Chelsea’s season has shown no sign of improving recently, with the defeat to Everton merely the latest chapter in a line of bad news for Jose Mourinho’s club. The Blues’ manager admitted that his first choice goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, will be out for at least three months as he recovers from a knee injury.
Courtois damaged his medial ligaments in a training exercise last weekend and at first it was hoped that the injury wouldn’t be too serious. Yet Mourinho confirmed the Chelsea fans’ worst fears when he said, “It is a big blow, it is not easy to have the best goalkeeper in the world injured”, as he told the press that he would be out until the middle of November.
Mourinho brought in former Stoke ‘keeper Asmir Begovic this summer when Petr Cech was allowed to join Arsenal, and the stopper has already deputised for Courtois after the Belgian was sent off against Swansea. Mourinho said, “I’m very sad for Thibaut and the team but we have a top keeper and Begovic will be in goal”.
The self proclaimed Special One may well be telling the press that he considers Begovic to be a first class goalkeeper but the fact that the Bosnian has now played two and a bit games for Chelsea and has conceded seven goals will not be inspiring confidence in the defending Premier League champion’s defence.
The injury to Courtois means that Chelsea are likely to be without their first choice goalkeeper for big games against Arsenal, Southampton and Liverpool as well as Champion’s League fixtures against Maccabi Tel Aviv, FC Porto and Dynamo Kiev.