{"id":2341,"date":"2026-03-04T13:26:40","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T13:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2341"},"modified":"2026-03-04T13:26:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T13:26:40","slug":"john-obi-mikel-tells-chelsea-to-replace-25m-star-who-was-all-over-the-place-against-arsenal-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2341","title":{"rendered":"John Obi Mikel tells Chelsea to replace \u00a325m star who was ‘all over the place’ against Arsenal | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was \u2018all over the place\u2019 at Arsenal, says John Obi Mikel (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

John Obi Mikel has implored Chelsea to bring in a \u2018top goalkeeper\u2019 in the summer as the club will find it \u2018impossible\u2019 to win a Premier League title with Robert Sanchez as their number one.<\/p>\n

Chelsea signed Sanchez from Brighton in a deal worth \u00a325million back in 2023 and the 28-year-old has gone on to make 98 appearances between the sticks for the Blues.<\/p>\n

A string of costly errors led Enzo Maresca to drop Sanchez for Filip Jorgensen midway through last season, only for the latter to hand the gloves back to the Spaniard with some less-than-convincing performances of his own.<\/p>\n

Sanchez sent out a message of intent with a strong showing throughout Chelsea\u2019s triumphant Club World Cup campaign last summer, which saw the 28-year-old return to west London with the Golden Gloves award.<\/p>\n

However, a series of shaky displays across another concerning dip in form, perhaps most notably in Chelsea\u2019s 2-1 defeat to Arsenal, have seen further asked of Sanchez\u2019s long-term future at Stamford Bridge. <\/p>\n

Though Sanchez got down well to deny Eberechi Eze late on in Sunday\u2019s derby, the former Brighton man was in no man\u2019s land for both of Arsenal goals through William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, which both came from corners.<\/p>\n

Obi Mikel has voiced his doubts about Sanchez in the past and criticised Chelsea for failing to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma before Manchester City snapped up the Italian shot-stopper last summer. <\/p>\n

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Sanchez must be replaced in the summer, according to Obi Mikel (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
The Spaniard was all at sea for both of Arsenal\u2019s goals in the derby (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reflecting on Chelsea\u2019s latest setback at Arsenal on The Obi Wan Podcast, a visibly irate Obi Mikel said: \u2018If you asked me now if I see Chelsea winning the Premier League in the next two or three years\u2026 absolutely not! Absolutely not.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t see us winning the title in the next two or three years, not to even talk about the goalkeeper that we have.<\/p>\n

\u2018So many times, we\u2019ve talked about it. And not just me, every f***ing pundit all around the f***ing world knows that, yes, he does make saves here and there and sometimes you forget about it.<\/p>\n

\u2018But no, to win a title, to win Premier Leagues, you need a dependable goalkeeper.\u2019<\/p>\n

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According to Obi Mikel, Chelsea have to upgrade their goalkeeper if they are to close the gap on the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City next season. <\/p>\n

\u2018Look at the top two teams right now in the Premier League: Donnarumma, the saves that he makes, ridiculous saves\u2026 and David Raya, Arsenal wouldn\u2019t be where they are today without him, mark my words,\u2019 the ex-Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder added.<\/p>\n

\u2018We can talk about William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, all the cheat codes and the set-pieces, but David Raya, my word, the saves that he makes\u2026 absolutely brilliant, absolutely superb goalkeeper and he\u2019s only getting better. Week in, week out I watch David Raya and he\u2019s getter better and better, better and better.<\/p>\n

\u2018You need a top, top goalkeeper to win titles and right now, Chelsea Football Club, we do not have a top goalkeeper to go out there and compete to win the Premier League. We do not have that.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Obi Mikel shared a dressing room with arguably Chelsea\u2019s best-ever goalkeeper in Cech (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Obi Mikel felt Sanchez was \u2018all over the place\u2019 against Arsenal and a far cry from some of the club\u2019s great goalkeepers of the past like Petr Cech, who he played alongside for nine seasons.<\/p>\n

\u2018I watched the game the other day and he was all over the f***ing place,\u2019 the two-time Premier League winner explained.<\/p>\n

\u2018He was giving the ball away, putting the team in dangerous situations, inviting pressure onto us, kicking the ball away, giving the ball to Arsenal. He was all over the gaff, all over the place!<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Chelsea\t<\/div>
Rosenior\u2019s side will look to get back to winning ways against Aston Villa (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I was watching it thinking, \u201cHow the hell are we going to win the Premier League like this with this goalkeeper?!\u201d, it\u2019s impossible.<\/p>\n

\u2018During our time, we had one of the best, the most dependable goalkeepers in Petr Cech. Week in, week out you look at your goalkeeper and you know you\u2019ve got a brilliant goalkeeper, a top goalkeeper who can make saves, win you games, win you titles.<\/p>\n

\u2018We had it and it\u2019s something we don\u2019t have now.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sixth-placed Chelsea will hope to get their top-four push back on track when they return to Premier League action away to fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa. <\/p>\n

Victory at Villa Park this evening would see Chelsea leapfrog Liverpool into fifth and move to within three points of Unai Emery\u2019s men in the table.<\/p>\n

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Do Chelsea need to replace Robert Sanchez this summer?<\/h3>\n
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