Frank Lampard has a couple big decisions to make for the starting lineup in tomorrow’s FA Cup final against Arsenal, including and perhaps most crucially, at goalkeeper.
After a brief resurgence just before the coronavirus hit, Kepa Arrizabalaga’s form has once again cratered, and he found himself dropped for the second time as Willy Caballero got the nod in last weekend’s Premier League finale. The first time Kepa was dropped, it took him nearly a month to get back into contention. Considering that Caballero was already our “Cup goalkeeper”, it would seem likely that he’ll be starting tomorrow as well.
Lampard didn’t quite confirm that in this morning’s press conference, but he sure hinted at it by talking up the contributions of players from the bench and urging those who might not get to play tomorrow to still support the team.
“Yes [goalkeeper is a] difficult [decision], because we have competition in the squad. And as you’ve seen through the season at times I’ve had to change it, I’ve felt the need to change it.
“And I always do it with the idea that can we win a game, can we be as strong as we can be, with considerations of what opposition are in front of us. And in big games like this it becomes slightly more difficult because I know how much players want to be involved in these games.
“But we have to be a strong squad, we have to be together on it, whatever the XI and people on the bench. Because in the last period for us, people on the bench have made a huge differences in certain games.
“We have to feel like we’re all together, and if we win it, it means a collective thing for us. So difficult for me, it will be difficult for players to take, but then we go in positive and try to win as a group.”
