Djordje Petrovic has been a shining light for Chelsea (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The only thing at Chelsea that has been more volatile than the number of managers they’ve had in recent seasons is the number of goalkeepers they have fielded in different stages during this time. Eduardo Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Robert Sanchez have all had their fair bites at the cherry.
The latest one to join the list has been Djordje Petrovic, their £14m summer signing from New England Revolution. It’s funny how a few weeks can change someone’s life. Robert Sanchez’s injury against Everton saw Petrovic being handed an unlikely debut.
Since then, he has taken his place in between the sticks every game and has performed admirably. This included a spectacular penalty shootout performance against Newcastle United that saw them book a place in the semifinals of the Carabao Cup.
The crucial thing for the 24-year-old has been the fact that his performances have come at a time when Robert Sanchez is yet to nail down a spot as the starting goalkeeper for Mauricio Pochettino. The Spanish shot-stopper, much like his predecessor Kepa Arrizabalaga, always seems to have an error in him.
The sudden rise to fame understandably comes with media attention and Djordje Petrovic was the subject of an interview with Chelsea’s official website, following his debut and his heroics in goal. The Serbian shot-stopper shared what Sanchez had to say to him prior to his full debut against Sheffield United.
“I had an opportunity to play against Everton, and I felt the atmosphere and the fans. I had a picture in my head how it would be against Sheffield United. Okay, you feel the pressure a little bit, but I spoke with Toni [Jimenez] and Hilario [our goalkeeper coaches], and they told me to just play my game and to play normally. They said not to think too much because you don’t have time to do it. Before the game I spoke with Rob [Sanchez], and he told me to be calm and not feel the pressure. That was it.”
Despite competing for the same position, it’s lovely to see the camaraderie that the two goalkeepers share. Always willing to help one another, their attitude is very helpful in a team like Chelsea that is already in turmoil on different fronts.
Say numerous things about the club but one thing we can’t fault them for has been the attitude of the players and how they are responding to Mauricio Pochettino. It helps in a way that the squad is relatively young and there are no major egos.
When Sanchez comes back, one expects him to take his place in between the sticks irrespective of how well Petrovic is performing at the moment. That said, Pochettino will know that he has an able deputy to call upon should the Spaniard not become more consistent in his performances.
Right now, Petrovic is on a high. It’s still very early days though. It’s important he keeps his feet on the ground. Football can be very cruel all of a sudden and he needs to be wary of that. Let’s hope he can continue on the same vein for a long time.
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