Peter Schmeichel, a former goalkeeper, said on CBS Sports Golazo that Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has told 23-year-old Danish shot-stopper Filip Jorgensen that he is now the club’s first-choice keeper. Robert Sanchez was left out of the starting lineup for Chelsea’s Premier League game against Aston Villa, where Jorgensen played well. The Blues won easily at Villa Park, 4-1, and Jorgensen showed the calm and confidence that Rosenior had been looking for in goal.
It has been a long time since Robert Sanchez was demoted. In the first leg of the League Cup semi-final in January, Arsenal took advantage of two huge mistakes by Sanchez. The first was a corner kick in the seventh minute that went right over him, letting Ben White head into an empty net. The second was a low cross that Sanchez dropped straight to Viktor Gyökeres for an easy tap-in.
The nightmare continued in the Premier League on March 1, when Saliba’s reaction header struck a Chelsea defender and went past a flailing Sanchez, resulting in a 2-1 loss at the Emirates. Speaking about Jorgensen after the Aston Villa game, Rosenior said:
“Filip has been working for this opportunity and he took it really well. He was a massive influence in the game in terms of our build structure and how we created chances. Rob’s put in great performances as well, but I want there to be competition in every area of the pitch.”
Journalist Ben Jacobs says that Rosenior thinks Jorgensen is more confident when he comes off his line. However, most people at Chelsea think that the difference between the two goalkeepers isn’t that big. Reports had revealed that Sanchez was “really disappointed” not to be on the Villa squad after they lost to Arsenal. He had been criticised for his passing and mistakes on set-pieces.
The Future Of The Chelsea Number One Spot
Chelsea still want to keep Sanchez, but since Jorgensen is likely to leave in the summer to play regularly for the first team, the 28-year-old will have to compete with returning loan player Mike Penders for the number one spot instead.
It is possible that neither Sanchez nor Jorgensen will be the first choice next season. Penders is currently the top candidate after his great loan spell at Strasbourg, where Chelsea’s Head of Global Goalkeeping Ben Roberts has been pushing for the Belgian to become the club’s long-term number one.
Newcastle, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Aston Villa are all interested in signing Penders, but Chelsea have turned down every offer. They believe that the 20-year-old is an important part of their future. It looks like Sanchez may also have to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer unless he finds his best form before the season ends.