As the signing of Petr Cech is apparently being wrapped up, the general consensus is that it’s a great move for Arsenal – but is it?
For around £10.9 million if you believe the latest reports, we are getting an experienced goalkeeper who has won everything in the game – including the Premier League four times, FA Cup four times, the League Cup three times as well as the Europa League and the Champions League.
You’d probably struggle to find a more successful goalkeeper in recent times, apart from Iker Casillas and Victor Valdes.
On the surface it’s a no brainer. He is a fantastic goalkeeper, a player with a wealth of experience and someone who is used to winning.
So what’s the problem?
My biggest concern is Jose Mourinho. This is the man who can’t stand Arsenal, and likes Arsene Wenger even less. He is not a man to give Arsenal an inch, nevermind a mile (if you believe the opinions about Petr Cech – that’s basically what Chelsea are giving us).
Don’t forget, this is the manager who wouldn’t let us have Demba Ba a couple of summers ago because we bought Mesut Özil and we therefore “genuine title contenders”.
So if Jose Mourinho didn’t want us to have what was essentially a second rate striker as it would apparently strengthen us, then why on earth would he let us have Petr Cech?
Forget all this rubbish about Mourinho being unhappy at Cech moving to a rival and Cech being rewarded for his 11 years of service – that’s all smoke and mirrors in the theatre that is football. And John Terry’s opinion that Cech would give us an extra 12-15 points in a season is questionable.
Let’s put it this way – if John Terry, Didier Drogba or Frank Lampard still had “something to give” then could you see them joining Arsenal? Exactly.
Like Mourinho, his most loyal lieutenants would never help, nevermind join, Arsenal. Petr Cech is in that category and we all know how Jose Mourinho works. If he was truly unhappy that Cech was moving to us, he wouldn’t be as quiet as he is now. Mourinho is no shrinking violet and he would be swearing, shouting and kicking up a massive fuss in the press – but no, he has been relatively mute about the whole thing.
All he cares about is winning at all costs and that would include not letting a very good player join a rival. That is something Arsenal would do, selling Robin van Persie to Manchester United, Ashley Cole to Chelsea and about half of the Arsenal squad to Manchester City. Chelsea only sell to lower league teams or clubs who are abroad.
Jose Mourinho and Chelsea are playing clever mind games and basically, don’t think Petr Cech is any good any more. That’s the only reason why they are letting us have him but they can’t be seen to letting him go “too easily” so they are putting up a fight.
Mourinho may be a massive bell end / tosser / wanker (delete as appropriate) but he is a hugely intelligent man when it comes to football. I don’t have to like the man but you have to respect him in terms of his achievements in football. Remember when he was a Real Madrid? He dropped Iker Casillas when he thought he was in decline and he was proved right. He has seen Petr Cech in training week in, week out, and knows how good Petr Cech still is. Chelsea have no reason to sell and have never been held to ransom over any player wanting a move – so why now?
The bottom line is Petr Cech was a great goalkeeper but is in deep decline and Jose Mourinho doesn’t mind if he moves to Arsenal.
Mata … Man United …
Christ, what a whiner.
What is this absolute aids I’ve just read? You’re a spastic mate, go fuck your self
Mourinho himself said that Cech is still world class to his eyes and that if he had a say in the matter, which he doesn’t as Abrahamovic is calling the shots on this one, Cech would not be moving anywhere, let alone for a direct competitor for the Premier League title.
In response to your long article. It has been reported that this was a decision that went above Mourinho.
Deep decline? Sorry mate, just wrong.
This is obviously written by someone with
A No knowledge about football
B A Wind up merchant
C Someone who obviously doesn’t support Arsenal (probably Chelsea!)
Last time I will give this site a click!
Cech is now in the “unprotected” part of his contract as per Article 17 of the FIFA Transfer Regulations.
Basically, under contract law, Chelsea cannot stop him from leaving:
http://www.inbrief.co.uk/football-law/football-player-breaking-contracts.htm
More Mourinho Myth. He sold De Bruyne – arguably the most exciting young player in Europe and now wanted by all the elite clubs in the world. He sold the brilliant Schurrle and replaced him with an utter donkey in Cuadrado (whom he will now try to flog for a huge loss in just six months. He sold Mata after the player had won Player of the Year at Chelsea for the previous 2 seasons. He bought full-back Felipe Luis for 16 million and never plays him because he’s out of his depth in the Prem – just like he did when he spent a staggering £17m on the completely inept Paulo Ferreira. you really think at 33 Cech is past it? Man Utd bought Van Der Sar at 35, and he was outstanding for 6 years for them. My advice to you is, stop listening and believing the sycophantic british media – which is the only media in world football that heralds the myth of Mourinho. He is rightly despised in spain and Italy as a fool and a destroyer of the beautiful game, buying his trophies without a care that his teams do not entertain or inspire.
Is it true Vandersar was 35 when joining utd?
Yes indeed and he was great for them for many years!
yes and how old was pat jennings when he joined arsenal that was a great move…..also look at juves keeper
But Jose won the PL and league cup after selling off that lot.
That was more down to the ineptitude of everyone else. For the 1st time in 25 years ManU have been absolutely crap. ManC were average, Arsenal were battered with injuries in the first half of the season and Liverpool were a joke. Chelsea’s football was dire, worst ever Prem winners, completely reliant on stealing wins. They weren’t champions, they were first. They never played like champions because Mourinho doesn’t play like a champion. He plays not to lose.
What a completely shit article! Complete crap everybody knows mourinho dosent want to sell him to us but it’s not his decision it’s the owners who’s very good friends with cech!
You’re missing one big point-it’s out of “Maureen’s hands”-abramovichi I is showing Him who is boss at the chavs!make no mistake the snake would never sell him to us especially now we’ re back & seen as a threat.i remember a certain “paddy Jennings” doing a switch at a similar age when his club thought(wrongly) he was past it.so there is precedence
pat it? at 33? go get lad you virgin cunt!!!
What a load of trash Bob Wilson yesterday classed Cech amongst the top 3 goalkeepers in the world, and on top of that he reckons that Cech has a good 5 or 6 years at the top in him.
It’s one thing saying Cech might be in decline and another saying you know he is from what Mourinho and Terry are saying.
If he comes, he will start as No.1 and I expect he will deserve it and it’s up to Szczesney to grow up and show he’s up to replacing Cech when hisd decline becomes clear.
Aside from which, experience in goal is worth a lot and I imagine he will be an excellent role model for the club as a whole, especally Szczesney and Martinez.
Of course there is no guarantee Czech can perform to his high std.
However he is a top quality keeper and its extremely unlikely he will
drop his high std.
We will have to wait and see. I am convinced he is the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle who can help Arsenal to win the epl.
Very logical shit
You serious or what? Ths PETR CECH for cryng out loud one of the best..
He wanted to be absolutely convinced of Courtois before he parted with Cech, and thats the reason for keeping Cech last term. Abrahamovich had apparently made some promises about his future back then to make his stay for one more season. This time, he and Mourinho have no other go than to let Cech go, and that too with a choice of destination. I don’t have any other way of seeing it. We get a great keeper, Chelsea get some decent money
Jose does not dislike Arsenal. He is envious of Wenger and the job security he has.
so lets get him to manage arsenal then whatever the cost
Fellow Gooners,
Possible written by a CFC or THFC fan! either way Van De sar best playing days were at Manure joined them at 35! Cech will soon see that he has joined the biggest and most decorated club in London,his national side mate Rosicky told him all about AFC,who were CFC until the oligarde came along only a serious threat for 12 yrs.My concern is that Wenger,carries on and buys the real top class players 3 0r 4 this summer,Sneiderlien,benzema,Reus and CB is a must then we will be true contenders!!!!!!!
vandersar was great always,kept fulham in prem for years why didnt we buy him
Only time will tell. So let’s give Petr Cech the chance to shine on Arsenal Red&white, I hope he wins us PL too.
Let me answer you by a question, Have we a better keeper than Cech at Arsenal in our squad ?
What kind of crap is this???this is a goalkeeper we are talkin abt.they are still active in their thirties.Go f****k yourself.
well, that’s it!!
..just wasted 3 minutes of my life readind this ‘TOTTENHAM’
Don’t mind my typo, the shite article made me…
,*Reading’ I meant to write.
Cant believe the criticism you’re getting for a very well balanced article. I’ve watched Cech decline over the last 3 years, and you are right, he is not the keeper he was. There’s no doubt he is still a top keeper, definitely amongst the top 8 in the premiership at his current level, so he will do well at the Emirates for the next 2-3 years I think, certainly better than any keeper since the days of Bob Wilson.
I believe the Chelsea board have noticed his decline, and although there is an element of “thank you for your services, you can go where you please”, there is also the belief that (probably) this season or (definitely) by next season a keeper like Begovic or Blackman can do an equally do job.
I’m very sad to see Cech leave the Bridge, but he deserves more playing time. But make no mistake, it’s not just because Courtois is the best in the world, or because Chelsea are a wonderful caring loving bunch of people, that they are letting him go.
And for the people on here to criticise you for a valid opinion shows they are desperate for success, even at the price of burying their head in the sand.
I hope I’m wrong and Cech has many many years of top level success in front of him – he deserves it – not at Chelsea’s expense of course, but I’m happy for Arsenal to hoover up behind us 😉 – but I really don’t think that’s going to happen.
Again, a convincing article, logical and well-presented mate, a pleasure to read.
PS I’m not one of those Chelsea fans that hates Arsenal just because they are another London club. (Except when George Graham was manager… 😉 )
When u say we havent had a quality keeper since Sir Bob u show how much u knw about tge club u claim to support as you seem to be completely forgetting players such as Pat Jennings John Lukic Mad Jens and probably the best we’ve ever had between the sticks Big Dave
Sorry about the bit about yr knowledge of the team u support didnt see yr a chav with nothing better to do than read an comment on a Arsenal fan site!!
Good. Glad you realised that. Now spend some time developing some maturity and maybe you could come back and reply with logical *intelligent* argument rather than insult. That’s if you have the intellectual capability.
NB. I’m dissing you here,in case you couldn’t understand that.
graham was a great player ,and osgood was no good without him
Agreed, Graham was a superb player, one of the few who’d be ok in todays PL I think.
Football is a game of opinion and most Arsenal fans have a different opinion to the writer. I too disagree with him but don’t feel the need to abuse him. And undoubtedly it’s surprising that Chelsea are doing us a favour. Very few fans are convinced by Ospina. Similarly, most Chelsea fans have a different opinion to you and are not best pleased that he’s joining Arsenal. The “desperate for success” line does, notwithstanding your alleged lack of hatred for Arsenal, display a not uncommon lack of class…
Now *that* insult I can take – it does show a lack of class given that Arsenal have been by any standards successful over the last couple of years. Total retraction 🙂
I’m glad you can take it. Shame that you don’t understand it…
Honestly arsenal fan are real shit and confused fans all over the world,on dis article arsenal fans ve real show dey are shameless and lack respect,u all shit call mouriho nonsense manager,let me ask u arsens with ur beautiful school football u ve fans re use too u can’t even win a champion leaguE,mouriho left england travel all over the club wining trophy and stiLl come arsenal ve won any premier league and he came and won it.shame u all arsenal fan dat are condemning Chelseafc,we are champion even without cech we re still the pride of london .blue is th color.fuck the haters
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