Frank Lampard: Kepa's Chelsea Form 'Needs to Improve' Following Recent Mistakes

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has said his goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga must improve his form following a string of costly mistakes.

The Blues parted with a world-record fee of £72 million for a goalkeeper when they signed Kepa from Athletic Bilbao in the summer of 2018, with the Spaniard stepping into the position left by Thibaut Courtois.

Kepa enjoyed a solid debut season at the club, helping Chelsea win the UEFA Europa League and finish third in the Premier League. However, his performances have come in for increased scrutiny as of late, with blunders against Newcastle United and Arsenal resulting in opposition goals.

Speaking ahead of his team's clash with Hull City in the FA Cup on Saturday, Lampard made it clear he wants to see better performances from the goalkeeper, per Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mail:

"Well he will have to deal with that [criticism]. That is what football is, every player no matter how great you are in your career. The absolute best of all time will get criticised and you have to deal with it. Goalkeepers, maybe slightly more spotlight on them, but it is a similar thing, really.

"This is not just Kepa, any player. If you feel in a lack of form, fight to get it back. Go back to basics. He'll be honest that there have been some mistakes that have cost us goals. It is the nature of it, so that needs to improve."

According to B/R Football's Dean Jones, the London club are already considering cashing in on the 25-year-old:

In Kajumba's report, it's added that Chelsea's cup goalkeeper Willy Caballero will play against Hull on Saturday.

Kepa arrived at Chelsea with a huge reputation, although the positive feeling towards him has started to seep away.

Blues fans were unhappy with his efforts to save Isaac Hayden's header in the 1-0 loss to Newcastle United, while others were critical of his attempt to stop Hector Bellerin's late equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Tuesday.

Former Sunderland goalkeeper David Preece said it would be unfair to criticise the Spain star for the latter:

Nevertheless, Kajumba noted that Kepa has the worst save percentage in the Premier League. Squawka Football observed that he's struggled to keep out shots from distance, too:

Kepa has shown for Chelsea, Athletic and Spain that he's capable of making world-class stops, while technically he has all the tools to be an elite goalkeeper. However, he needs to improve his consistency and concentration.

Caballero is unlikely to oust Kepa from the starting lineup at Chelsea, but Lampard will be watching the latter's displays carefully between now and the end of the campaign with a view to making a big decision in the summer.