Ben Foster, who is often the rare pundit who is positive on Chelsea and has continued to be even through the toxic times, has spoken the truth on Robert Sanchez this week.
Who better to listen to on the ability of a goalkeeper than an experienced one who was pretty good between the sticks during his 23-year career?
I always rate what Foster says, I think he is very fair and balanced. And in the latter end of his career, he was also a very good keeper so is very qualified to speak on current goalkeepers in the game.
Let’s be honest, Foster is not the only pundit, fan or journalist who has been consistently saying that Sanchez is just not good enough to be Chelsea number one. But the question is, will the club finally realise this and take action? Quite simply, they need to.
Foster spoke about Robert Sanchez on his YouTube show this week:
“He’s a specimen, he’s an athlete, and he can make some of the best saves you will see. But just some of the goals that go in, I just think no, like that can’t go in that easily.
“That’s how I judge a goalkeeper anyways, I don’t need to really look at the saves, I need to look at the goals that go in. Could you prevent those goals going in? There’s too many already.”
This is a completely fair take, and he’s even complimented Sanchez. It’s not just some wild and unfair rant like many have put out there on Sanchez. Some have been a bit too harsh at times to be honest.
I’ve always said this myself – Sanchez has had a couple of class games in a Chelsea shirt this season; he’s made some terrific saves and has played well. But unfortunately he has had more poor games than good, and he has given away goals with mistakes, or shots that he should have saved. That is his issue, it’s consistency, and it’s lapses of concentration and brain farts. That has always been his problem.
I don’t think anyone should doubt whether he can make a world class save. Of course he can, it’s his job after all. But the soft goals that he lets in, as Foster says, outweighs those good moments by quite a lot.
And if Chelsea want to challenge for a title again, which they do, then they can’t be carrying just above average players in any position on the field.
So Chelsea, don’t listen to me, listen to the experienced goalkeeper turned pundit who is actually very balanced and fair with his view above!
