🇪🇸 1. Robert Sanchez

[robsblubot 3,595]

Second goal had nothing to do with Sanchez.

The second goal is a nice play and a great run by Trossard (so quick), but if you want to blame someone it's quite obvious Gusto switched off then.

[Vesper 30,185]

44 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Second goal had nothing to do with Sanchez.

The second goal is a nice play and a great run by Trossard (so quick), but if you want to blame someone it's quite obvious Gusto switched off then.

disagree

‘Could have helped’: ESPN pundit slams 25-year-old Chelsea man for not bailing out ‘tremendous’ teammate

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/news/could-have-helped-espn-pundit-slams-25-year-old-Chelsea-man-for-not-bailing-out-tremendous-teammate/

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Vesper

[robsblubot 3,595]

3 minutes ago, Vesper said:

disagree

‘Could have helped’: ESPN pundit slams 25-year-old Chelsea man for not bailing out ‘tremendous’ teammate

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/news/could-have-helped-espn-pundit-slams-25-year-old-Chelsea-man-for-not-bailing-out-tremendous-teammate/

 

"You can certainly point the finger at Sanchez for Arsenal’s first goal, but blaming him for the second does seem a bit harsh."

right below... 🤷‍♂️

[Vesper 30,185]

Robert Sanchez has big shoes to fill at Chelsea – they are empty so far

https://theathletic.com/4984675/2023/10/23/robert-sanchez-Chelsea-goalkeepers-arsenal/

Chelsea’s inability to replace Diego Costa should no longer be considered the only key reason why they are finding it hard to become a major force at the summit of the Premier League again.

Whenever their failure to compete for the title comes up, the lack of a top-class centre-forward is usually highlighted as the main issue. It remains a valid point, because Costa is the last Chelsea player to register 20 goals in a top-flight season, which coincided with the last occasion they finished in first place, six years ago.

But, surely, Chelsea’s struggle to find an elite goalkeeper who can perform consistently has had just as much of a detrimental impact on their ambitions.

The latest example came at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

Chelsea should have secured their first home league win over London rivals Arsenal since 2018, but squandered a 2-0 lead with 13 minutes to go to emerge with only a draw. The game turned on a terrible mistake by summer-signing goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who passed the ball straight to Declan Rice, who then scored into an empty net.

The club’s current No 1 was also unconvincing for the equaliser seven minutes later, caught on his line as Bukayo Saka’s fine cross found Leandro Trossard unmarked at the back post, although the defending by Malo Gusto to allow Trossard to run into such a position unchallenged was the greater error.

Sanchez has three clean sheets in his first 11 Chelsea appearances. That is not to suggest all of the goals conceded with him in the side have been his fault. There are also inevitable teething problems as a variety of players, some of them recent signings themselves, adapt to the tactical demands of new head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

It has not been all bad for Sanchez since he joined from Brighton for £25million in August.

Only last week, he was presented with the Premier League’s Save of the Month trophy for the way he prevented a volley from Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo finding the Chelsea net in September.

But just as Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja have the challenge of being compared with Chelsea’s Premier League-winning strikers in Didier Drogba and Costa, Sanchez has to be measured against a couple of goalkeeping greats from the club’s not-so-distant past.

Former manager Jose Mourinho once declared that Petr Cech, who stood between the posts for Chelsea between 2004 and 2015 and claimed 13 major honours in that time, was worth several points a season because of the key saves he made.

Cech, who was No 1 for the titles won by Chelsea in 2005, 2006 and 2010, was succeeded as first choice by Thibaut Courtois in 2014 (Cech spent one more season at Stamford Bridge as the reserve ’keeper before joining Arsenal). The Belgium international helped add the 2015 and 2017 Premier League trophies to the cabinet.

Courtois remains unpopular among the fanbase for the manner of his departure to Real Madrid in 2018 — he went on strike to force the £35million move. He was booed and abused loudly on his return with the Spaniards in Champions League ties in 2022 and 2023. But just like Cech, Courtois’ ability to make the difference in close games has been sorely missed.

Put it this way, a regular follower of Chelsea would have to admit, as much as it pains them, that they would rather still have Courtois in goal than the men who have succeeded him, let alone Cech, who is arguably the best goalkeeper in the club’s history.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, currently on loan at Real Madrid as cover for Courtois while he recovers from a serious knee injury, did not convince after arriving for £71.6million, a world-record fee for a goalkeeper, in 2018.

For a good 12 to 18 months, Edouard Mendy looked like he may have been the solution. He was superb as Chelsea went on to win their second Champions League in 2021. But the Senegal international’s confidence and form evaporated and he was sold to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli in June.

Now it is Sanchez’s turn to try to solve the problem, but the moans and groans you already hear from the stands when the 25-year-old Spaniard does something wrong suggests it is going to take some effort to win them over. What happened against Arsenal will make his task to earn their approval even harder, but it has just been 11 games. There is still plenty of time and opportunities for that to happen.

That is one of the reasons why Pochettino refused to single out Sanchez for criticism after the game and offered support instead. He said: “We are so happy with him. Of course, he is disappointed and upset with his decision, but mistakes happen in football.

“This (Rice) goal gave the belief to Arsenal. We can maybe read better the situation, the tempo, the timing. We can take risks on 77 minutes because it’s our philosophy, but maybe there is another decision you can take.”

Pochettino’s desire for his goalkeeper to play out from the back obviously comes with the risk of giving the ball away in dangerous positions, but in saying that, Sanchez knew what the demands were going to be when he joined.

Waiting for a chance to impress is 24-year-old Serbia international Djordje Petrovic, who joined Chelsea three weeks after Sanchez in August.

Pochettino seems committed to standing by Sanchez for now but the spotlight and questions over the position will inevitably continue until he can prove as reliable as Cech and Courtois once were.

[Strike 7,489]

On 23/10/2023 at 20:32, Vegetable said:

I'm not even mad. He is 2nd or 3rd choice Brighton goalkeeper. It is just what it says on the tin.

Do not blame the guy, blame the board.

I don't even think Poch approved this move really, given his previous comments. It looks like we tried to bribe Brighton to sell us Caicedo, as this kind of player would have hard time to come here, given there is no horrid injury to our GK roster or something.

Thing is, that shaky or okay-ish gk with occasional patches of overperformance is just not good enough on Chelsea level. I think the club have binned Mendy for pretty much this rason.

Every PL keeper is now having to deal with this sort of "pass out of the back" moments. Its the way the game has changed. Raya has had plenty of moments at Arsenal, Ederson and Allison too have had their moments. 

I am not too worried about Sanchez error yet. He's had a few shaky moments but also few good games (Bournemouth, Fulham)

Also think, mids (Gallagher?) should not have been on their heels and should have been ready for a pass that came through the lines. 

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

7 hours ago, Strike said:

Every PL keeper is now having to deal with this sort of "pass out of the back" moments. Its the way the game has changed. Raya has had plenty of moments at Arsenal, Ederson and Allison too have had their moments. 

I am not too worried about Sanchez error yet. He's had a few shaky moments but also few good games (Bournemouth, Fulham)

Also think, mids (Gallagher?) should not have been on their heels and should have been ready for a pass that came through the lines. 

Regardless he isn’t good enough. Its that simple. A very good number 2 yes but never an elite level number 1. Just like Raya. 

[Fulham Broadway 17,315]

The club will be micro scrutinising his distribution now, hes good at most other aspects, braver than Kepa at coming out. 

Onana went from clown to hero last night. I'm up for giving Sanchez more leeway, every player fucks up, its just a question of if its habitual

[bigbluewillie 1,930]

Get rid of.

Get Mamardashvili

For the time being play Petrovic

Edited October 26, 2023 by bigbluewillie

[James 5,331]

See you on the Bench

 

[nyikolajevics 2,700]

52 minutes ago, James said:

See you on the Bench

 

Nothing more relaxing during treatment than browsing an Excel-sheet!

 

Hope they are curing the part of his leg which is responsible for giving away the ball nearby our box.

[Strike 7,489]

two decent games now. have to say

[LAM09 7,056]

On 26/09/2024 at 13:02, Strike said:

two decent games now. have to say

I'd say decent is probably an understatement. Nkunku might have scored against Bournemouth, but Sanchez was the reason we were even still in the game at that point.

[Vesper 30,185]

He has looked far better than I expected (thank fuck)

Filip Jørgensen has looked a wee bit worse than I expected (but it is still VERY early days for him)

That all said

IF we are not going to move for Diogo Costa (seeems doubtful atm as his release clause is £63m)

then perhaps we will stay with these 2, as almost all keepers remotely close to Costa is available to come here and who would come here are all off the board now, which is just madness

plus we need to see if Mike Penders, the 19yo giant we bought, is actually going to be the real deal

 

the only 2 keepers other than Costa who are, IMHO atm, worth looking at are 2 French keepers:

the 22yo Lucas Chevalier  (may go to PSG)

and especially the 19yo (20yo in 5 and half months) Guillaume Restes (Barca are looking at him for a possible January move with ter Stegen out for the year now)

maybe, maybe Álvaro Valles, but he will be 28 and no way should we sign him to a 7, 8 year contract, plus he only wants to move to Real Betis or Barca

 

Guillaume Restes 

[LAM09 7,056]

Do you think Slonina won't be in the picture at all, @Vesper?

[Vesper 30,185]

4 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

Do you think Slonina won't be in the picture at all, @Vesper?

ATM I see him as a 'sell for profit' buy.

Hope he changes my mind.

Same for Đorđe Petrović (granted he likely will never be our starter again).

[ZAPHOD2319 4,818]

Sanchez is getting some commercial work, at least here in the US. I have seen this one several times now.

 

 

[Strike 7,489]

 

I don't think he is all that but club has no choice but to keep backing him at the moment

 

[Mário César 1,272]

27 minutes ago, Strike said:

 

I don't think he is all that but club has no choice but to keep backing him at the moment

 

until january at least

[King Kante 1,643]

On 04/11/2024 at 14:15, Strike said:

 

I don't think he is all that but club has no choice but to keep backing him at the moment

 

Club seem to think this is going to be some sort of Magikarp situation, where the guy keeps costing your teams for ages then suddenly mega evolves into a beast. 

[Special Juan 28,141]

Keep saying it, he;s shite but hey lets keep doing it. Should have bought a keeper last season but nah that would have been sensible