Djordje Petrovic and Chelsea teammate Robert Sanchez have been battling it out for the No 1 position at Stamford Bridge this season.
It looks like Blues head coach Mauricio Pochettino has finally settled on his first-choice goalkeeper, with Djordje Petrovic edging out Robert Sanchez in-between the sticks.
However, Sanchez did return to the starting XI for Sunday’s 4-2 home win over Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals. The £25 million shot-stopper (Sky Sports) certainly didn’t have the smoothest of performances in the cup tie.
Speaking via BBC One at the weekend (1:42pm, 17 March), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink criticised 26-year-old Sanchez for being really poor in possession. It’s a common theme this campaign that the Spaniard can be rushed with the ball at his feet and his distribution is shaky.
Based on what he’s seen from Sanchez and Petrovic so far this season, talkSPORT pundit Andy Jacobs argues the former is a lot worse than his 24-year-old teammate.
He thinks Serbian star Petrovic is miles ahead of Sanchez in terms of general ability.
“I don’t understand managers who pick the second keeper for vital games… Why play Sanchez, who’s definitely inferior to Petrovic?” Jacobs told talkSPORT (1:09pm, 18 March).
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“We saw his problems. He’s ponderous on the ball. His distribution is awful.
“What’s the point? It’s your job on the line mate. I don’t get it. Misplaced loyalty to the second keeper is laudable but wrong.”
Robert Sanchez worse than Djordje Petrovic
We’re not sure there’s a landslide between the level of Chelsea’s two senior goalkeepers this season, but we’d argue for Petrovic looking more consistent and solid than Sanchez at this moment in time.
Our gut feeling is that the Blues may need to be open to signing a world-class keeper if one becomes available in the upcoming summer market.
Well-respected journalist Simon Phillips reported via Substack last month that Chelsea are still pondering their goalkeeper position ahead of the summer because of potential question marks around both Petrovic and Sanchez. In particular, there’s concerns around the ball-playing qualities of the two players.
Chelsea fans have been extremely fortunate to watch some truly elite goalkeepers in their net during the last couple of decades, which is often a hallmark of a successful side.
We fear the Blues won’t get back to the very top until a better gloveman is added to the squad.
