‘Real worry’ – Liam Rosenior has his first big decision to make as Chelsea honeymoon ends
After just his second match in charge of Chelsea, Liam Rosenior has a big decision to make about Robert Sanchez.
The Spanish goalkeeper has improved this season, but he was at fault for two goals during the 3-2 defeat at home to Arsenal in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
The opening goal from Ben White was entirely Sanchez’s fault.
Declan Rice whipped a corner into the box, and the former Brighton shot-stopper came out flapping at it.
He wasn’t strong enough and got nowhere near the ball as White had the routine task of heading home from a few yards.
There was a VAR check for a potential offside by Viktor Gyokeres during the goal, much like the Antoine Semenyo disallowed strike at St James’ Park on Tuesday, but it was quickly waved away.
And the second Gunners goal was also Sanchez’s fault as well.
White turned from scorer to provider as he was found in space on the right and fizzed a low ball into the box.
It was close to the goalkeeper, and it should have been a very easy take but instead, it slipped through both of his hands and landed on the goal-line for Gyokeres to convert from a yard out.
He then made a decent stop from Martin Odegaard and an excellent one to deny Mikel Merino on the volley.
But the damage had already been done by then with Chelsea facing a mountain to climb ahead of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium on February 4 – Arsenal haven’t lost at home this season.
Waiting in the wings to take Sanchez’s place is Filip Jorgensen, and Murphy thinks Rosenior has his first major decision on his hands.
After the game, the former Fulham midfielder said: “This wasn’t an evening for good goalkeeping was it?
“I know there was one good save [Sanchez denying Merino], but the rest of it was pretty poor.”
On Sanchez’s error for Gyokeres goal: “There’s no excuse for it.
“You can’t really justify that poor mistake, I suppose he’ll be grateful at least they’re still in the game.
“But it’ll be interesting to see if he’s going to be kept in now for the forthcoming games.
“Because that’s a real worry if your goalkeeper’s making errors so simple – both simple ones.”
At the time of the first error, Murphy said: “I think the goalkeeper Sanchez makes an awful attempt to try and punch.
“He just completely misses it because it’s right in on him.
Declan Rice swings it in, there’s loads of bodies in there, of course there are, it’s being protected by Cucurella and Sanchez.
“And as that ball comes in now… there’s nobody there’s no foul, he just flaps at it, that’s really bad goalkeeping.
“He’s actually had a good season. to be fair to him Sanchez, but that is an awful mistake.”
Rosenior defends Sanchez
The Blues boss refused to blame his keeper for the result, however, as he praised the player for saves that kept Chelsea in the tie.
Rosenior told talkSPORT: “There’s no blame. By the way, he makes a world-class save at 3-1 to keep us in this. There’s always positives and negatives to everyone’s performance. I’m not someone to blame individuals.
“I’m actually here to help and improve them. Yeah, like I’ve been here for six days. It’s a big ask for these players what I’m asking them to do. It is different to what they’re used to.
“And I have to take accountability for my players’ performance. That’s on me. We will improve. We will improve our understanding of what I want.
“And there are a lot of positives in terms of the players’ performance. And we need to take those aspects into the next game.”
How did the game go?
The first half was relatively cagey apart from that White opener on seven minutes.
But as soon as Gyokeres scored, the game came alive.
Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench and made it 2-1 shortly after as he got on the end of a Pedro Neto cross and finished into the bottom corner.
It was an excellent ball that was finished well.
But just as Stamford Bridge thought Chelsea were going to mount a comeback, Martin Zubimendi slammed home a third after great work from Gyokeres.
Merino could have made it 4-1 only to be denied by Sanchez, and Garnacho was on hand to exploit some more poor defending by Arsenal to make it 3-2.
Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to deal with a corner into the area, and Gabriel Magalhaes’ header fell for Garancho, who scored as he struck home a loose ball.
