JAMIE REDKNAPP has slammed Kepa Arrizabalaga’s gamesmanship during yesterday’s League Cup final penalty shoot-out.
The Spaniard was brought off the bench by boss Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, having saved four spot-kicks in shoot-outs this season.
Kepa Arrizabalaga spoons his penalty over the bar
But the moves backfired spectacularly as he was unable to save any of Liverpool‘s 11 penalties, before blazing his own over the bar to hand the Reds victory.
Tuchel, 48, was quick to absolve Kepa of any responsibility – insisting that as manager people should blame him instead.
But Redknapp was unhappy with the way the goalkeeper conducted himself as Liverpool stars stepped up to the spot.
Kepa, 27, tried to psyche out opposition takers – standing on the penalty spot prior to kicks as well as pointing to corners of his goal in a bid to distract.
Redknapp, 48, blasted: “I hope it puts to bed the substitutions now, of putting goalkeepers on.
“Edouard Mendy is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and you bring on Kepa instead of him.
Jamie Redknapp was unimpressed by Kepa’s cameo
“Ridiculous. I didn’t like his behaviour when the penalties were being taken and then he took one of the worst penalties you’ve ever seen.
“I’m just being honest. I don’t like it. I don’t understand why you do it.
“You’ve got one of the best goalkeepers in the world, he should have stayed in there in the first place.
“But full credit to Liverpool – amazing game.”
Fans were left in disbelief by Kepa’s shocker, while Mendy could only look on in horror.
The Senegalese stopper had made a number of excellent saves during the match, before Tuchel’s 119th minute gamble.
After the match, the German said: “I take the decisions when I take the decisions, I only take them when I want to take them. I cannot rejudge my decisions when I know the outcome. This is how it is.
“No blame on him. Blame on me. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it does not work out. This is life as a football coach who does substitutions.”
The Spaniard failed to save any of Liverpool’s 11 penalties
