2. The goalkeeper situation
This has been a highly debated topic among Chelsea fans. Many expected they had seen the last of Robert Sánchez when he was dropped following yet another dreadful performance. His inability to meet even the basic expectations of a goalkeeper was one of the reasons Chelsea conceded three goals against Manchester City.
Filip Jörgensen was given the nod in their next league game against West Ham. However, for no clear reason, Sánchez started in the FA Cup just because he was a "second choice" when Jörgensen should have kept his place. Despite being poor, he retained his place in Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League match, where another terrible performance followed. Yet, when the lineup for the next Premier League game against Leicester was announced, Sánchez was back in the starting eleven.
Ahead of the Arsenal match, Maresca said, "I think Robert needed some days off or at least to rest his head mentally." However, to the surprise of no Chelsea fans, or even rival fans, Sánchez was dreadful against Arsenal. He repeatedly gave the ball away in dangerous areas, and his positioning during the corner where Mikel Merino scored the only goal was utterly horrendous.
Almost every Chelsea fan, pundit, and rival supporter can see how inadequate Sánchez has been. Yet, for some reason, he remains one of the most protected players in Chelsea’s lineup. If Maresca has any real intention of keeping his job at the end of the season by winning the Conference League and securing a top-four or top-five finish, Sánchez should never start for Chelsea again.