Robert Sanchez hasn’t solved Chelsea’s riddle… there’s only ONE other keeper more error-prone in Premier League
IT IS HARD to know what is more worrying for Chelsea fans.
That their error-prone keeper Robert Sanchez is fighting for his reputation having dropped another clanger at a key moment.
Or that the club is sticking by him and has no concrete plans to bring in a replacement during the January transfer window.
Chelsea’s owners have spent more than £1billion on players to fill every position that doesn’t require gloves and the feeling is that despite recent blips they are slowly getting there.
Wingers come and go like London tube trains. Midfielders too. The defence has been reshuffled more times than a deck of cards in a West End casino.
But the goalkeeping conundrum remains at Stamford Bridge despite several changes of manager, even ownership.
Sanchez is directly responsible for four errors this season that have led directly to goals.
Two came in one match – against Brighton back in September. The fans in the Matthew Harding Stand behind him are only just getting their breath back.
That puts him second only to Arijanet Muric of struggling Ipswich in the Premier League relegation zone.
Chelsea bought Sanchez last minute 18 months ago for £25 million, to fill a gap between the posts when Kepa Arrizabalaga dropped a bombshell that he was off on loan to Real Madrid for a year.
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They are standing by him – for now anyway. But there’s lot of expectation on the shoulders of teenager Mike Penders, on loan at Genk until the summer.
Sanchez was signed on the recommendation of top bod Ben Roberts – head of global goalkeeping. The pair had previously worked together at Brighton.
Sources at Stamford Bridge say that Sanchez is talented but that he is too ‘pro-active’. That he wants to go the game when a keeper should let it come to him.
Serbian Djordje Petrovic arrived shortly before Sanchez in the summer of ‘23. He has since been farmed out on loan to Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg.
Dane Filip Jorgensen is understudy to Sanchez but can be erratic. Kepa is now on loan at Bournemouth but wants to stay for good.
Not since Thibaut Courtois and Petr Cech have Chelsea found a solid performer who can occupy the posts long term and stop the punters having heart attacks.
Yet while they have looked outwards at the transfer market they have said goodbye to several homegrown keepers who may have done just that.
Jamie Cumming was on the bench the night Chelsea won the Europa League by trouncing Arsenal in 2019.
Jamal Blackman played for England up to Under-19 level. He was on the bench for a Premier League game in 2011 and won the FA Youth Cup. but he reached a ceiling after ten more years trying to make an impression and left.
Pole Marcin Bulka is riding high with Nice, who are fifth in French Ligue 1. He spent three years trying to make a breakthrough at Stamford Bridge between 2016 and 2019 before leaving on a free transfer to find a new path.
Nathan Baxter, 26, is chasing promotion with Bolton Wanderers in League One. He went on loan seven times to prove himself but hit a glass ceiling and left a year and a half ago.
There is no guarantee that any of these keepers would have been any better than Sanchez, Petrovic or Jorgensen. The point is that Chelsea have not been willing to try.
And the issue is not confined to the current ownership at Chelsea. It is a historic problem caused by the volatile way of life at Stamford Bridge.
A Blues insider said: “With the way managers are under so much pressure at Chelsea, why would they take a risk with a keeper?
“With midfielders, strikers, defenders, you can bring a kid on from the academy and give them a run out and see how they do.
“You can’t bring a young keeper on for 20 minutes then take him off again.
It’s just not that kind of role.
“And if you make a mistake and it causes a goal, after three or four matches like that the manager is facing the sack.”
Chelsea ratings vs Wolves: Chalobah back with a bang but Sanchez drops 2/10 horror show
By Lloyd Canfiel
CHELSEA made sure to send their fans home happy on Blue Monday thanks to inspired performances from their defenders.
Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella and then a Noni Madueke finish created by the returning Trevoh Chalobah covered up a pretty quiet attacking display and a mistake from their goalkeeper.
Lloyd Canfield rates how Blues’ stars got on against Wolves…
Robert Sanchez – 2
Up to his usual tricks when passing out from the back, gifting it to the Wolves attack waiting to pounce on a mistake.
That was before he dropped an in-swinging corner, gifting Wolves an equaliser before half-time.
Reece James – 9
Was tasked with arguably the hardest job of the night, stopping Wolves’ threatening left side of Ait-Nouri and Cunha, the latter of whom he dominated throughout the game.
Was strong defensively, always stepping in with a tackle at the crucial moment and drove the team forwards well too, always offering a shot with his lethal long-range efforts.
Tosin Adarabioyo – 8
Continued his impressive hot-streak in front of goal of late as he reacted first to a loose ball in the box and finished like a striker.
The ‘Uncle’ of the Chelsea side at just 28-years-old had another game to be proud of.
Trevoh Chalobah – 9
His first game back in a Chelsea shirt after being recalled from his loan at Crystal Palace couldn’t have gone much better.
The fans chanted his name throughout as he proved strong in the air and imperial across the ground.
Slide tackles, blocks, headed assists, the lot. Trev had it all but a clean sheet tonight and a goal to his name tonight (Which he could’ve had as well).
Marc Cucurella – 8
Solid defensively and came up with a crucial goal to restore Chelsea’s lead.
A great right-footed finish as he was falling to the floor saw the Spaniard prove why he is so good inverting from fullback.
Moises Caicedo – 7
Started brightly, putting a bad game last time out behind him and was back to the Caicedo that Chelsea fans have loved this season.
Recovered well from what looked like a nasty tackle to put in a good a strong second-half performance too.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 6
A rare Premier League start offered KDH to show what he can do, and maybe put himself in the shop window for a January move.
Was combative in midfield, and his flick for Marc Cucurella’s goal proved why he can be a threat in the Premier League as he was in a great position.
Noni Madueke – 8
A quiet first half was met by a wicked second half in which we saw the same Noni Madueke we saw in the reverse fixture after his infamous Instagram mistake.
He was Chelsea’s most dangerous attacker on the night, with a great cross leading to Marc Cucurella’s goal, before stealing in to head home Chelsea’s third of the night.
Cole Palmer – 4
The ice cold superstar we’ve become accustomed to seeing seemed a bit off the boil tonight.
He came under a few more nasty tackles and seemed a bit put off by that after carrying an injury in the week.
Pedro Neto – 4
Was jeered and booed by the visiting fans of his former club throughout the game.
Despite some dangerous running, he failed to really create anything meaningful and looks better on the right-hand side.
Nicolas Jackson – 5
Had one good run in the first half, but was otherwise pretty quiet.
He did improve in the second half, as his hard work won the free-kick which Chelsea added their third goal from and he did put the ball in the back of the net, only for the linesman to rule it out as offside.
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Jadon Sancho (Pedro Neto, 62) – 6
Chelsea instantly looked better when he came on.
Just seems to add a layer of control to the Blues on the wing, and showed more of the flair and good feet we’ve been getting used to from him here.
Axel Disasi (Reece James, 78) – 5
Fans weren’t best pleased with him simply coming on, and would’ve preferred to see Josh Acheampong.
That said, he did nothing wrong.
Malo Gusto (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 78) – 6
Did well in the few minutes he had to play, nothing spectacular but was solid on the left side.
Tyrique George (Noni Madueke, 83) – 5
Wasn’t given enough time to make a meaningful impact on the game.
Joao Felix (Cole Palmer, 83) – 5
Wasn’t given enough time to make a meaningful impact on the game.