The former England international keeper David James has gone against the grain of the football media and suggested that Arsenal have not done the right thing by completing the transfer of Petr Cech from Chelsea.
While most have seen it as a real coup for the Gunners and a big step towards making us a club capable of winning the Premier League title again, including Jose Mourinho and John Terry of course, James seems to think that Chelsea have the better of the deal.
He also thinks that the player they signed to replace the keeper, Asmir Begovic from Stoke, would have been a better move for Arsene Wenger, mainly because of their respective ages but also because James seems to think that Cech is not the player he once was, as revealed in a Daily Mail report.
The 44-year old said, “Petr Cech is a very good goalkeeper but he’s not at his best. At 33 years of age, there’s nothing to say he can’t get back to his best form though.
“If he does then Arsenal still have one hell of a goalkeeper, but Chelsea have still got a very large sum of money for a 33-year-old with one year left on his deal.
“They have gone out and bought (Asmir) Begovic, who was sought after by many big clubs in the last two or three years, and been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.
“He’s got age on his side and, alongside Thibaut Courtois, you’ve got two of the best keepers in the Premier League with 15-plus years ahead of them. If I was an Arsenal fan I would have been happier to have signed Begovic.”
Okay now let me tell you why he is wrong, assuming that he is not just fulfilling his contractual obligations as a BT sport presenter to slag Arsenal off. This notion that Cech has lost form as he had become second choice at Chelsea is rubbish. The truth is that they had to start playing Courtois or risk losing him. Cech shared the Golden Glove award with Szczesny when he was playing the previous season.
And James should know better than to write a keeper off at 33. He was almost 39-years old himself when he broke the Premier League appearance record in 2009 and Cech is a lot better than he ever was, and could even break that record at Arsenal.
Finally, while Begovic is a very good player he is not as good as Cech. And by accepting the move to Chelsea which will see him sitting on the bench for most games, he does not have the same winning mentality as the Czech Republic number one.
Throw in the trophy winning attitude and experience of Cech and you can see why most people are right and James is WRONG about this Arsenal transfer.
at this stage, David James is partially right
Cech has yet to prove himself yet at Arsenal….
theres a reason why hes number 2 at chelsea and sold…
he still has to prove himself here….
Signing a GK is not the top priority
our priority should be a striker followed by a DM and LW etc…
And Begovic would have somehow proved himself in this time??
Of all the players in our squad, Cech is probably the one I’m least concerned about performing.
LW???
where Alexis Sanchez plays??
Not al Hafiz’s comments are off tune. Here is is right. I understand James’s point of view, I once raised it here. Petr Cech is 33 and had only a year left on his contract, I could 11m be a bargain when we could get him for free next season considering that we don’t have a goal keeping crisis!
Why doesnt david james keep his trap shut, if he hasnt anything positive and with sense to say!
Because he’s a pundit. He’s paid to say ‘interesting’ things. Or in other words, spout rubbish so he makes headlines.
David WHO?
Seriously, I’m getting fedup with reading about another Arsenal target in the press.Could we please read about an Arsenal purchase for a change.
I’d be quite concerned if David James was an Arsenal target… He’s well in to his 40s now and was never really great.
It was good business for both clubs. We significantly upgraded, they maintained strength in a strong position of theirs.
But… As Highlighted, Chelsea made three million in transfer fees, but I’d like to see how much money they put Begovic on as opposed to Cech’s wage with us. Then, at the end of season have a look at minutes played, number of saves, goals conceded, clean sheets etc. and can argue which club made the better investment. I have a strong suspicion that unless they’re targeting the Carling Cup, we may see more of an impact. Just a hunch.
I can see David James’s point. I don’t think he is trolling Arsenal fans. Begovic is five years behind Cech, and not far behind in talent. Shrewd business by Chelsea. Not just a very good keeper, but also a homegrown addition. And they are desperate to fill the homegrown quota, read: Stones.
It’s the flagrant suggestion Begovic is “not far behind” Cech that gets me. Some people on here have a startling opinion about players.
Today Begovic is just behind Cech, and Theo is on par with Benzema. I truly wonder if some folk on here watch football at all.
nah disagree,Walcotts never been described as being on the top level,Begovic on the other hand has been getting rave reviews for years,so what you say isnt true.Because hes at Stoke he may not get the media attention,but i wanted to get him for years,of course Cech has been a great keeper,but David James does havea point about their ages and their relative prices.
I think James is not happy that Cech is staying in the Premier League cos it just a matter of time before Cech break his record of the most clean sheet in the Premier League History.
lol
O.T. Looks like we sold Flamini and got 4 mil for him. Not bad at all. Let’s get that DM….
As always, calamity James
James is might be wrong but he is arguing his opinion well…i think he said if Cech turns up well we will be having one of the best keeper…haha its like people dont read articles here!
Nonsense!
Cechs age is actualy an advantage coz it gives the other goalkeepers hope for being number 1 when he retires hence they will continue working hard and competing while learning under him
Vidal 26m and 90,000 per week to Bayern for 4 years. What a fracking shame. Fantastic player dirt cheap. WE Should Have GONE for HIm. Coquelin is NOT proven enough, half a season does not make a star. And even if he is good, what happens when he is hurt, Arteta? He is Everton calibre at best, at 33 and never a DM, covering DM position is just not right. Our competition Does not treat the transfer window with such inefficiency. Benzema not the right transfer either.
Arsenal fans always looking for reasons why NOT to sign top quality, yes Vidal would’ve been a great buy but not according to most on here hilariously….
…now Benzema isn’t the right transfer? I really don’t know how some of you reach these conclusions.
Vidal for 26mil, Schneiderlin for 25mil….neither good enough for most Arsenal fans who are happy to wax lyrical about Coquelin.
David James didn’t slate Arsenal, even if he did, would that be surprising? Tell me, which club did he play for when he was 33?
Back to more pressing issues…. I think Arsene Wenger doesn’t regard d feelings, emotions and d opinions of the Arsenal fans who pay huge amount to support this club and have been faithful and patient. We need a Striker, one whose name strikes fear on d opponent’s defenders. We need a Striker, Benzema’s not him!!!!!
-Ibrahimovic
-Cavani
-Lewandoski, /Muller.
Serious challenging clubs go for the best… What are we? Joke!!!!!!!
and you think they are on display in a supermarket?
Sensitive bunch on here today eh?
James did not slag off Arsenal or diss them in any way, just just gave an honest answer to an honest question. In fact read it again and see the positive things he says about us. So
One people need to take their rose tinted glasses off! Have a nice day chaps and chapesses.
Who’s thumping me down dis early, what did I say wrong huh? I better go back to sleep and wake again…. Bob pls save me!!!!!! Lol
Not even worth worrying about, unless people believe James genuinely has a point. Phil Neville is also a pundit who in late March/early April said that we wouldn’t make the top four.
Case in point: it doesn’t matter 🙂
David james was a complete clown as a goalkeeper and now the same as a pundit. I prey sky sports never loose all the live football to bt i certainly wont subscribe to them worse football coverage i have seen with full of ex liverpool morons embarrassing themselves as commentators i would rather watch paint dry then listen to them will be more exciting!!!
I would have considered what James said if i have not started watching football when he was still between the sticks, he was one hell of a crap even at 30, not to mention the shit club he was playing for.
I know one thing for sure; no ONE is ever happy someone is breakink his record…
All i can see here is someone trying to protect his record of most PL appearance…he knows Cech is the closest to breaking that, and he never will be able to (if he stayed at Chelsea) and here he is at Arsenal where he probably will play over 30 games a season if not injured…and definitely will break that record.
It isn’t really a question of whther Cech is at his best, it’s more is he currently better than Szczesny and Ospina, and the truth is yes, by a long way. If we had signed Begovic we would have had to have sold either Ospina or Szczesny, however with Cech we can keep them as understudies to a player that has won everything.
I guess the grass always looks greener, begovic has had more howlers than szchensy in the past 2 years. He wouldn’t start over ospina. I know its hard but try watching Stoke play and you’ll see that begovic is just szchesny with less eyes on him. He was great 3 years ago, not now.