Alonso bringing 'calm' to Chelsea - Sanchez

[Getty Images] Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez says new manager Xabi Alonso has brought "a lot of calm" to the club and given him the confidence to produce his best football. Since joining Chelsea from Brighton in 2023, Sanchez has worked under four managers in three seasons and experienced significant change on and off the pitch. He was asked to adapt his game under Liam Rosenior and endured a turbulent campaign as Chelsea finished 10th and ended the season without a trophy. Regardless, Sanchez was among Chelsea's better performers last season. "Obviously what happened at the club happened," he said, referring to Enzo Maresca's departure and Rosenior's dismissal during a chaotic second half of last season. "The boys are really positive about the new people coming into the club." Sanchez has made 111 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions and seen off competition from Filip Jorgensen, with Mike Penders the latest challenger for his starting spot. He now believes Chelsea can look forward under Alonso, explaining: "He has brought a different attitude, a lot of calm into the squad. "He is a really calm person, it's like how he used to play as a player. I like his idea of football. It can be positive that we do not have a European tournament because we can focus on the league. "It is good for us as a team and as a squad because we get that time, one game a week and I have a feeling we can do great things this year." Like many of Chelsea's players, Sanchez believes Alonso's approach suits his strengths. Sanchez added: "It is the simplification of things. He is allowing me to do what I am best at. It means my confidence is boosted and I am going to play better and better. "Xabi has given me all the confidence in the world. He understands the strengths of every individual, including me."