Both Ireland and Liverpool supporters are currently purring over the form of Caoimhín Kelleher and it's not hard to see why. Having leapfrogged Adrian as Liverpool's second choice goalkeeper, the Cork native has put in two brilliant performance over the last week.
His Champions League debut against Ajax was a special night for him, but it was capped by a man-of-the-match performance. He made a number of brilliant saves, including stopping Klaas-Jan Huntelaar header from pointblank range late in the game.
In last night's win over Wolves (the player's Premier League debut), Kelleher was not quite as busy but was equally impressive. He made one excellent save in the first half when called upon and was otherwise calm and assured throughout the entire game.
That is probably the most impressive thing about his performances over the last week. The shot-topping and comfort on the ball have been fantastic, but it's his presence and confidence that really catch the eye.
Coming into such a successful team in the most high pressure position in the pitch cannot be easy, especially when that club has a long recent history of questionable goalkeepers. None of that seemed to phase the Irishman.
Looking at him now, it's difficult not to be impressed with the strides Kelleher has made in his game over the last 12 months or so.
While he has always been a very talented goalkeeper, there were previously some doubts about some aspects of his game. With his feet there were few better around, but his shot-stopping could be a bit suspect at times.
A quick look back at previous performance for both Ireland and Liverpool and you can find some examples of this.
The Toulon Tournament in the summer of 2019 would have been the first opportunity for many Irish supporters. While Ireland put together a brilliant run in that event, Kelleher would really should have done better to deal with Brazil's two goals in the semi-final defeat, with the first being especially poor.
There have been times when his technical proficiency in shot-stopping and ability to deal with balls into the box under pressure have been questioned.
The same issues had been present during his brief opportunities at club level.
While the 5-5 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal in last season's Carabao Cup was a bizarre game, and Kelleher did prove to be the hero in the penalty shoot-out, you could certainly argue that he should have done better with a couple of the Arsenal goals.
There could have been more opportunities for him at Anfield last season had he been ready to take them. Adrian saw extended playing time after injuries to Alisson Becker, failing to impress in any of them outside of the first couple of weeks of his time at the club.
When the Brazilian went down again early in the current campaign, many felt it did not bode well for Kelleher's future at the club when Adrian was selected ahead of him once again. That point was hammered home even further when the Spaniard's displays were nothing short of a disaster.
However, it is obvious that he has made some remarkable strides in his game in recent times. Having once seemed nervous and unsure on occasion, the 22-year old now exudes confidence at every turn.
It is not an exaggeration to say that it feels as Kelleher is a foot taller now than he was only 12 months ago. Of course that is not the case, but it is remarkable what the added confidence can do for a goalkeeper's stature.
This a real phenomenon, with two recent Liverpool goalkeepers perhaps the perfect example. While Alisson Becker feels like a behometh between the posts, he is actually slightly shorter than his predecessor Simon Mignolet. If that isn't the perfect example of what 'goal presence' can bring to the aura surrounding a goalkeeper, we're not sure what is.
There now seems to be something similar surrounding Caoimhín Kelleher. When Daniel Pondence produced a perfectly placed chipped effort in the first half last night (which would have given Wolves the lead), there was no doubt that the goalkeeper was going to save it.
He looks like a different player.
It won't be long before we see him in an Ireland jersey. Stephen Kenny said last month that Ireland goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly couldn't quite believe just how good Caoimhín Kelleher was. He also hinted that could already be Ireland's number one had he seen more first team action over the last few months.
It is one thing to hold that belief in private, but to say it in public is another matter. Darren Randolph has been brilliant for Ireland over the last five years, so for Kenny to say Kelleher is already staking a claim for that spot is quite the show of faith.
Having now seen him play for Liverpool in the Champions League and Premier League, it's easy to see why Stephen Kenny holds him in such high regard. He possesses all of the qualities needed to become a top class goalkeeper.
The question now is, where does the player go from here?
It's clear that he will be Liverpool's number two going forward, and he is likely to play against Midtjylland in midweek. Alisson Becker is likely to return after that, meaning Kelleher could be relegated to the bench for the foreseeable future.
As the main backup, it also makes a loan move in January more unlikely.
More opportunities could come over the course of the season, but there is little doubt that Kelleher is now ready for consistent first team football. Even without it, he has already put in a strong claim for the Irish number one jersey when you consider that both Darren Randolph and Mark Travers have barely featured this season.
Either way, it is certainly time to be excited about Caomhín Kelleher's future in the game.
SEE ALSO: Caoimhin Kelleher Keeping Feet On The Ground After Liverpool Breakthrough
