🇨🇿 Petr Cech

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Which is fair enough.

Regarding Cahill, I do think Mou could've perhaps taken him off for Cole and and put Ivanovic in the middle since he was struggling very badly. Hopefully Gary will be alright though.

I'm hoping it was a cramp and not a muscle injury. No reporter asked about him post-match. Guess we'll have to wait till the City prematch PC to find out..

[Joe Cool 388]

I think it was one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situations for Petr... if he comes out, Anichbe still gets there every single time (due to Luiz' incompetence), but if he stays back, well, no way he saves that anyways.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I watched the replay... at first I'm thinking "oh fucking hell, Petr" as he's coming off his line, but I had coaching yesterday in dealing with crosses and what was I telling all the kids I coach? Move towards the ball, NEVER stay on your line when it's crossed in between the six yard box. Just a good finish, IMO. I'm more concerned with Branna's refusal to close down wingers than Cech.

[Benches not the shed 77]

Time to pack your bags Peter, you'll be number 2 keeper come August.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Time to pack your bags Peter, you'll be number 2 keeper come August.

[Jase 43,479]

Captured this from the latest club's official magazine...

Buffon on Cech on breaking the clean sheet record last month.

And the clean sheet record breakdown...

[Styles 9,790]

Courtois makes one save. Forum goes crazy.

Cech dependable as ever. No one cares.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Courtois makes one save. Forum goes crazy.

Cech dependable as ever. No one cares.

The forum went crazy when Cech made a similarly fantastic save against Hernandez.

And Cech isn't as dependable as ever in my opinion.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Haha...massive fan of Boomer

[Styles 9,790]

The forum went crazy when Cech made a similarly fantastic save against Hernandez.

And Cech isn't as dependable as ever in my opinion.

If Courtois plays as well as Cech has this season this forum will be full of comments saying what a wonderful goalkeeper he is and why it was such a smart decision to replace Cech. Forget Cech's truly great seasons, all Courtois has to do is show up to get the plaudits.

I'll be honest, I don't really care about Courtois. He hasn't played a single minute for Chelsea. If Chelsea sell him and use the money to further imrpove the squad I'll consider that good business. And after that I'll continue to support the guy with 10 years at the club and who, at the age of 31, has many years ahead of him.

[The only place to be 11,313]

If Courtois plays as well as Cech has this season this forum will be full of comments saying what a wonderful goalkeeper he is and why it was such a smart decision to replace Cech. Forget Cech's truly great seasons, all Courtois has to do is show up to get the plaudits.

Be named best keeper in Spain and one of the best keepers in the world = just has to show up.

I'll be honest, I don't really care about Courtois. He hasn't played a single minute for Chelsea. If Chelsea sell him and use the money to further imrpove the squad I'll consider that good business. And after that I'll continue to support the guy with 10 years at the club and who, at the age of 31, has many years ahead of him.

That's a fair position to take. Others might take the position that we should go with the guy who is better and probably has more years at the top.

[Styles 9,790]

Be named best keeper in Spain and one of the best keepers in the world = just has to show up.

That's a fair position to take. Others might take the position that we should go with the guy who is better and probably has more years at the top.

Not really much competition is there? Barcelona are desperate, and have been for years, to replace Valdes. Casillas is one of the most overrated goalkeepers in the world and is playing second fiddle to an OK goalkeeper in Lopez.

That's where we disagree, I don't think Courtois is better. I think Cech is the best goalkeeper in the world, and you can consider that bias on my parth (I don't blame you) but I truly believe he's the best all-round goalkeeper in world football. Personally that will soften the blow of losing a player who has never played for the club.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Not really much competition is there? Barcelona are desperate, and have been for years, to replace Valdes. Casillas is one of the most overrated goalkeepers in the world and is playing second fiddle to an OK goalkeeper in Lopez.

That's where we disagree, I don't think Courtois is better. I think Cech is the best goalkeeper in the world, and you can consider that bias on my parth (I don't blame you) but I truly believe he's the best all-round goalkeeper in world football. Personally that will soften the blow of losing a player who has never played for the club.

Neuer is better right now. Cech was actually dropped this season and deservedly so. If Courtois had actually been in the squad then he may well have got a shot already, but unfortunately for us he's been pulling up trees for Atletico.

Cech has looked more indecisive and cost us more goals than I can ever remember. He's absolutely a club legend but hopefully that doesn't mean we put sentimentality ahead of results and stick with him when he's on the decline. Maybe it's a temporary blip (because he has had dips in form in his time here) or maybe it's something more serious.

What I do know is that Courtois has none of these question marks over him. He's achieved more than Cech did at the same age, he's of such similar quality that the gap between the two is negligible and he's more than likely going to improve.

Maybe you have no affinity for him because he hasn't played for us, but he isn't just some player - he represents the future of how goalkeeping position for the next 10-15 years. We could wait until we desperately need a replacement like we did with Drogba or we could act pre-emptively.

[Styles 9,790]

Neuer is better right now. Cech was actually dropped this season and deservedly so. If Courtois had actually been in the squad then he may well have got a shot already, but unfortunately for us he's been pulling up trees for Atletico.

Cech has looked more indecisive and cost us more goals than I can ever remember. He's absolutely a club legend but hopefully that doesn't mean we put sentimentality ahead of results and stick with him when he's on the decline. Maybe it's a temporary blip (because he has had dips in form in his time here) or maybe it's something more serious.

What I do know is that Courtois has none of these question marks over him. He's achieved more than Cech did at the same age, he's of such similar quality that the gap between the two is negligible and he's more than likely going to improve.

Maybe you have no affinity for him because he hasn't played for us, but he isn't just some player - he represents the future of how goalkeeping position for the next 10-15 years. We could wait until we desperately need a replacement like we did with Drogba or we could act pre-emptively.

Fair points and I understand Courtois is good enough to lock up the position for 10-15 years. What irks me is the way people dismiss Cech as if he is past his prime and on his last legs. He's 31, he's bang in his prime for a goalkeeper. Every quality keeper makes a few mistakes (Courtois included) but I think Cech's are highlighted more than most because we have a shiny new keeper waiting in the wings. Some people seem to jump on any Cech mistake and use it as proof of why we should get rid.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Be named best keeper in Spain and one of the best keepers in the world = just has to show up.

That's a fair position to take. Others might take the position that we should go with the guy who is better and probably has more years at the top.

Well, then that means going with Cech, doesn't it?

Courtois is a fabulous goalkeeper, but Cech - equally as good, if not even better - has a decade more experience under his belt. We can go around and around forever with this argument. I don't really care about Courtois, he hasn't played a single minute for us. Cech's nearly played 500 games for us, so I think people are only being fair in saying they don't want him replaced yet. Cech's done nothing wrong to be farmed off.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Well, then that means going with Cech, doesn't it?

Courtois is a fabulous goalkeeper, but Cech - equally as good, if not even better - has a decade more experience under his belt. We can go around and around forever with this argument. I don't really care about Courtois, he hasn't played a single minute for us. Cech's nearly played 500 games for us, so I think people are only being fair in saying they don't want him replaced yet. Cech's done nothing wrong to be farmed off.

Cech does have more experience, but then he's 10 years older and has been at a top club playing behind fantastic defences for much of it.

if you compare them at the same age, then Courtois is undoubtably the better keeper. That's surely beyond dispute.

If you compare their recent form, only one of them has been dropped. Ask yourself an honest question - which goalkeeper is improving over the last 12-18 months?

We have two fantastic keepers who are very hard to separate on any measure except one - their age. Why on Earth would you not choose the younger one? Sentimentality is the only reason.

Oh, and as for experience the argument against Courtois was the he wasn't used to English football and that he'd struggle to deal with crosses at places like Stoke and West Brom. Well Cech struggled with crosses at both of those places. That should tell you exactly what the value of experience is.

[lucio 5,418]

in my mind there is no doubt who is better ... courtois. makes saves that cech simply couldnt due to inferior athleticism. cech is still one of the best but has cost us more points this season than normal.... west brom , stoke ect

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Cech does have more experience, but then he's 10 years older and has been at a top club playing behind fantastic defences for much of it.

if you compare them at the same age, then Courtois is undoubtably the better keeper. That's surely beyond dispute.

If you compare their recent form, only one of them has been dropped. Ask yourself an honest question - which goalkeeper is improving over the last 12-18 months?

We have two fantastic keepers who are very hard to separate on any measure except one - their age. Why on Earth would you not choose the younger one? Sentimentality is the only reason.

Oh, and as for experience the argument against Courtois was the he wasn't used to English football and that he'd struggle to deal with crosses at places like Stoke and West Brom. Well Cech struggled with crosses at both of those places. That should tell you exactly what the value of experience is.

The value of experience to a goalkeeper is far more than dealing with crosses against sides that specialise in wing play and set piece deliveries... Courtois struggles with crosses full stop, it's an area where Cech undoubtedly has the edge.

[lucio 5,418]

The value of experience to a goalkeeper is far more than dealing with crosses against sides that specialise in wing play and set piece deliveries... Courtois struggles with crosses full stop, it's an area where Cech undoubtedly has the edge.

his cross dealing ability seems to be on the decline though. not as confident with him coming out to gather as i used to be.

also courtois has only failed to deal with one cross in la liga this season

http://www.squawka.com/players/thibaut-courtois#avg.-claim-success#atl%C3%A9tico-de-madrid-%28current%29#spanish-la-liga#23#season-2013/2014#69#all-matches#1-24#by-match

not sure, he comes out for many though

[BlueLyon 9,359]

As goes for who was guilty for that Anichiebes goal...well in first place, we should be 3 goals up already but we fucked up and they got a deserved draw. You cant hold on 1:0 lead and hope not to concede. Best teams in the world concede goals, but they also score shitload of them. We didnt and got punished for that.