Enzo Maresca on the touchline at St James' Park.Enzo Maresca on the touchline at St James' Park.
Enzo Maresca on the touchline at St James' Park. | Getty Images
Enzo Maresca is facing a goalkeeping conundrum at Chelsea and doesn’t seem to have an answer right now.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca found himself bellowing towards goalkeeper Robert Sanchez on the touchline at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon. Newcastle United were 1-0 up and the Blues boss was desperate for his shot-stopper to gain some composure.
Maresca flapped his hands to gesture ‘calm down’ at the Spaniard, who had already gifted possession back to the Magpies needlessly in the match. Both chasing Champions League football, the pressure was high at a rowdy St James’ Park but Sanchez must learn to rise above.
Luckily, in that moment, Maresca succeeded in catching the attention of the goalkeeper. Sanchez looked over in his direction and, instead of another kamikaze-style clearance, allowed his teammates to regain shape and play out from the back.
Robert Sanchez told to ‘calm down’ by Enzo Maresca
The 27-year-old has been under much scrutiny this season after high profile mistakes but doesn’t help himself in moments like that. If Chelsea want to be playing Champions League football and fighting for Premier League titles, they need a goalkeeper who can make the right decision without his manager’s cries. A lack of calm between the sticks can be infectious for the rest of the team.
There’s no doubting that Sanchez is a good goalkeeper. Against Everton, the goalkeeper was heralded by Peter Crouch for his efforts. When analysing one particular save, the former Liverpool man told TNT Sports: "I don’t think Beto can do a lot more. It’s right in the corner, and it’s a magnificent save. Today was Sanchez’s day. You did watch him grow in confidence. At corners, the free kicks, the crosses, they were coming under pressure, and he came out and claimed them.
"He’s definitely got the ability to be the No. 1 goalkeeper here, it’s just about the confidence. He got man of the match today, and the fans have acknowledged the fact that he’s made some mistakes, but today he’s won them three points."
Finding the quality against bottom half Everton is, however, a different take to finding it in the cauldron of St James’ Park. Perhaps the constant speculation over his place as first choice goalkeeper has led to nerves, that would only be natural.
Chelsea managing goalkeeping conundrum
Maresca dropped Maresca in February following mistakes in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City but was returned to the XI when Filip Jorgensen was guilty of errors against Aston Villa. Returning him to the team, Maresca said: “It will be Robert playing against Arsenal. Since we start, the idea was not to change goalkeeper - but sometimes you have to modify, you have to be flexible in your idea. We do this with the game plan, we do this with the way we want to attack, the way we want to defend, but also we need to be flexible with players.
“I think Robert needed some days off or at least to rest his head mentally. And now he is back we are hopefully not going to change until the end [of the season], also because I said many times we are quite happy with both goalkeepers.”
It seems unlikely that £20 million man Jorgensen is the confident goalkeeping replacement but, if Chelsea want to meet their ambitions under Maresca, Sanchez’s days are looking numbered.
In other news, 'It is clear' - Chelsea star slammed by pundits for what he did against Newcastle United.
Continue Reading