Enzo Maresca was pleased with the Chelsea performance against West Ham.placeholder image
Enzo Maresca was pleased with the Chelsea performance against West Ham. | Getty Images
Enzo Maresca was delighted with a purring performance from his Chelsea side but there was one frustrating moment against West Ham.
Chelsea will be riding high having beaten West Ham in impressive fashion at the London Stadium on Friday night, five different Blues stars hitting the back of the net to pick up a first league victory of the season.
After the game, Enzo Maresca shared his delight at his side’s comeback, having conceded early to a Lucas Paqueta strike from distance. At the end of the 90 minutes, that single Hammers goal was long forgotten, but perhaps it should not be.
If Chelsea hadn’t managed to cancel out that goal through Joao Pedro less than 10 minutes later and if West Ham had managed some sort of fight, it could have been a very different night for the Blues. Conceding so early when away from home can’t happen every week.
Chelsea goalkeeper beaten from distance against West Ham
It was Brazilian teenager Willian Estevao who was at fault for losing the ball prior to that goal, the 18-year-old foolishly trying a flick-on in the middle of the pitch. However, fingers were also pointed at goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
It’s a tough job for the shot-stopper, who is only ever a split second away from criticism thanks to a series of high profile mistakes last season. Chelsea also have Filip Jorgensen waiting in the wings, who is the preferred number one for some supporters.
While Paqueta caught hold of the shot well, it sailed past Sanchez in the Chelsea goal within arm’s reach. The goalkeeper was wrong footed by his momentum but, given how long the ball was in the air, it could be argued he should have done better.
Rob Green points out Robert Sanchez mistake
Speaking at half time, former Premier League goalkeeper Rob Green suggested that perhaps more can be asked from Sanchez. He told Sky Sports: “Really bright and really sharp [West Ham press]. Estevao gets caught out and Paqueta has a wonderful strike. It’s a fantastic strike but there’s a little deviation in there.
“If you watch Sanchez’s feet, he just takes a step to the right and his momentum is going one way. The ball shifts to the other, the step to the right and the deviation to the left has thrown Sanchez. Take nothing away from it, it’s a fantastic strike from a special player.”
Maresca has maintained his faith in the Chelsea goalkeeper at his disposal but the debate over whether the Blues have a shot-stopper with the credentials to win them the Premier League is a question still being asked. It appears that no matter what Maresca says, those little errors are not leaving Sanchez’s game, and it’s a conundrum that needs sorting.
The Spaniard continues to grow but, until those mishaps leave, it’s hard to view the Chelsea squad as being capable of seriously challenging for a title - and another big warning for Maresca.
In other news, Chelsea Player Ratings: 'Speed demon' 10/10 and 'phenomenal' 9 as West Ham battered.
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