Edouard Mendy admits to experiencing a “difficult time” at Chelsea, with the Senegal international goalkeeper finding himself caught up in a collective dip that has delivered more managerial change.
A bright start to the 2020-21 campaign was made by those at Stamford Bridge, with a new No.1 slipping seamlessly into the fold as a 17-game unbeaten run was overseen by Frank Lampard.
The wheels have fallen off since then, leading to a club legend being relieved of his coaching duties, and the Blues now find themselves some way off the Premier League title-chasing pace.
Those snapped up for big money during an elaborate spending spree last summer are suddenly struggling to prove their worth, with Thomas Tuchel drafted in to try and steady the ship.
Reflecting on an untimely wobble, Mendy has told Chelsea’s official website: “I wanted to be here because for me the Premier League is the best league in the world so I’m glad to be here.
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“It was a good start but with the team it’s a difficult time. We try to keep going, to move forward and I hope the results will be good soon.
“It’s a big responsibility because this club has won so many trophies and we want to fight to win trophies every year, so the pressure is high every year, and it’s good to be part of this team.
“I think we have to work hard in training, to keep working, and for me we need to stay confident between us because when you’ve lost many games sometimes it’s hard. But we need to stay positive, we need to stay confident and stay focused on the next game.”
Mendy insists he is settling well in west London, having completed a switch from Ligue 1 side Rennes, and he remains determined to follow in the footsteps of some iconic figures that went before him.
Petr Cech is aiding his ongoing development at Chelsea, with the veteran Czech having been added to the playing staff this season, while a number of Premier League legends are providing inspiration for the class of 2020-21.
Mendy added: “When I was a little boy I watched Chelsea, Marseille and Real Madrid. I watched a lot of the Chelsea games when Michael Essien and Didier Drogba played for this club. For me this team was the best in the history of this club.
‘Everybody knows Petr is a legend, he’s a very good goalkeeper, so I watched a lot of his games. I liked [Edwin] van der Sar as well. As for outfield players, Didier Drogba, and [Steven] Gerrard as well, Michael Essien. I liked Louis Saha, when he played for Manchester United and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo.”
