FA Cup Final: Fans fault Tuchel for not replacing Mendy with Kepa as Chelsea bow to Liverpool
Football eEnthusiasts were left unimpressed with Thomas Tuchel’s decision not to replace Edouard Mendy for Kepa Arrizabalaga during Saturday’s FA Cup final.
With the score between Chelsea and Liverpool tied at 0-0 after 120 minutes, the Reds emerged as champions of the competition via the shootout.
During the ensuing kicks, Mendy was only able to stop Sadio Mane’s penalty but failed to deny James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, and Kostas Tsimikas from finding the net.
Gutted by the outcome at Wembley, Chelsea fans are unhappy with Tuchel’s choice of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations winner over the Spain international.
You for just use kepa jeje
— Olabanji Oye (@king_yemix) May 14, 2022
Father to KEPA missed it
— M A X F O C U S (@maximum_focus) May 14, 2022
Now I wish Kepa was in goal
— damilola (@damiilola_) May 14, 2022
Someone's name will be trending in a minute now... It won't be kepa this time 😜😜
— Celestial body (@olamexonline) May 14, 2022
Kepa is gonna get better with penalties, hands on 2 now
— Boom💥 (@boomodds) May 14, 2022
Mendy is/was/will never be a penalty stopper, I will always root for Kepa in PK shootout anyday, anytime. Congrats Liverpool
— Al Qadir (@TobiOlorun) May 14, 2022
Y'all swore that Mendy was better than Kepa and Chelsea would have won if Mendy was in goal last time out.
— FuGazZiiii!!!!!! (@TheWaleAgbede) May 14, 2022
😂
This guy ration me sha but I still stand on my words, Kepa anyday anytime
— Al Qadir (@TobiOlorun) May 14, 2022
Wow, the blame game is on Mount and Tuchel today. Jorgihno, Alonso and Kepa must be feeling fine. 😂 😂 😂
— Omo Epe Alaro 💙 (@Heskey247) May 14, 2022
You removed Pulisic cus you wanted to win the penalty shootout yet you left Kepa on the bench, Chelsea best penalty stopper in years. Make it make sense 🤦 he was involve in 7 Ok shootout since coming to Chelsea and Chelsea have won 5 and lost 2, so why leave him on the bench
— Al Qadir (@TobiOlorun) May 14, 2022
Kepa would have saved those penalties that Mendy refused to save
— Buchi (@OArachie) May 14, 2022
In Penalties
— Onowu Igbo Ni’ne🌚 (@JideO17) May 14, 2022
Kepa Arinze >>>>>> Mendy Olu
After putting up a decent display, Mendy was out to deny his international colleague Mane from scoring during the shootout.
That also inspired kind words for the former Rennes star with many suggesting that the Spaniard would not have done anything extraordinary.
You can always bank on mendy for one penalty save at least , greatness
— Unkle Ricky (@sawyerrboi) May 14, 2022
Mendy saves Sadio Mane's penalty to keep Chelsea in this... Big save!!
— ©FELIX D'GREAT™ (@Felixdgreat1) May 14, 2022
Nice save Mendy.
— ฏ๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎𝙽𝚘𝚗so🇳🇬🇩🇪 (@iamnonso__) May 14, 2022
They didn’t make that Mendy penalty save count
— - Gadget Plug 🔌 (@OlayinkaSuraj) May 14, 2022
I knew that Mendy will save Mane's ball tbh 😂
— 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙶𝚞𝚢 😁 (@Smiling_Chee1) May 14, 2022
after mendy tried to save one, you now had to spoil everything ah 🤦🏻♂️
— Saw🔑 (@hollarinre8) May 14, 2022
With this, Jurgen Klopp becomes the first German coach to lift the FA Cup, and two more trophies are still available to his Liverpool side, who are yet to contest the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
For the Blues who have endured a torrid campaign, they would be hoping to regroup for their final two Premier League fixtures against Leicester City and Watford.
Would Kepa have saved Chelsea against Liverpool? Let's know in the comments.