Petr Cech's Arsenal move could spell trouble for other EPL top dogs
When Thibaut Courtois made his long-awaited return from Atletico Madrid to Stamford Bridge, the bell was already starting to toll for Petr Cech. Just 10 appearances in total across all competitions last season later, and it was clearer than ever before that the ex-Rennes shot-stopper was firmly second in the pecking order.
That said, the general consensus seems to be that Chelsea’s loss is sure to be Arsenal’s gain, and this just months after he helped keep his new ‘potential’ employers at bay at Stamford Bridge back in October last year.
With Cech all set to line out for the Gunners as their primary shot-stopper come the start of the new league campaign in just a few short weeks, the future looks very bright for the Czech star.
While some will view his move as a slight step down, others see it, yet more harshly, as his inability to stand up to fight for his place.
The rest, however, seem to regard it as another massive opportunity to prove himself – and those who believe that Arsene Wenger’s men can once more challenge for the Premier League title are a lot less derided now that Cech looks set to secure the move.
So, let’s take a brief look at how the towering custodian’s transfer could well spell trouble for the league’s top dogs and why it could yet turn out to be the biggest capture of the summer.
Title-winning experience vital for Gunners
Throughout his 11 years at Chelsea, the world-class ‘keeper won as many as 13 trophies – not a bad haul for someone who had next to no experience of top-flight football when he first arrived on the scene of the English game. Now a well-renowned legend, he commands respect amongst his peers and gives even the best of strikers a real dilemma on his day.
For a while now, Arsenal have been mocked for their lack of silverware, but they have made huge strides to rectify the situation in recent years, winning the FA Cup twice in the past two seasons as well as claiming the Community Shield towards the beginning of the 2013/14 campaign.
By choosing to bring in the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and now targeting Cech over the last few seasons, Wenger has made a conscious effort to include players who have experience of winning important titles.
Between Sanchez and Ozil, for example, they have won nine trophies in Spain – with both players getting their hands on the La Liga trophy in the process. Each of these stars knows what it’s like to battle at the top and be successful, and the product of their know-how will make the north Londoners a force to be reckoned with.
Indeed, with another EPL medal around his neck following the culmination of last season, if anything was new to Cech it wasn’t the taste of victory.
Instead, it was learning how to adapt to his role in that silverware-seizing side. Playing second fiddle to Courtois, he was no longer the no.1 figure between the posts – he was a bit-part player, and that was always going to be a tough pill to swallow. Nevertheless, he didn’t throw his toys from the pram, instead opting to roll up his sleeves and get on with it.
At the end of the day, it’s important Arsenal fans don’t look at him as an ageing has-been, past his prime who’s being pawned off on them, but as a talented weapon who remains hungry for titles and doesn’t feel comfortable being second best.
Surely that’s exactly the type of leader Arsenal are looking for as they look to cause trouble for their rivals.