Petr Cech reveals personal challenge of adapting to Arsenal's new style of play and calls for patience from fans
Petr Cech has urged patience from fans as Arsenal try to implement a new playing style under Unai Emery and revealed how, at the age of 36, he is being challenged to transform his method of distribution.
The big noticeable change in Arsenal under Emery was the desire to build attacks with short passes from defence that used Cech almost as an additional outfield player and, despite some of the difficulties against Manchester City’s high pressing, it is clearly a change that the team will now stick with.
Cech was preferred in goal yesterday to new £22 million signing Bernd Leno and believes that he can personally adapt to Emery’s philosophy.
“You play the best way for the team and I think that if you want to dominate the game through possession you need to use every player,” explained Cech. “You can see at this level that one v one is difficult to play so you need to use the goalkeeper as a spare man every time you can. That is the role of the goalkeeper.
Unai Emery's new style is a "pleasant change" to Petr Cech - Credit: Getty ImagesView photos
Unai Emery's new style is a "pleasant change" to Petr Cech Credit: Getty Images
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“If you play for a team who is happy to play a long ball and a completely different way then the keeper plays a different way. I have to say that I enjoyed it because I played under different managers with different styles and, over most of my career, I was always asked to play long. This is a pleasant change for me.”
Despite the 2-0 defeat, Cech also believes that Arsenal gave Manchester City more problems than they faced in the Community Shield against Chelsea, who they now face at Stamford Bridge next Saturday. A fixture against another team with a new manager in Maurizio Sarri should also provide a better indication of Arsenal’s early progress under Emery. Cech stressed how they had started off against a team in City who have had two years to adapt to the demands of Pep Guardiola.
“We try to build the team and create our own way of playing, we have been doing that for five weeks and they have been doing that for two years now so obviously they have a big advantage,” said Cech.
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“I thought we did really well at some stages of the game. I think the biggest difference in our game was that in the final third we just needed to find the killer pass. We forced them into a few mistakes in possession, especially in the second half but we didn't finish our opportunities.
“I think the fans have to understand that when you start building a new team with a new manager and a completely new way it may take time. We need to adjust a few things but I think we are on a good way. We faced probably the biggest favourite to win the title, next week we have another big game, but we will be better prepared because we have this game behind us. I believe we pushed them more than Chelsea did in the Community Shield and, comparing to how we played against them last season, we gave them a game.
“We built up from the back . I think you need to be brave to do that and carry on even when you know the pressure is coming and we managed to do so. Although the result was negative, there were a lot of positives.”
Cech himself only found out that he had kept his position as the club’s Premier League goalkeeper on Saturday following the summer signing of Leno and now expects an ongoing battle to keep his place. Hector Bellerin was also adamant that Arsenal have improved since last season. “I see the game as something positive,” he said. “Having been on the pitch, I think that compared to where we were last year I think we looked better. It’s a new era for us and it’s about learning with the new coach, learning the new system and I’m sure we’ll get better. If you compare it to Guardiola’s first year it was a very hard year for him - and look where they are now. We need to look at it that way. It’s a positive change and we’re excited.”
Cech last night became involved in a bizarre Twitter exchange with goalkeeping rival Bernd Leno’s former club Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga club had highlighted a miscued clearance by Cech during the 2-0 defeat against Manchester City with the message, “in case you were wondering how to play out of the back..we might know a guy”.
.@Arsenal we share important values which make us a big club not only on the football side . Fair competition, professionalism and sportsmanship are the biggest ones you teach young footballers and it’s sad to see when other clubs don’t share the same values. .@bayer04_en
Cech then responded: “At Arsenal we share important values which make us a big club not only on the football side. Fair competition, professionalism and sportsmanship are the biggest ones you teach young footballers and it’s sad to see when other clubs don’t share the same values.”
Leverkusen responded by saying that it had been “a joke” and “a bit of banter” before wishing Cech the best and praising his save to deny Sergio Aguero.
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