Cech's Great Run

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With a perfect record against Portsmouth, Petr Cech is eagerly anticipating the trip to Fratton Park, and meeting a few familiar faces.

In six games against Harry Redknapp's side, Cech has won them all, and is yet to concede a goal. He is keen not to curse that run, and acknowledges that we will need to be on top form against former Chelsea men Lassana Diarra and Glen Johnson, as well as new loan signing and Czech team-mate Milan Baros.

'It's great, so now I'm going to say it's great and we'll concede three. It's always like this!' he joked, as attention shifted to Saturday's game on the south coast.

'I always enjoy the games there. I like the atmosphere because you feel how the people are, and whatever happens on the pitch they are behind the team.

'It's a difficult game, always one of the toughest games during the season,' Cech admitted, before casting his mind back to previous Portsmouth trips.

'It was always decided by one goal, and then in the last few minutes we doubled the lead and won, so if we can do that again it would be great.

Following the victory at Birmingham a fortnight ago, we now have the best away record in the Premier League, and Cech maintains it is important to keep this strong run going if we are to trouble the league leaders.

'The good thing is we don't make any differences between home and away, we just chase three points. That's what we'll try to do on Saturday as well, we are four points behind so need to keep winning because the others are too. Saturday is a chance to close the gap again,' he said.

The challenge facing Cech is to keep his countryman out, should he be selected.

'In the last few games it's been funny, at Tottenham there was Radek Cerny in goal, then Matejovsky at Reading, so we keep going with Baros now. It's been interesting to play against him at Liverpool, he is a big name in the Czech Republic and we'll have to be careful.

Cech believes that England has not yet seen the best of Baros.

'No disrespect to managers he played for, but I don't think they were capable of taking all the advantages of having him in the squad. If you see the way Portsmouth play it could be good for him, they have a target man who he can play around, not on his own, just like he did with Jan Koller in the national team. It's what he needs; it was a good choice to go there.'

This is a view Cech reiterates for former team-mates Diarra and Johnson.

'I think Diarra had a great run of ten games or so when he was here, but he was talked into going to Arsenal for whatever reason. I think that was a mistake, and he would have played more games here.

'Everyone knew him and then we have the injuries and the African Nations, and Arsenal have a lot of young midfielders, so I think it was a mistake when he left. He is a really good player, and of course we wish him well. It's good for him if he can play, and he needs to play if he can stay in the national team.

'Glen was a little unlucky, because Paulo came with José Mourinho in the first year and was outstanding, so it was difficult for him to get the games. To be fair to him the games he played he played well, but he is young and needs to play as much as he can, again regarding the national team, so he knew from his loan spell there he has more chance to play regular football. He is a good player and a good lad as well.'

Cech's opposite number David James had a mixed evening at Old Trafford on Wednesday, completing his 500th Premier league appearance, but was beaten twice by Cristiano Ronaldo, including a free-kick Cech himself deemed unstoppable.

'I have nothing to say. If there is a goalkeeper in the world who would save this then hang the shirt, gloves and boots up and finish the career because he will never do anything better than that!' he joked. 'You would have to run there before he strikes the ball, to risk it, but you can't do it.'

'500 games for David James is unbelievable, first you need to be fit and I think he has been all his career so he was lucky with that, and then you need to work hard and keep your standards.

'Since he moved there he has been brilliant for them, so it's always difficult to play against him, he always has a great game against Chelsea, but we need to do whatever we need to bring three points.'

Chelsea are 8/11 to bring those three points back to London with online betting partner Paddy Power

Is it just me, or does he always play well against Portsmouth? The double save last season, the save from Quashie in 2004 and then that incredible one-hander against Lua Lua in 2006... and a clean sheet in all six games. Then again, James always plays well against Chelsea