maurizio Sarri's knack of improving players

Chelsea v Dynamo Kyiv - UEFA Europa League Round of 16: First Leg

To be fair, huge credit goes to Maurizio Sarri for handling the situation well.

He was absolutely raging due to Kepa's behaviour during the game, but that very second when he decided the storm into the dressing room, the former Napoli coach decided to calm himself down.

What followed then for a few days was an act of sensibility and smartness. The manager decided to hand Willy Caballero a start against Tottenham, fed the veteran's ego well and didn't freeze Kepa out of the equation.

The situation was at a fragile state, but Sarri backed Kepa, accepted his apology and sugar-coated the situation by claiming his goalkeeper is still a kid who needs support.

Now Kepa is back in action, and although a lot of us might feel for Caballero, let's understand that it is important for the main first team stars to play as much as possible, especially when they are improving.

Also to add, Sarri improved his keeper at Napoli, making him a man with nerves of steel and perseverance. Thus, it's good for Kepa - he is under a hard-working coach, a man who notes down every detail.