4 players who have declined dramatically
Talk of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo finally hitting a decline has been going around for years now but let’s be honest, it hasn’t really happened yet as both men continue to play some amazing football season after season.
For other big-name players though, that isn’t the case. Everyone has to decline at some point; whether it’s down to wear-and-tear, a loss of form or simply father time catching up with them. Recently though, these following players have really hit a slide in their career – and the likelihood of them returning to their previous glory seems slim.
#1 Petr Cech
Back in his prime during his days at Chelsea, Petr Cech was widely considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, the backbone of the imperious Blues defence under Jose Mourinho that won back-to-back Premier League titles. And despite being 33 when Arsenal signed him in 2015, the move was still seen as a fantastic one for the Gunners.
Now though, three seasons on, Cech is beginning to look as rusty as former Arsenal keeper David Seaman did as he began to reach the end of his career in the early 2000s. In his prime, a mistake from Cech was as rare to see as a scorpion kick, but in 2017/18 the veteran keeper made 6 individual errors that led directly to goals conceded.
With new boss Unai Emery now in charge of the Gunners, it’s surely time for Cech to be phased out of the #1 spot between the sticks at the Emirates. Arsenal simply cannot afford to have such a liability as their last line of defence, and despite a glittering career, only a fool would deny that Cech is a keeper in decline.