Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel has questioned Robert Sanchez and claimed the goalkeeper doesn’t trust himself.
Chelsea have had an up and down start to the season which has been highlighted by a number of individual errors in their opening games.
Whilst the likes of Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian have impressed the same can’t be said for other members of the squad.
John Obi Mikel makes Robert Sanchez claim
Goalkeeper has been a position of contention at Chelsea, with many saying a new keeper should have been signed in the summer.
Chelsea passed up on the opportunity to sign Mike Maignan, whilst they simply didn’t go in for Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The Blues are already paying the price for that, after Sanchez got sent off against Manchester United, whilst Filip Jorgensen failed to impress against Lincoln.
Mikel believes Sanchez doesn’t trust himself. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Sanchez will return in goal against his former side Brighton on Saturday, but Mikel has claimed the Spaniard doesn’t trust himself.
“So for him [Robert Sanchez] to make such a mistake, you know, you run out, you came out of your line, why don’t you just pedal back and try to make yourself big and defend the goal and try to make sure doesn’t score? he said on The Obi One Podcast.
“I think it’s a matter of not trusting himself.
“Because if you trust yourself, a goalkeeper who trust’s himself would have pedalled back and gone to his goal line and okay, let’s see what you’ve got. Try to beat me because I trust myself.
“I can bet on myself to, you know, to maybe defend the goal. But he just thought, you know what? I don’t trust myself. I have to go out and make a rational decision. It wasn’t a rational decision.
“Let him come face you face-to-face. You’re a goalkeeper. Make yourself big and try to make the save. But he was like, you know what? I didn’t trust myself here.”
Chelsea happy with Mike Penders progress
The Blues didn’t sign a keeper in the summer, but they are said to have high hopes for youngster Mike Penders.
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Chelsea agreed a fee worth €20m for Penders back in 2024, and believe the 20-year-old is a “special” talent, and seemingly view him as the long term number one.
Penders is currently on loan at Strasbourg where he’s made an impressive start, and Chelsea are said to be pleased with his progress.
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