Chelsea have rebounded quite nicely to start the 2024/25 campaign under Enzo Maresca, as the new manager has the Blues sitting in fourth place, ahead of London rivals Arsenal on points before their derby battle at the weekend.
After barely qualifying for the Conference League last season in their return to Europe, Chelsea now look like the favorites to qualify for the Champions League, which is a status that has long been expected of them.
However, Chelsea still have work to do before they can call themselves Premier League title contenders again, and they are currently seven points behind league leaders Liverpool to prove that point.
Chelsea have an improving attack, Moises Caicedo has been back to his best in midfield, and the back line isn’t bad by any means. But there is one glaring weakness in the starting lineup who has consistently been costing the Blues points, including at the weekend in their draw with Manchester United.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez wasn’t good enough for Chelsea when they signed him last summer from Brighton, and after the club nabbed young La Liga breakout star Filip Jorgensen, there was an assumption that there would be a changing of the guard in goal.
Maresca, however, has started Sanchez from day one, only using Jorgensen in cups despite the 22-year-old already being better – and holding significantly more long-term upside.
According to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, Chelsea aren’t going to be giving up on Robert Sanchez as their starter any time soon. Reportedly, not only do the Blues fully believe in Sanchez’s talent, but they also think he will click and become one of the best keepers in the Premier League.
Well, it hasn’t clicked for Sanchez at the age of 26, and while that is relatively young at goalkeeper – and there are always late bloomers – we haven’t seen any signs of this happening in 2024/25.
Sanchez can occasionally make spectacular saves, but the name of the game in goal is not to lose games, and the Spanish international makes significantly more back-breaking errors than Man United’s Andre Onana.
It’s entirely possible Chelsea aren’t as enthused about Sanchez as they are telling the media, but if that were the case and this were really a smokescreen for the Blues to pursue someone like Gregor Kobel, then it doesn’t explain why they keep starting The Sanchize over Jorgensen.
