Nevin: Don’t underestimate Courtois contribution for Chelsea

Chelsea legend Pat Nevin insists the contribution of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois should not be ignored in the Blues’ recent run of form.

A fans favourite at Stamford Bridge during the 1980s when he made almost 200 appearances at the club, Nevin claims the 24-year-old Belgian stopper has not received the recognition he deserves.

The Blues have not conceded in the Premier League in five matches since Antonio Conte’s switch to a 3-4-3 formation, with defenders Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill and the men in front of them taking the plaudits.

But for Nevin, Chelsea’s transformation into Premier League contenders is also down to Courtois, despite the stopper having relatively little to do of late.

“Yes, he has been a tad under-employed but they often say that the best goalkeepers are the ones that can go from doing nothing to making a great save in the blink of an eye,” he said.

“He certainly has been doing that, he has been under-employed but not unemployed.

“There have also been the crosses he has taken that have relieved the pressure before they are turned into goal-scoring opportunities – these do not show up on the stats after the game.

“There is also a bit of marshalling to be done of those in front of him, and he has become more and more vocal the older he has got.

“Beyond that there is something even more subtle; defenders who have belief in the guy behind them tend to play with more confidence and more often than not a little higher up the field.

“If you believe your keeper is going to deal with anything over the top then you can get closer to the forwards and make more tackles, just as Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill have been doing.

“Defences who do not fully trust their goalkeepers tend to play very differently to those who do and modern managers are keen to underline this.”