Petr Cech says that he is expecting that Arsenal can challenge for the Premier league title this season. Arsene Wenger’s side have now gone over five years without lifting a trophy and Czech Republic keeper Cech claims their results in the “big games” will determine how successful they will be come May.
“I am expecting them to be around the top spots,” Petr Cech told Corvallis Soccer.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has not ruled out the chance of the title and insists there is still chance of Chelsea winning it. A woeful winter has seen the Blues drop down the table and they currently sit fourth in the standings – 10 points behind league leaders Manchester United.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team are beginning to turn the corner though, and picked up an emphatic 4-0 victory over Bolton on Monday night.
Cech believes the title race is not over and claims Chelsea can claw themselves back into contention with a good run of results.
Petr Cech has said that Chelsea could be missing out on the Champions League next season if results do not improve.
Dumped out of the competition last night by Manchester United, the Blues are still desperate to win the competition that is most coveted by owner Roman Abramovich.
But the club’s stalwart keeper says all that could be lost in the season’s final seven Premier League games.
He said: “I have to tell you that playing for the final of the Champions League: it is painful when you lose.
Chelsea’s goalkeeper Petr Cech has been selected as Chelsea’s player of the year 2010.”I’ll never grow tired of this, it’s a great honour,” said the 28-year-old Cech, with 78 appearances for the Czech national team, after being picked by players, coaches, officials and journalists.
“I’m glad my work has been valued as excellent, and I believe this is not the last time I’m here,” added Cech, who won ahead of Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky and Atletico Madrid defender Tomas Ujfalusi.
Petr Cech and Drogba are the Chelsea players who have enrolled for taking part in the NBA in the summer. That’s when the NBA Finals will take place with Kobe Bryant’s LA Lakers pressing San Antonio in the Western Conference while the Boston Celtics lead the way in the Eastern Conference.
Last week Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas lifted the lid on his love of shooting hoops when he isn’t shooting on goal, and previously Bryant had admitted he is a big football fan, with Barcelona his team of choice.
A stunning double save from Petr Cech allowed the Czech Republic to hold Japan to a 0-0 draw on Tuesday as the tri-nation Kirin Cup ended without a single goal being scored. The Blue Samurai and Czechs had both failed to break down Peru in the two previous games before Chelsea goalkeeper Cech ensur
ed the winner-takes-all clash in Yokohama also finished in a stalemate.
Cech brilliantly saved a Shinji Okazaki header after 78 minutes before acrobatically blocking Tadanari Lee’s follow-up from point-blank range, drawing gasps from a crowd of 65,000
Petr Cech is hoping it will be third time lucky with Carlo Ancelotti – who has already brought an air of calmness to Chelsea.
The keeper was one of the stars of the Jose Mourinho period, but has seen the club go into decline under the two permanent bosses Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari in charge since the Portuguese coach left two years ago.
He said: ‘I am excited by the prospects for the new season. We have a large squad with lots of quality. We played really well in pre-season, which was good for the confidence of the team.
Chelsea are targeting Asmir Begovic as back-up to injured Petr Cech. Henrique Hilário is Ancelotti’s current first-choice back-up ahead of Ross Turnbull for Petr Cech and the Portuguese was given the starting nod at Wembley in the Community Shield against Manchester United.
However, both goalkeepers have made errors during the pre-season and have looked shaky at times, forcing Ancelotti to consider whether a new signing might offer more stability.
