All Arsenal fans were up in arms when Wenger managed to go through the whole summer with buying one single outfield player, but the fact that the Frenchman secured the signature of Petr Cech very early in the transfer window could have been one of the most important buys of his career.
The Czech international may have only cost 10million GBP but Wenger is adamant that having a top class keeper is vital for any team that seriously wants to challenge for titles, and we now finally have one in our own dressing room. “He has brought his experience, his calmness and his leadership as well,” Wenger said on the official Arsenal website. “He has been good and highly focused.
“I don’t want to be detrimental to David Ospina because he was exceptional last year, but Petr Cech has done it all, so he is someone who gives you an aura, a charisma that is always important in the big games for the players.
“I met him before I signed him and we had a long discussion about the game and the job and his position, and I was deeply impressed by his knowledge, by his professionalism, by his detailed knowledge. So since I have not been surprised, because I got the whole package in one go.
“You always look around you in the dressing room before a big game and you think, ‘Are we strong enough?’ And these kind of faces help you to believe it. Also in the big games, the number of shots on target shrinks. But then the one save can be the difference in the end result.
“There is no history of teams winning things without having a great goalkeeper,” added Wenger. “I’m now 30 years in the job and as I said the other day you learn over the years that the goalkeeper is the most underrated position in football – and maybe the most vital one for winning things.
“For example when Spain won the 2010 World Cup, in every game [Iker] Casillas saved a one-on-one when it was 0-0 or 1-0, or saved a decisive ball. Even in the final against Arjen Robben – and instead of being 1-0 down you are 0-0. And that at the end of the day makes the difference.”
John Terry famously said that Cech would save Arsenal 12 points this season, and the big stopper has probably already surpassed that figure already. It doesn’t matter how many goals you score if your opponents score more, but with Cech in goal you just know that will very rarely happen.
If we do win the League this year, Cech will be one of the biggest reasons for our success….