Kepa Arrizabalaga has struggled to find a way to improve his form under Frank Lampard and the Spaniard made a critical error leading to Sadio Mane's second goal for Liverpool on Sunday.
Arrizabalaga was dropped towards the end of last season in favour of backup goalkeeper Willy Caballero.
Pat Nevin, who joined the Football Show on Off The Ball on Monday evening, believes that unfortunately, Kepa's time in west London may be drawing to a close.
Lampard avoided being drawn into any prolonged discussion over his goalkeeper's future after the loss against the Premier League champions, however, Nevin feels that at this point there is no way you can defend the indefensible.
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga fails to stop Liverpool's Sadio Mane (right) from scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London."He won't now, he couldn't [defend him] now. There's no way you're going to do that in this situation. He just didn't look confident in the game, so I think everyone probably accepts the writing is probably on the wall for him."
"You feel sorry for somebody [in that situation], but that's the business. The business is tough." Nevin continued.
Joining from Atletic Club, Kepa never found his feet since his arrival from the Basque country and the enormous fee he was signed for did not help. In recent months his form has continued to plummet.
A less than firm hand allowed Leandro Trossard to score when Chelsea opened their league campaign against Brighton. On that occasion, they had enough to pick up the three points, against a ruthless Liverpool side it was not enough.
The gift he presented Mane with just before the hour mark has been analysed in the past 24 hours. Nevin believes the situation could have been avoided before it was allowed to unfold.
"He's actually not particularly good at playing out from the back and he's being asked to play out from the back. He is not good at it."
"That bit, I actually feel a good deal of sympathy for him because when you're being asked to play that sort of intricate pass and move out some centre-backs can't do it and they're outfield players."
"You're asking certain goalkeepers to do it who aren't trained to do it. They're not capable of doing it and never will be."
Arrizabalaga did not help himself from the beginning, according to Nevin. An early cross spelled danger for the former Blues midfielder when he saw the goalkeeper make a less than firm attempt to deal with the ball.
"There was a cross put in early at the back post, most of the time most keepers, including Kepa when he is confident, he just goes and catches it."
"He does this flappy punch thing and you're just thinking ' you actually look smaller than you did six months ago. You look inside yourself."
It is never pleasant to see a player completely deflated in such a manner.
Ultimately it may take a move away before the 25-year-old can realise his potential in a more pressure friendly environment, and Nevin intimated that could be the best move for him at this point.
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