Robert Sánchez joined Chelsea in August 2023 for a fee of £25 million, arriving with high expectations as the club’s new first-choice goalkeeper. However, his time at Stamford Bridge has been marked by mixed performances, attracting both praise and criticism.
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel recently questioned Sánchez’s self-belief, particularly highlighting his costly mistake against Manchester United which led to a red card and a 2-1 defeat for the Blues last month.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel suggested that Sánchez’s decision-making reflected a lack of trust in himself, arguing that a more confident goalkeeper would have retreated, made himself big, and relied on his shot-stopping ability rather than rushing out recklessly.
Mikel said:
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? I think it’s a matter of not trusting himself.
He continued:
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.
Watch the full video below:
Despite these criticisms, Sánchez has clear strengths. His distribution is one of his standout qualities, with his left foot often launching precise counter-attacks from the back. He has also demonstrated strong shot-stopping ability, most notably in the FIFA Club World Cup final where he produced crucial saves to secure a clean sheet as Chelsea beat PSG 3-0.
Nevertheless, areas for improvement remain. By early 2025, new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was reportedly considering dropping Sánchez after a series of costly mistakes. His main issues have been error proneness, like his recent red card against Manchester United, and inconsistency, as his performances fluctuate between brilliant and unreliable. While he has shown resilience in bouncing back from setbacks, sustaining consistency remains his greatest challenge. Watch below one of Sanchez’s heroics displayed last season, as shown on Chelsea’s official X handle:
In terms of accolades, Sánchez has already achieved notable recognition, winning the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Glove with Chelsea, a testament to his talent when at his best but consistency matters. Yet, his journey at Stamford Bridge reflects the tension between potential and execution, with his long-term role at Chelsea still under scrutiny.
