Thursday, July 2, 2015

Can Petr Cech help Arsenal bring home the Premier League title?

Arsenal was basking in glory last month. Freshly after winning the FA Cup for the 12th time, it was a matter of double delight for Arsene Wenger as he also became the most successful manager in tournament’s history having won six times,  with his famous old foe Sir Alex Ferguson next in line, with five wins.

Therefore, the end of the seasons result shows a very good return for the Gunners who won the FA cup and finished third in the league. Surely, Arsenal fans were looking for more, as they expected a sustained title challenge from their side. But realistically speaking, if this offer was made to Wenger at the start of the season, he would have bitten their hands off.

PHOTO: REUTERS

The one thing that a manager looks for in his team is progression, and Arsenal has shown clear improvement in this department from previous seasons, all thanks to their star player Alexis Sanchez. There have been times when Sanchez – who has been a breath of fresh air, ever since he was signed by the Gunners from Barcelona – has carried his team single-handedly. While his fellow South Americans Falcao and Di Maria flopped and struggled to adjust to the pace of the English game, the tenacious little Chilean took the Premiere League like a duck to water.

Gunners have now got some serious artillery in their ranks in the shape of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. They are the two world-class players who can change the course of any game in a split second. There is enough attacking potential on their side to trouble any of the opposing team that they face. Nevertheless, there were always some question marks hanging around their defence.

The hallmark of every great team is that it’s built on strong foundations; their defence cannot be easily breached. However, when it came down to crunch situation, Arsenal was always found wanting. A goalkeeper is known as the last line of defence, but in their case, it did not provide enough resistance for the Gunners. They relied on their keeper Wojciech Szczesny, who failed to live up to the promise that he proved in his earlier years. Then they tried Colombian David Ospina, but he also didn’t prove to be the long term solution of their goalkeeping woes.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Wenger held the need to address this issue and he identified Petr Cech as the man to fix their Achilles’ heel. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho rejected this idea straight away, as he did not want to strengthen a direct rival by giving them a helping hand. Despite of Mourinho’s reluctance, Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich sanctioned the deal and allowed the Czech international Cech to join Arsenal.

Arsenal fans could not hide their joy since the capture of Cech; they were estatic. He is still touted as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He is a serial winner, so his biggest advantage is that he brings an air of confidence in the dressing room. Arsenal had numerous brilliant players on their side, but one thing that was missing from their locker was the presence of a siege and winning mentality. Cech has got that in abundance and this will surely rub off on each and every squad member.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Last season, the Gunners were two or three players short of being on a championship side. The signature of Cech has provided them a solid platform to build. Now, they just need a strong defensive holding midfielder and a striker to support Olivier Giroud in attack. Get these players a crack and the Premiere League title could well be on the cards.


from The Express Tribune Blog http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/28413/can-petr-cech-help-arsenal-bring-home-the-premier-league-title/

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