Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez needs to improve so much when he’s got the ball at his feet.
That is according to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Robert Sanchez, 26, was recalled to Chelsea’s starting line-up for Sunday’s game against Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The Blues ended up securing a dramatic 4-2 win at home to Championship club Leicester this afternoon, so they’ll return to Wembley Stadium next month for the semi-finals.
Sanchez, who’s recently lost his starting position as Chelsea’s keeper, was back in the XI for the cup tie.
Unfortunately, the £25 million gloveman (Sky Sports) showed his vulnerability, especially when attempting to play out from defence.
When asked if he’s unnerved by Sanchez in Chelsea’s net, Hasselbaink told BBC One (1:42pm, 17 March): “A little bit, yes. He hasn’t played for a long time He doesn’t play regularly.
“He takes a lot of time when the ball comes back to him… He needs to get better at that. He’s taking a little bit too much risk and too much time.”
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“The only defence I can give him is he got injured, he’s not played for a long time, he’s lost his place in the team, and he wants to come show he’s better than the other one. But he’s not showing that at the moment.”
Robert Sanchez against Leicester
We agree that Sanchez was one of the negatives this weekend. For certain, Djordje Petrovic deserves his spot as Chelsea’s No 1 goalkeeper right now.
Sanchez looked extremely nervous with the ball at his feet in moments versus Leicester, which led to some misplaced passes. You could question his positioning for Axel Disasi’s own goal, too.
The 26-year-old shot-stopper does look like someone who’s had the confidence knocked out of him.
If he wants to win back his permanent starting position, we’d like him to make huge improvements in his ball-playing qualities.
Journalist Dean Jones reported via SportsLens last month that Chelsea could look to sell Sanchez after only one year at the club.
