Arsene Wenger believes that goalkeeper Petr Cech may turnout to be a key factor in the upcoming game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Czech Republic goalkeeper will be returning to his former stomping ground for the first time since his move to Arsenal in the summer.Cech was sold to archrivals Arsenal for a transfer fee in the region of £ 10 million. He had been the first choice for all-but-one campaign at Chelsea where he established himself as the best goalkeeper in the world. Even though he has already made a couple of errors since his move to Arsenal, Wenger still trusts him a lot.
There may be a few hard feelings ahead of the game, but Wenger has backed the 34-year-old to come out strong when he steps onto the pitch.Cech is likely to receive a grand reception from the Chelsea supporters despite playing for one of the main rivals. It is likely to come as an appreciation for the incredible service that he had done to the club for more than a decade.Cech had helped with Chelsea win numerous titles but he will forever be remembered for the penalty saves in the Champions League 2012 final against Bayern Munich.
Wenger is hoping thatCech’s experience come to the fore on Saturday. “I just want him to focus on this game and not be influenced by that. You can’t go there and wonder if you’re standing in the right goal or not. It is always difficult to go back to your club and play but fortunately he has handled that this season. That is why I decided to play him in the Community Shield. It is the first step that is important and he has dealt very well with it,” said Wenger about Cech facing his former club.