Petr Cech

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Terry should have stayed with his man but why is Cech getting into this habit of coming off his line, and then stopping in no mans land? He's done it a few times and it's cost us goals. Maybe the pressure of Courtois arriving has got to him, but he's no longer the imperious presence he used to be.

I don't think it's anything to do with Courtois, personally. It isn't a habit, either, I just think you have to accept that the goals we've conceded from crosses and set pieces have been good deliveries. What he does have to do is make his mind up and then show conviction. If he starts going for the ball, even if he realises he isn't getting it he still has to go for it in an attempt to distract the opponent, as much as anything.

[Benches not the shed 77]

Cech simply ain't the great that he was for his first few seasons at chelsea, after that head injury at Reading he has never consistently looked like the great keeper he was, he has games where he makes great saves but with his frame that is standard stuff.

decision making is his biggest weakness.

He won't be number 1 keeper next season.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Both him and JT at fault for the goal. Cech's mistake is that he hesitates because he was unsure if Melo, on the near post would be able to get a flick on the ball. But he needs to be more assertive in that six-yard box.

He did make a really great save afterwards, though.

[Benches not the shed 77]

His shot stopping ability has never been disputed.

JT shouldn't have been made to look like it was his fault last night cos Cech should have claimed that ball.

[GodZola 630]

JT is certainly not blameless but he was expecting Cech

to just pluck the ball from 'inside his 6 yard box' not stop half way through commiting himself?

Jose has rightly been bemoaning and criticising our poor inefficiency in front of goal yet we have been making mistakes like this frequently this season and nothing is said? That goal completely changed the complexity of the game, we went from a comfortable win to hanging on, unnecessary pressure caused by our own players. At the moment we are just about getting away with these errors but they are bound to prove costly if we don't improve.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Def more blame to Cech there imo. If you rely on CBs to clear from 5 yards out then you're asking for own goals.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

This is just so good :')

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auAs0WwkB1o

[kellzfresh 7,229]

What has happened to Cech's ability to claim balls in his area?? Jose won't like this. It was the main reason he chose Diego lopez over Casilas

[The only place to be 11,313]

What has happened to Cech's ability to claim balls in his area?? Jose won't like this. It was the main reason he chose Diego lopez over Casilas

He looked skittish for their goal but Torres needs to mark Heitinga better and show more aggression to get ahead of him.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

02

He looked skittish for their goal but Torres needs to mark Heitinga better and show more aggression to get ahead of him.

Cech has come out to catch the ball in two consecutive corners and missed. I know the players also missed their markers but it was in the 6 yard box. Few keepers are the size of cech and he cannot come out and not get to the ball.

[Jase 43,479]

Čech named Czech player of the year again

[Milan 17,887]

Čech named Czech player of the year again

No wonder, he's got absolutely no competition. Sometimes I just wished he changed his nationality so he would get a chance to have some kind of success on the international level. He would never do that, though.

[yuvala 2,167]

No wonder, he's got absolutely no competition. Sometimes I just wished he changed his nationality so he would get a chance to have some kind of success on the international level. He would never do that, though.

Also it kinda feels like he never got the recognition he deserved because he wasn't playing for a big national team.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Also it kinda feels like he never got the recognition he deserved because he wasn't playing for a big national team.

He's generally been underrated throughout his career. The credit for our clean sheets and number of goals conceded always goes to the back four but rarely to Petr himself. Even the incredible performances he put in the CL and FA cup run in 2012 barely get a mention by the media and neutrals even though at times he seemed to be playing alone against 11 men.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

He's generally been underrated throughout his career. The credit for our clean sheets and number of goals conceded always goes to the back four but rarely to Petr himself. Even the incredible performances he put in the CL and FA cup run in 2012 barely get a mention by the media and neutrals even though at times he seemed to be playing alone against 11 men.

People don't appreciate what they have until it's gone.

Half of the people who want to see Courtois displace Cech will watch this young man come in, thinking he is as good as Cech, and they will only be disappointed. Courtois will, one day, be as good as - maybe even better than - Cech's current standard, but right now Cech is the better keeper. Thankfully we are swapping one world class keeper for another excellent one who has the potential to be world class himself. But, my point stands, if you are to rate them as goalkeepers out of 100 you'd say, if Neuer is the world's best (which he is, no debate necessary) and is realistically rated out of 100 as 90/91, then Cech would be about 88/89 and Courtois would be 86/87. There's just that little gulf in class which will be noticeable, mark my words. Thankfully Courtois is very young and will improve. Will he reach the same levels Cech did, and still does? There is a very good chance of it. But this is a very nice headache to have. United and Arsenal fans look on with envy.

[yuvala 2,167]

People don't appreciate what they have until it's gone.

Half of the people who want to see Courtois displace Cech will watch this young man come in, thinking he is as good as Cech, and they will only be disappointed. Courtois will, one day, be as good as - maybe even better than - Cech's current standard, but right now Cech is the better keeper. Thankfully we are swapping one world class keeper for another excellent one who has the potential to be world class himself. But, my point stands, if you are to rate them as goalkeepers out of 100 you'd say, if Neuer is the world's best (which he is, no debate necessary) and is realistically rated out of 100 as 90/91, then Cech would be about 88/89 and Courtois would be 86/87. There's just that little gulf in class which will be noticeable, mark my words. Thankfully Courtois is very young and will improve. Will he reach the same levels Cech did, and still does? There is a very good chance of it. But this is a very nice headache to have. United and Arsenal fans look on with envy.

Well IMO if there's a big risk of losing Courtois we must let Cech go.

Sadly that's the only option I see ATM ..

[The only place to be 11,313]

People don't appreciate what they have until it's gone.

Half of the people who want to see Courtois displace Cech will watch this young man come in, thinking he is as good as Cech, and they will only be disappointed. Courtois will, one day, be as good as - maybe even better than - Cech's current standard, but right now Cech is the better keeper.

I think some people are thinking off the Cech of a couple of seasons ago and not the one who is presently in goal. The simple fact is that he's actually costing us points for the first time I can remember. He looks dodgy at crosses despite our defence being more settled now than it has done for a while.

He'll go down in history as our greatest keeper but I can't think of a single point from this season which will be used to support that argument.

Honestly I don't see this gulf in class. If Courtois was here this season then he would've got a chance already because Cech has been dropped once already. I'd drop him for the Spurs game to be quite honest but Schwarzer isn't the right replacement.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I think some people are thinking off the Cech of a couple of seasons ago and not the one who is presently in goal. The simple fact is that he's actually costing us points for the first time I can remember. He looks dodgy at crosses despite our defence being more settled now than it has done for a while.

He'll go down in history as our greatest keeper but I can't think of a single point from this season which will be used to support that argument.

Honestly I don't see this gulf in class. If Courtois was here this season then he would've got a chance already because Cech has been dropped once already. I'd drop him for the Spurs game to be quite honest but Schwarzer isn't the right replacement.

Each to their own, but I have to pick you up on that point I've highlighted. He's made some absolutely outstanding saves this season, particularly against Bayern in the Super Cup, which for me was his single-best ever performance for us. Every goalkeeper makes mistakes, even when he was at what you would identify as his best in 2004-2006 he made some absolute howlers, but either managed to bail himself out or Riccy Carvalho or JT would do it for him. Then let us not forget how poor he was for large periods in 2008, either side of the Euros, where he was, quite frankly, terrible. Since his head injury his form has peaked and dipped but there are far, far more highs than lows.