Troy Deeney points finger at players stopping Chelsea joining Premier League title race

Chelsea presently beryllium 3rd successful the Premier League nether Enzo Maresca, but erstwhile Premier League striker Troy Deeney has expressed concerns astir their goalkeeper and defence

Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney believes Chelsea would beryllium genuine contenders to triumph the rubric this play if they had improved their backline.

Chelsea person made a bully commencement to the play nether caller brag Enzo Maresca, with the Blues presently 3rd successful the league and apical of the Conference League. However, they person kept conscionable 5 cleanable sheets successful 19 games crossed each competitions.

And Deeney believes Chelsea's defence and first-choice goalkeeper Robert Sanchez are their biggest weakness arsenic they "keep letting successful mediocre goals". Speaking connected talkSPORT aft Chelsea's 2-1 triumph implicit Leicester, Deeney claimed: "Right present they should beryllium looking astatine [the rubric race].

"But I inactive deliberation that goalkeeper [Robert Sanchez] and the defenders support letting successful mediocre goals. That should person been an casual 2-0 win, if not a 3-0 win.

"Just unfastened astatine the backmost contiguous and I deliberation that's wherefore they person to spell for apical 4 close now. Unless successful January they spell retired and get a mates of signings, that backline is going to outgo them."

Sanchez, for example, has made 3 errors starring straight to a extremity truthful acold this season, the astir of immoderate idiosyncratic subordinate alongside Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric. However, Maresca has repeatedly defended the Spaniard successful the look of rising criticism.

"Yes [Sanchez made mistakes] but helium besides did truthful galore bully things," Maresca said past period erstwhile asked astir Sanchez's performances. "At the end, it is football. I inquire Robert to bash that [play the shot retired from the back].

"The infinitesimal helium stops doing that, helium is not going to play. If Robert makes a mistake, it's not Robert's problem, it is my mistake due to the fact that I asked that from Robert. I americium precise blessed with Robert and the mode helium is playing, gathering from the back.

"All the extremity kicks we person and helium passes the shot to Noni [Madueke], and Pedro [Neto], that benignant of shot that gives america galore times chances to attack. Sometimes you marque mistakes but it is not going to alteration the mode we are going to play."

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