CHELSEA MUST TRUST £25M SIGNING, SAYS PETER SCHMEICHEL
Peter Schmeichel insists Chelsea can win the Premier League with Robert Sanchez in goal. He argues the team must defend better as a unit, shifting focus from individual criticism of the goalkeeper.
With Robert Sanchez in goal, Peter Schmeichel is adamant that Chelsea is capable of winning the Premier League title.
The 27-year-old, who moved from Brighton for £25 million two years ago, has faced criticism for his errors at Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca's team should have signed Gianluigi Donnarumma, who ultimately joined Manchester City, according to Jamie Carragher, who has criticised Chelsea for not signing a replacement for Sanchez during the summer transfer window.
Schmeichel, on the other hand, disagrees with Carragher's decision and thinks Chelsea's defence must work together better to win the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
"With Robert Sanchez, we can tackle that topic," Schmeichel said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Every action you take is subject to scrutiny when you play for these teams because of the intense pressure.
Accordingly, if you are the goalie and you say, for example, that Sanchez is not very good with his feet, I do not think he is a bad goalie.
"Can Chelsea win the league with Sanchez?" Jamie Carragher asked me on air the other day. "Yeah, of course they can," I replied, "they need to defend better."
They have been doing a terrible job of defending. He is, therefore, a poor goalie.
"You have to get along with each other and function as a team, so the goalie, the back four, and the squad's spine must all work together." The others will suffer if one of them performs poorly.
And it is the distinction between winning and losing the league. You have it going when you win the league; it works, game by game, and there is trust.
Giving up the goals Chelsea has set immediately causes unease. They stare at one another, and you can see it when you are there. It is not like this when everything just goes as it should.
LIAM ROSENIOR’S "DETAILED TALKS" WITH CHELSEA LEADERSHIP REVEAL AGGRESSIVE SUMMER TRANSFER STRATEGY
Liam Rosenior confirms no Chelsea players want to leave, including Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, despite UCL exit.
Liam Rosenior is currently engaged in thorough discussions with Chelsea’s leadership about their plans for the summer transfer window. Interestingly, none of the players has approached him expressing a desire to leave.
After Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League last-16 against Paris Saint-Germain, speculation swirled around Enzo Fernandez’s future, while names like Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have also been linked with moves away since Rosenior took charge in January. Ahead of their trip to Everton, Rosenior addressed questions about possible departures if the team misses out on Europe’s top competition again. He also spoke about the ongoing efforts to bring new players in.
“We're having very detailed talks about where we need to strengthen,” he said, referring to conversations with the sporting director team, headed by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. “I’ve shared my thoughts on what’s needed, and we’re mostly aligned on the approach, which is encouraging. But the priority is also handling the present properly. It’s crucial to be in a good spot now. Planning is important, but so is winning in the moment. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having positive discussions with ownership and the sporting directors about it.”
Rosenior emphasised that key players like Enzo Fernández want to remain at Chelsea. After Fernandez’s recent interview with ESPN Argentina, where he was noncommittal about his future following the heavy loss to PSG, Rosenior reached out to him personally.
“Our plans don’t hinge solely on qualifying for the Champions League; there are many variables,” Rosenior explained. “We need to make the best of the situation we’re in and stay as strong as possible. I maintain a close relationship with the players; we talk beyond football about their families and their lives. I’m particularly close with Enzo and the others. Since I arrived, no one has told me they want to leave in the summer. The focus is really on improving together as a team and figuring out what it takes to win right now.”
When asked specifically if that applies to Fernandez, Palmer, and Caicedo, Rosenior was clear: “They love it here.”
WHY ENZO FERNANDEZ REFUSES TO COMMIT TO CHELSEA’S FUTURE PROJECT
Enzo Fernandez has sparked Chelsea exit fears after refusing to commit to his future following a 2-8 defeat to PSG.
Chelsea fans barely had time to process a brutal 8-2 Champions League thrashing by PSG on Tuesday when vice-captain Enzo Fernandez stirred things up even more. ESPN Argentina asked him about his future, and instead of assurance, Fernandez left everyone guessing about whether he’d still be at Stamford Bridge next season.
His answer? “I don’t know. There are eight games left, and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.” Not exactly what supporters needed to hear after a rough night. Honestly, Enzo, now’s probably not the best time for uncertainty.
People have been gossiping about Fernandez’s next move for a while now. Real Madrid and PSG keep cropping up as possible destinations, despite Chelsea sources insisting they won’t sell him. He’s locked into a contract until 2032, but if he pushes for an exit, who knows if that changes.
Fernandez holds a hefty price tag of £107 million; when he arrived in January 2023, it was a British record at the time. He’s backed it up this season, stacking up 12 goals, 6 assists, and playing more minutes than anyone else on the squad.
Still, Chelsea has been searching for someone who can play that No. 10 role where Fernandez has spent most of the season. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is on their wishlist, though nothing’s happened yet. Rogers, 23 and once a Manchester City academy kid, has been lighting it up at Villa lately. He signed a contract extension in November, but rumours about his future just won’t die.
Rogers is definitely on Chelsea’s radar. If Fernandez leaves this summer, and really, that’s still wide open; Rogers could be a target.
You can expect Chelsea to be busy in the market soon. They need a centre-back after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet in January. Douglas Luiz was briefly considered but wound up at Villa, so midfield is still in the mix. Plus, given their attacking troubles this season, they’ll be looking to upgrade up front too.
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