On Monday night, in Chelsea's dressing room, Robert Sánchez was a photo of Zen, sitting with his legs crossed and reading the program of the day in which he had contributed an interview when the television screen to his left told for Start with Wolves.
There is nothing wrong with that, calm is a good feature to have in a goalkeeper. The defenders will tell you that it is much more desirable than someone to show their nerves before leaving the tunnel and enter the particle accelerator that is the Premier League.
It is a part of Sánchez's personality, and why those who know the 6 -foot and 6 feet goalkeeper of Chelsea trust that he will not be trapped in the chaos of the criticisms that are presented to him.
That included his own followers, cheating ironically every time he caught the ball in the second half of his 3-1 victory over Wolves on Monday, after spilling the capture that saw them grant their draw.
Mail sport He tyratized Enzo Maresca in those cheers at yesterday's press conference and Chelsea chief coach essentially told his goalkeeper: they deal with it.
“You have to handle that moment,” said Maresca. “It is improving, but it is still far, far from where I want it to be.”
Enzo Maresca said that Robert Sánchez is improving but 'far' where he needs to be
He admitted that Sánchez may not be good enough to play as a guaranteed headline for Chelsea
Sanchez made an error against the wolves on Monday, spilling a capture to allow his equalizer
Three uses of the word 'far'. When asked as a follow -up if the 27 -year -old can be his goalkeeper for seasons to come, Maresca replied: 'For this season? No doubt.
'But then in the future, we don't know. It's not just about Robert. It is even me. I am focused at this time, this season. Robert is improving, but he is still far from where I want him to be.
Make four uses of 'FAR'. Not wishing to crush his trust, Maresca also sprayed in some pleasant words for Sánchez, saying that he is improving and not the only one who makes mistakes.
But we have been here before in the Premier League. Pep Guardiola defended Claudio Bravo in 2016-17, then Manchester City signed Ederson after the conclusion of that season. Jurgen Klopp defended Loris Karius in 2017-18, then Liverpool signed Alisson for £ 67 million.
Both were catalysts for the successes of those clubs. We will have to wait to see if Chelsea considers her own summer swoop, which is a conversation closer to time.
What is known is that they are not actively looking for a January change, with experts who insist that they have faith in Sánchez and their 22 -year -old substitute Filip Jorgensen for this season, and that there is optimism for the future with Mike Penders, 19- Belgium International, one year, which will arrive from Genk this summer.
Sanchez himself is confident that he can demonstrate his worth between now and the end of the Premier League season. He returned before what was expected in the summer while looking to know what Maresca wanted him, working closely with the new goalkeeper coach of the Michele club of Bernardin, known as 'Micky', and Henrique Hilario – 'H', although now he has gone to join Thomas Tuchel's staff in England.
There is still a daily approach to perfecting Sánchez's death in Cobham. Mads Hermansen de Leicester went on to play more passes than any goalkeeper registered in the history of the championship last season under Maresca, hence Sanchez has been told that there is an assignment for the mistakes made by his manager.
The Blues signed Brighton's 27 -year -old player for £ 25 million from Brighton in August 2023
Filip Jorgensen is Chelsea's support goalkeeper, but he has only played two league games this season
However, while Chelsea travels to City in the Premier League today, it is worth looking back until 2016-17. The first season of Guardiola, Bravo was in the goal, and the head of the city supported him a lot, even when his own followers were delivered with ironic cheers after a clanger was committed.
It was in the second half of that season that Guardiola's defensive words acquired a Hollowness when he installed Willy Caballero, now the Maresca assistant in Chelsea, as his new first choice, and then in the summer when City signed Ederson for £ 35 Millions of Benfica.
Guardiola never avoided saying that it was a change of game for the city, admitting that it could “not visualize” win everything they did without ederson among the sticks.
Chelsea has no shortage of goalkeepers in his books. Thirteen, in fact. In addition to Sánchez, Jorgensen and Los Penders, there is the Englishman Marcus Bettinelli, 32, who has made a lonely appearance of the FA Cup in four years in Stamford Bridge. Lucas Bergstrom of Finland, 22, has played more for his country (once) than for his club.
Djordje Petrovic, 25, is currently on loan with his French brother Strasbourg team, in addition to Kep Arrizabalaga, 30, in Bournemouth. Others include Gaga Slonina (20, recently retired from Barnsley), Eddie Beach (21, recently retired from Crawley) and Teddy Sharman-Lowe (21, lent with Doncaster). Ted Curd, Luke Campbell and Hudson Sands are in the ranks of the Academy.
Sanchez is ahead of all of them, the best that Chelsea currently has, and someone who sees sees can keep calm and continue for now if they will return to the Champions League.