Chelsea’s goalkeeping issues have now stretched into a third consecutive season, and frustration among fans and pundits alike is reaching boiling point.
When the Blues signed Robert Sánchez from Brighton, many assumed he was arriving as a backup option — a steady pair of hands to push Kepa Arrizabalaga. Instead, he became Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper almost immediately. That decision has since raised serious questions, with Sánchez’s performances proving far too inconsistent for a club with title ambitions.
The most recent flashpoint came last weekend when the Spaniard saw red against Manchester United, leaving Chelsea vulnerable and ultimately costing them valuable points. For many, this was the latest chapter in what has been a catalogue of costly mistakes between the posts.
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel voiced the concerns of many supporters on his podcast, delivering a scathing verdict on the club’s handling of the situation:
“It will be incredibly difficult for us to win the Premier League with the goalkeeper we have. We can’t wait. We want to win now. We want to win the Premier League title. Every top club has a good goalkeeper.”
Mikel drew a comparison with Manchester City, praising Pep Guardiola’s ruthlessness in recognising when Ederson was no longer at his peak and taking steps to address the issue. “Pep should be thinking about the club, about the team’s success,” Mikel added. “How can the team return to winning ways if a key player has failed?”
Chelsea’s hierarchy continue to brief that they back Sánchez and see him as a long-term solution. But that stance is beginning to look less like faith and more like stubbornness. Many suspect the refusal to move on from Sánchez is tied to pride — a reluctance from those who sanctioned his transfer to admit they may have made a mistake.
Supporters have seen this story before, and patience is wearing thin. The longer Chelsea wait to address what is clearly a key weakness, the harder it will be to close the gap to Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool at the top of the table.
The pressure is now firmly on Enzo Maresca and the recruitment team to make a decisive call — either trust Sánchez to rediscover his form or act swiftly in the transfer market. Chelsea’s ambitions of challenging for the Premier League depend on it.
