Summary
- A fast start for Sancho at Chelsea fizzled out – only 1 assist in the last 9 games.
- Ridiculed by fans for a lack of results, Sancho’s performance has been labelled ‘weak’ and ‘useless’.
- Called a luxury player, Sancho has an obligation to buy at Chelsea but needs to improve.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – or so the saying goes. Back in September 2024, that seemed to ring true for Jadon Sancho when Chelsea swooped in to rescue the talented English winger from the wreckage of his crumbling Manchester United tenure, offering him a fresh start under the bright lights of west London.
The 24-year-old hit the ground running, marking his debut with an assist and clinching the Man of the Match honour. He then kept the momentum going, setting up two more goals in his next two appearances. But fast-forward six months, and the script feels eerily familiar. Déjà vu is knocking at Sancho’s door once again, and instead of a career revival, the former Borussia Dortmund starlet finds himself treading the same rocky path, stuck in a footballing limbo where promise meets purgatory.
At the time, securing Sancho on loan with an obilgation to buy was a dream scenario for Chelsea’s hierarchy, who have developed a well-known appetite for depth on the wings. But today, the mood is totally different. The Stamford Bridge faithful are beginning to question his future at the club, especially after another lacklustre display in the FA Cup fourth round, where Brighton sent the eight-time winners packing.
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Sancho Underwhelmed as Chelsea Knocked Out of FA Cup
The on-loan winger was insipid in the Blues’ FA Cup loss
Chelsea took the lead inside five minutes courtesy of a Bart Verbruggen own goal, but would succumb to a 2-1 defeat after goals from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma. It meant the Blues are now out of both domestic cups, and following a poor run in the Premier League, the only hope they have of claiming any silverware under Enzo Maresca’s tutelage this term is through the Europa Conference League.
While there were plenty of underwhelming performances to point to in the FA Cup exit, with the likes of Malo Gusto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Christopher Nkunku all having forgettable outings, Sancho’s recent form made him the prime target after such a dismal display.
In his 74-minute appearance on the south coast, Sancho didn’t register a single shot, failed to complete any of his three dribble attempts, missed all of his crosses, lost all seven of his duels, and offered zero defensive contributions. It was, without a doubt, one of the lowest points of his Chelsea career to date.
|
Jadon Sancho’s match statistics against Brighton & Hove Albion |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes played |
74 |
|
Shots |
0 |
|
Dribbling success |
0/3 (0%) |
|
Crossing success |
0/2 (0%) |
|
Aerial duels |
0/3 (0%) |
|
Ground duels |
0/4 (0%) |
|
Defensive actions |
0 |
Chelsea Fans Slam Sancho As Downturn Continues
Manchester United fans warned their rivals for a reason
Sancho managed just 12 goals and 6 assists in 83 appearances for Manchester United, and Red Devils fans wasted no time warning Chelsea supporters about the winger’s tendency to vanish when it matters. However, at the time the deal was struck, Blues fans were adamant they wouldn’t see the same. Now, though, they find themselves on the same page.
One fan took to social media to perfectly summarise the current mood towards Sancho at the moment by writing: “Below average player, not good enough for us. No output, no goals, no assists – just flicks and tricks.” Meanwhile, a second added: “Don’t know why we waste our time with that Sancho. He’s just there to make up the numbers, very useless.”
A third piece of criticism remarked: “Sancho is honestly just a luxury player. He doesn’t put right-backs under pressure. Mudryk would go at defenders and beat them,” while a fourth said: “Overrated. Chelsea must send him back to United,” and a fifth concluded: “Sancho offering absolutely zilch today. Don’t think there’d be a difference if he wasn’t on the pitch for these first 45.”
Luckily for Sancho, his Chelsea deal came with an obligation to buy rather than an option. This means he will still be in west London over the summer, while an awkward second reunion with Man United is off the cards. But if he wants to secure a long-term place in Maresca’s starting lineup, he will have to do a lot more in the coming months.
Stats courtesy of FotMob & Transfermarkt (correct as of 09/02/2025).
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