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Chelsea: Thibaut Courtois is worst Premier League goalkeeper this season

By Craig Pearson

Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez (L) runs in to score the opening goal past Chelsea's Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (R) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 24, 2016. / AFP / Ben STANSALL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)
Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez (L) runs in to score the opening goal past Chelsea's Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (R) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 24, 2016. / AFP / Ben STANSALL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea put a lot of faith into Thibaut Courtois when they sold Petr Cech, but just a year on and the Belgian is statistically the worst goalkeeper in the Premier League.

Chelsea fans are not particularly hot on Thibaut Courtois right now. The goalkeeper made some foolish comments recently about his future at Stamford Bridge. Which is a year on after the club sold Chelsea legend Petr Cech for Courtois to bed himself in as the club’s number one for the next decade or so.

However, It seems Courtois might only intend on a stopover at Chelsea, rather than any long-term commitment. Although, the stats from this season might make Chelsea fans feel better about that. Courtois is statistically the worst goalkeeper in the Premier League this season, reports The Sun.

The Belgian has faced 17 shots so far and nine have found the back of his net. That’s an incredibly low 53 percent save ratio. For a ‘keeper who is supposed to be one of the best in the world too. Or, at least heading that way anyway.

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Arsenal ran Chelsea out of town last Saturday. Courtios only faced five shots in the 3-0 defeat, but managed to conceded the three goals from just those five shots. It did’t help any that up the other end during the mauling was Cech. And a clean sheet, as it would happen.

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Courtois wasn’t the cause of any of the goals that went past him, but his overall save percentage for the season does tell a story. Sure, some goalkeepers face more shots that others. Some have very little to do.

But your percentage is what it is. That tells you how you’re stacking up and Courtois is failing miserably. The Chelsea defense has been woeful, but that’s where you might expect a goalkeeper like Courtois to shine a little bit.

A chance to prove your worth. More work, but also more opportunities to show just how good you are. Ultimately, as a goalkeeper, that’s why you are there. You’re the last line of defense. But it’s quite the opposite with Courtois.

In fact, if you didn’t know any better, you could be forgiven for thinking that he doesn’t actually want to be there. Judging by his comments in recent weeks, it actually sounds like he doesn’t. Maybe that explains his poor showings for Chelsea.

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Perhaps he’s ready  to return to Madrid in some capacity? The way he’s going, the Blues will be only too happy to oblige.

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