Alan Smith branded Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez a ‘bag of nerves’ in the course of the Blues’ Carabao Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Arsenal.
Sanchez made two big errors as Chelsea suffered a 3-2 defeat to Premier League leaders and London rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
The Chelsea goalkeeper first didn’t cope with a comparatively innocuous corner, allowing Ben White to move right into a virtually empty net after just seven minutes.
White played a major role in Arsenal’s second, with Sanchez unable to palm away his drilled strike and Viktor Gyokeres handed the simple task of prodding home.
Chelsea sensed a comeback when Alejandro Garnacho halved the hosts’ deficit on the hour mark but Martin Zubimendi added Arsenal’s third soon after and this time Sanchez was not accountable.
Get personalised updates on Chelsea every single day
Get up to seek out news in your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Enroll to our newsletter after which select your team within the link we’ll send you so we will get football news tailored to you.
Garnacho scored again late on but Chelsea were unable to seek out a leveller meaning they face a one-goal deficit ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on the Emirates Stadium.
Smith slammed Sanchez after each of Arsenal’s goals at Stamford Bridge, describing the goalkeeper as a ‘bag of nerves’ and ‘vulnerable’.
‘That’s incredible, isn’t it?’ Smith said on Sky Sports after White’s early opener. ‘How easy is that for Ben White.
‘They didn’t have to do anything particularly special here, Arsenal. Yes the ball was delivered well but Sanchez gets blocked out, quite possibly by his own player.
‘He waves a hand at it and gets nowhere near it. Ben White wasn’t even expecting it, it’s such a soft goal.
‘Chelsea can have had a plan to cope with Arsenal’s set pieces but it’s fallen apart. He looks a bag of nerves, Sanchez, he looks vulnerable. You’ve got to be stronger.’
After Arsenal’s second of the night, Smith added: ‘It’s one other goal where the keeper, Sanchez, doesn’t come off favourably.
‘He just takes the burden off it, Sanchez, and puts it perfectly into place of Gyokeres. The ball is sort of a bar of soap for Sanchez. It’s dreadful.’
Jamie Redknapp also criticised Sanchez at half-time, branding him ‘weak’ after his ‘poor’ error for Arsenal’s opener.
‘Arsenal have scored some good set-pieces goals, the coach actually earns his money there, but this one is really easy,’ he said.
‘The goalkeeper starts in an honest position, the delivery is sweet however the goalkeeper just flaps at it, it’s so poor and weak. He must be stronger.’
Numerous pundits have questioned whether Sanchez is sweet enough to be Chelsea’s primary since his £25m move from Brighton in 2023.
A recent upturn in form gave Sanchez hope of reviving his Chelsea profession but Blues fans weren’t surprised by his error-strewn display against Arsenal.
‘I’ve had enough of this clown,’ one fan said on X. ‘Get him out of the Chelsea XI.’
One supporter said Chelsea would go ‘nowhere’ while Sanchez was in goal, while one other wondered how he was still the No. 1 despite Chelsea’s incredible spending lately.
Chelsea will try to overturn their two-goal deficit and reach the Carabao Cup final after they visit Arsenal on February 3.
For now recent Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior, who was taking charge of his second game following a gap FA Cup win over Charlton, will look to get back to winning ways against west London rivals Brentford.
Mikel Arteta’s attention, meanwhile, turns back to Arsenal’s Premier League title charge and a visit to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Why Moises Caicedo will not be playing for Chelsea against Arsenal tonight
MORE: Arsenal’s stance on loaning out Ethan Nwaneri this January
MORE: Man Utd warned that £52m star will ‘struggle’ under Michael Carrick