Arsenal legend Ian Wright has said that Marcus Rashford does not have the vision of being a centre-forward as he does not make runs into spaces with the anticipation of receiving the ball. The England international started the season with a bang as he scored a brace against Chelsea but he has since managed just the single goal through a penalty kick.
Mark Schwarzer says Kepa Arrizabalaga could serve Chelsea for 15 years
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer believes Kepa Arrizabalaga could remain the Blues’ first-choice shot-stopper for 15 years, provided he can maintain his fitness levels. The Spain international joined the Blues from Athletic Bilbao on a club-record deal last season and he has since cemented his spot as the number one keeper ahead of Willy Caballero.
Speaking to Goal.com, Schwarzer said that Kepa has made progress since his move from the Spanish La Liga and he is capable of serving the Blues for more than a decade, provided he can sustain his fitness, he told: “I think Kepa has grown, but it’s a massive step up from Athletic Bilbao. There is always that added attention. Chelsea over the years have had top, top keepers.
“Following [Petr] Cech and [Thibaut] Courtois is no easy feat for anyone. It’s hard for anyone to compare with someone like Cech, who won every [club] trophy there is to win. At 25, Kepa is very young in goalkeeping terms. He has a long way to go. He could be there for the next 15 years easily – if he stays fit and continues to get better and better.”
Kepa has been making inroads with the Spain national team over the past month and he has recently been favoured for the big games ahead of David de Gea, who has been guilty of making costly mistakes over the past year. With the Blues, Kepa has no competition with Caballero at the final phase of his career but he has nonetheless proved his worth with a number of standout displays.
Chelsea are currently seventh on the league table with 11 points on the board. They are scheduled to face Southampton on the road this weekend before the international break resumes. Kepa has been kept busy between the sticks this term with the vulnerability in the Blues defence but that won’t matter much so long as the club are on the winning side.
Speaking on Star Sports, Wright said that Rashford must take the gamble with his movement in the box rather than remaining stationary. Elsewhere, the former Arsenal star pointed out that the United graduate is trying too much to impress when he has the possession of the ball and that has contributed to the recent slide in form.
He said: “For me here, he’s got to do more. We’re watching him walk into the box and he’s just being engaged by the centre-half. He’s got to do something to lose him somewhere along the way. Here… you’ve got to gamble if the ball’s coming to you. He does very well here but then, get it into him. He tried a bit of skill – I don’t know what he’s doing – and in the end he gives it away. There seems to be something not quite right, not clicking with him.”
Rashford has generally favoured to play on the left side of the attack but the departures of Alexis Sanchez (loan) and Romelu Lukaku during the summer has meant that he has been offered with a regular run upfront. Anthony Martial and the young Mason Greenwood are the other options available to the manager but the former is currently out with a thigh problem while the latter remains relatively inexperienced at the Premier League level.
Manchester United are currently with just nine points from the opening seven league games and that sees them in the 10th spot. They are scheduled to face AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday night.