Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Xabi Alonso will take charge of his first official match as Chelsea manager on Monday when his side face Fulham at Craven Cottage.
One player who is expected to start the game is Robert Sanchez, who was Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper last season.
This summer, Chelsea have been linked with Diogo Costa, but the club have been quick to shut down rumours about the Porto star.
Despite making some high-profile errors during his time at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea still appear to believe in Sanchez.
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Xabi Alonso refuses to confirm Robert Sanchez as No.1
While Sanchez is likely to start at Craven Cottage on Monday, Alonso did not confirm whether he would be Chelsea’s No.1 this season.
Mike Penders has returned from his loan at Strasbourg and is expected to compete with the Spaniard for the spot between the sticks.
Speaking about Chelsea’s goalkeeper situation ahead of the trip to Fulham, Alonso said via the Daily Mail: “We want healthy competition in all the positions. We will see. The pitch is the boss of everything. I don’t decide. The players need to show me.”
It is amazing that this is still a talking point four years after BlueCo’s purchase of Chelsea. Sanchez was bought in 2023 and has never totally convinced.
Robert Sanchez of Chelsea
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
The 28-year-old was even dropped last season, though his deputy Filip Jorgensen was never able to take full advantage.
READ MORE:Robert Sanchez thinks £17m Chelsea youngster is quite literally going to be ‘massive’
Goalkeeper is a position that needs certainty. The fact that Alonso cannot say who his No.1 is yet really shows that BlueCo have failed to bring in a reliable and consistent shot-stopper in their four years of owning the club.
If anything is going to hold Chelsea back this season, it could be that. Hopefully Sanchez can cut those serious mistakes out of his game. If not, he could lose his place in the team to Penders.
Whether Penders is ready to be Chelsea’s No.1, though, remains to be seen. The Belgian is still just 21 and has not been tested in the Premier League yet.