PROFILE | Mike Penders is Chelsea’s long-term solution | OneFootball

It is between the sticks that Strasbourg’s partnership with Chelsea has been most acutely felt. Last season, it was Djordje Petrovic who arrived at the Meinau. It was a marriage, it felt, more of convenience, with the Serb’s first-team chances at Stamford Bridge limited, but he got his career back on track in Ligue 1. Whilst ultimately, he would not work his way into Enzo Maresca’s plans, it did allow Chelsea to make a handsome profit on the goalkeeper. He has now asserted himself as the No.1 at Bournemouth. 

The plan for Mike Penders is different. The Belgian is seen as the long-term option between the sticks for Chelsea. Highly rated when coming through the ranks at Genk, he moved to the Premier League club for a not inconsiderable sum of €20m. Robert Sanchez, however, remains the No.1 at Chelsea, and so Penders follows the path demarcated by Petrovic. Like the man he has replaced, Penders has enhanced his reputation at Strasbourg.

Penders – one of Ligue 1’s most progressive passers

Unsurprisingly, he is the No.1 for Liam Rosenior’s side. The Belgian is crucial in build-up, essentially used as an outfield player. It is a tactic not without risk, as the game against Crystal Palace in the Europa Conference League showed. A loss of possession, even if not by Penders directly, means that the goalkeeper is out of position. Adam Wharton’s complacency when presented with an open goal from such a situation saved Penders and Strasbourg on that occasion. There was also the incident at Monaco earlier in the season, when he lost possession under pressure from Folarin Balogun.

But such situations are likely to appear when Penders is seeing so much of the ball, when he is so key in build-up, and when Rosenior is asking him to take risks. “I prefer to concede goals and try something than play in a low block and wait, hoping not to concede anything,” said the Englishman. Penders ranks sixth in Ligue 1 for progressive passing distance – a sign of how key he is in possession. 

It is in this sector that Penders brings Strasbourg a competitive advantage, although the towering Belgian has also proven to be a strong shot-stopper; his PSxG-GA per 90 figures are the eighth best in the league, only PSG’s Lucas Chevalier has kept more clean sheets. As it was for Petrovic, this loan should prove a springboard for greater things for Penders.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle