February 14th 2025.
According to Gary Neville, Chelsea's goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez, should have been replaced earlier in the season. Neville expressed his sympathy for Sanchez and believes that Enzo Maresca, the head coach, should have taken him out of the firing line before things got worse. Despite competition from Djordje Petrovic, Sanchez was chosen as Chelsea's number one at the start of the season. However, his performances have been far from convincing, with costly mistakes leading to the team's struggle to maintain their position in the top four of the Premier League.
After a less-than-ideal display in Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Manchester City, Maresca finally made the decision to drop Sanchez from the starting line-up. Summer signing Filip Jorgensen was given the chance to prove himself against West Ham and has continued to hold onto the position, with Chelsea seeking revenge against Brighton after losing to them in the FA Cup just a week earlier. Neville, a former Manchester United and England defender, believes it is too early to say whether Jorgensen is the solution for Chelsea, but hopes to see him take the opportunity to prove himself.
Neville also expressed his sympathy for Sanchez, stating that being a goalkeeper is the most difficult position in football. He believes that the pressure and criticism that comes with the position can be tough for a young player, especially at a big club like Chelsea. Neville feels that Maresca could have replaced Sanchez earlier, as it is now difficult to regain his confidence and put him back in the starting line-up. He fears that if Jorgensen faces similar struggles in the future, it will create an even bigger problem for both the player and the coach.
Maresca has confirmed that Jorgensen is now his first-choice goalkeeper, saying that he sees him as the solution to give Sanchez time to recover mentally and physically. However, he also stated that his plan is not to constantly change the goalkeeper on a game-by-game basis. Neville hopes that Jorgensen will have a successful couple of months ahead of him, but acknowledged that if he doesn't, it will create a bigger problem for Maresca and the team. Only time will tell if Jorgensen can prove himself as the reliable goalkeeper that Chelsea needs.
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