For many, talk of Chelsea competing for the Premier League title this season is premature.
After all, this is a side who finished sixth in the last campaign and 12th the one before that. Yet former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara is one of few people who believes that Chelsea can actually challenge Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the table.
Against Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea showed that they may very well have the firepower to go far this season after scoring four goals at Stamford Bridge.
However, O’Hara thinks one thing could end up holding Enzo Maresca‘s side back in any potential title race.
Jamie O’Hara has concerns about key position
A lot has been said about Chelsea’s options up front over the last year, with Nicolas Jackson sometimes missing good chances.
O’Hara, though, thinks the goalkeeper position is what could cost the Blues this term after Robert Sanchez‘s unconvincing performance on Saturday.
Sanchez made two errors that led to goals but was bailed out of trouble thanks to Cole Palmer.
Speaking about Chelsea and their title chances on talkSPORT (28/09/2024 at 17:14) after the game, O’Hara said: “They are the real deal, Chelsea. I don’t care what anyone says. Everyone was digging them out. It looks like they have got it right. What a squad they have got. I think they can challenge for the title. I am telling you they can fight for the title. They are that good.
“The only issue they have got is Robert Sanchez and the back four. That’s where I think they might come unstuck. If they are going to win the league, they are going to win it by winning 4-3s, 4-2s. But they are going forward frightening. And their bench is frightening. It’s just the goalkeeper looks like he is going to let them down. The amount of times he looks like he is going to give the ball away every time he gets it.”
Sanchez did not exactly apologise for his mistakes, but he did acknowledge that he was at fault in a post on Instagram.
Can Chelsea compete for the title with Robert Sanchez in goal?
Sanchez was poor against Brighton, but without him Chelsea would not be on 13 points right now.
It was Christopher Nkunku who scored the winning goal away at Bournemouth earlier this month, but Sanchez made a lot of saves that evening and stopped a penalty.
Ultimately, despite his couple of errors on Saturday, Sanchez is still a decent goalkeeper. In terms of quality, Chelsea may have enough to be in and around things this term, but their team is still quite young and inexperienced. That is what will probably end up hurting them.
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