A goalkeeper is a very important member of a football side. They are so unique that they are judged on their own special metrics because it would be impossible to evaluate them using statistics meant for outfield players. For this reason, clubs, including Chelsea, put much thought into the position, as they are usually the last line of defence. This means that even if a defensive structure collapses during a play, a good goalie can still prevent a goal.
Many title-challenging sides have had goalkeepers who delivered superb performances. However, as important as goalkeepers are to well-built football teams, their influence can sometimes be overemphasised. This is because goalkeepers are more reactive than proactive. They respond to events rather than initiate them.
While keepers are involved in build-up play, their contribution in this area is not as critical as many believe. In the context of a title challenge, a goalkeeper’s shot-stopping ability becomes paramount, while their ball-playing skills become less important.
Robert Sanchez made 12 errors last season. Five led to shots, five to goals, and two resulted in penalties. This has rightly frustrated Chelsea fans, especially given the massive transfer spending the club has undertaken in the last two years. So, an important question needs to be asked.
Is Robert Sanchez stopping Chelsea from challenging for the Premier League?
Enzo Maresca's side finished fourth last season and are preparing for a new campaign where expectations are understandably higher. However, the goalkeeper question still looms. Sanchez has proven prone to errors that directly lead to goals, something title-challenging teams can rarely afford. It’s clear he may need to be replaced before Chelsea can seriously challenge for their sixth Premier League title... or is it?
Let’s examine the goalkeepers for the title-winning teams across Europe’s top five leagues to put things into perspective. A good goalkeeping performance should be evaluated on its own merits, not solely based on team outcomes like clean sheets or defensive records. A keeper doesn't have a bad season just because they didn't win the Golden Glove.
What do title-winning goalkeepers look like?
To assess Sanchez fairly, let’s examine the goalkeepers from last season’s title-winning teams across Europe’s top leagues:
Alex Meret, Napoli (Serie A)
- 71% save rate, 1.8 saves per game
- Faced 2.5 shots on target per game
- 0.48 goals prevented (neutral impact)
- Excellent distribution (50% long-ball accuracy)
Alisson, Liverpool (Premier League)
- 73% save rate, 2.3 saves per game
- Faced 3.2 shots on target per game
- Poor distribution (36% long-ball accuracy)
Gianluigi Donnarumma, PSG (Ligue 1)
- 67% save rate, 2.1 saves per game
- -3.62 goals prevented (below expectations)
- Faced <3.2 shots per game
Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich (Bundesliga)
- 68% save rate, 1.5 saves per game
- Elite distribution (57% long-ball accuracy, 7 completed per game)
- Faced 2.2 shots per game
Inaki Pena, FC Barcelona (La Liga)
- 67% save rate, 2.3 saves per game
- -1.2 goals prevented
- Faced 3.4 shots per game (highest among title winners)
Key Takeaways:
- Only two of these five goalkeepers had genuinely strong seasons.
- Save percentages matter, but shots faced matter more.
- A keeper facing 2.5 shots per game only needs a 64% save rate to concede <1 goal per game.
- A keeper facing 3.4 shots per game needs 74% for the same result.
- Distribution is secondary to shot-stopping in a title race.
Where does Sanchez stand?
Despite his errors, Sanchez posted:
- 74% save rate (better than all five title-winning keepers).
- 3.0 saves per game, facing 4.1 shots per game (far more than any title-winning side).
- +2.0 goals prevented (outperforming expectations).
In other words, Sanchez saved Chelsea more often than he cost them. Without him, they would have dropped more points.
Sanchez saved Chelsea's blushes numerous times. Without him, Maresca could have dropped points in matches they won. Those who argue that the Blues can’t win with him in goal may be in for a surprise if he's replaced. Just ask Manchester United fans about recent keeper transitions.
The keepers for the title-winning teams we discussed faced 2.5, 3.2, 3.1, 2.2, and 3.4 shots per game. These numbers are more important in a title challenge than the goalkeeper’s performance. Why? Because the fewer shots a keeper faces, the easier it is to maintain a good defensive record.
Another key point is that goalkeepers react to what outfielders do. Most match events, including errors, are initiated by outfield players. Chelsea’s defensive structure was poor at times last season, and Maresca often asked Sanchez to play in ways that didn’t suit his strengths.
Looking at team errors paints a clearer picture:
Napoli: 15 errors in 38 games (0.4/game)
Barcelona: 18 (0.5)
PSG: 22 (0.6)
Bayern: 25 (0.7)
Liverpool: 33 (0.9)
Chelsea: 51 (1.3)
That’s 1.3 free chances for the opposition every game. Even if Sanchez had made zero errors, Chelsea would still have averaged 1.02 errors per match, a rate no title-winning team had. His mistakes, while problematic, occurred within a wider system prone to mistakes. It’s not just the Spaniard who looks uncomfortable; it's everyone.
Several factors prevent Chelsea from mounting a title challenge, and the goalkeeper is arguably the least important. For instance, Enzo Fernandez struggled on the defensive side of things last season, both on the ground and in the air. He created chances going forward, but his lack of midfield control hurt the team. He played 36 of 38 games.
Chelsea also had just two players score 10-plus goals in the league, another barrier to contending. There are many more issues, but this article isn’t the place for them.
First, Chelsea must reduce the number of shots their goalkeeper faces per game. Until then, critiquing the keeper’s performance in the context of a title challenge misses the point.
*“Shots faced” refers to shots on target only. So if Manchester United takes 15 shots but only two are on target against Chelsea, it means the Blues goalkeeper faced 2 shots, not 15.