Enzo Maresca didn’t have a hard time choosing this summer when it came to deciding who would be Chelsea’s No1.
When youngster Mike Penders signed from Genk at the beginning of August, he joined a long list of eighth goalkeepers on the club’s books, and although not all of them were serious contenders, the battle to become Maresca’s first choice was even closer to Royal. Rumble from direct fire.
However, in the end, the new manager established the status quo, backing Robert Sanchez to start the campaign, just like Mauricio Pochettino 12 months earlier. Just four games into the season, on a strange night at Bournemouth, is a testament to that call.
On 86 minutes, Sanchez’s excellent penalty from Evanilson was – along with a promising debut from half-time substitute Jadon Sancho – almost all Maresca could take away from Chelsea’s lackluster display. The Cherries have also hit the woodwork twice and even the goalless draw on offer at that stage would have sold their performance short.
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But with his excellent feet and crisp finishing off the bench, Christopher Nkunku changed the mood of the south coast crowd on Saturday night, and went on to score a goalkeeping heroics in the first half by securing a 1 -0 road wins.
The penalty incident somewhat summed up Chelsea’s poor first-half display against Andoni Iraola’s brave side who, not for the first time this season, left the Vitality Stadium bewildered by their failure to win.
Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo both lost in the air, before Wesley Fofana sold the keeper short with a terrific backpass from a bouncing ball which, even if done correctly, would have been clumsy for Sanchez. So, the goalkeeper was stranded when Evanilson nipped in. Diving down on the left side, though, let out the same forward effort, the Spaniard made amends for the mistake that almost did not have.
Enzo Maresca and Robert Sanchez in full-time
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It’s a big moment for a player whose Chelsea career isn’t over yet and now, you know, maybe a placeholder until Maresca finds the brand of goalkeeper he considers so important to his style of play.
It was a surprise when, during pre-season, it became clear that the former Brighton man would start the campaign as No1. He missed the second half of last season through injury, with Djordje Petrovic impressing in his place as a soft-spoken incumbent. Kepa Arrizabalaga, back from Real Madrid, packed off to Bournemouth on another loan and watched here from the executive box, is ineligible to feature, but the arrival of Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal is designed to provide genuine competition. Now, the 22-year-old is waiting in the wings for Sanchez’s first slip.
There was no sign of it here, but Maresca was very relieved.
Jadon Sancho assisted Christopher Nkunku’s winner
Reuters
Sancho deserves a start as Neto accelerates
Noni Madueke’s form on Chelsea’s right wing has made the newly capped England international immobile at the start of the season, meaning £54million summer signing Pedro Neto starts on the out-of-favour left-back for his second league game here.
As in the 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace just before the international break, the Portuguese looked sharp physically, with good touch and bright movements.
However, once in possession, the winger has not looked as good as he proved when he suited up against Wolves, and with Cucurella having been tasked with dropping into midfield from left-back, Neto’s natural tendency to come in is to make the Blues lopsided in attack. He was the first player to be sacrificed as Chelsea looked for a winner against Palace, not enough until the hour mark, and here he was dragged off early, replaced by debutant Sancho at half-time.
Maresca’s desire to go into the summer to be a starting XI pick is understandable, especially as his injury record suggests a period of fitness is out of the question.
But with Sancho providing more penetration in the first five minutes in a Chelsea shirt than Neto in the 45th, and then setting up champion Nkunku, it will be a surprise if the Englishman is not brought into the line-up for next Saturday’s trip to West Ham. .