Arsenal news: Petr Cech poised to make clean sheet history against Liverpool
ALL Petr Cech wants for Christmas is to not concede against Liverpool on Friday to become the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to keep 200 clean sheets.
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It is a milestone that may never be reached again.
The Arsenal keeper has 30 clean sheets more than second-placed David James and the next best active keeper in the Premier League is Joe Hart with 122.
Of course Cech kept 162 blanks while he was at Chelsea, but he has also managed 37 in just 87 league games since joining Arsenal in July 2015.
“Everybody speaks about Arsenal and not having defenders, the defence and this and that, but if you look at the table of the clean sheets then we are right there,” said Cech.
“We have played 18 games this season and we have nine clean sheets which is a pretty good ratio, I would say.
“A few weeks ago, I hoped that with so many games coming up before Christmas, that the Liverpool game would be the one where I could actually get the 200th so it’s going to plan.
Everybody speaks about Arsenal and not having defenders, the defence and this and that, but if you look at the table of the clean sheets then we are right there
“I am proud of the record and hopefully I can add as many as I can.”
For 70 minutes on Saturday, Cech was barely troubled as Mesut Ozil led Newcastle a merry dance with his passing and a sumptuous left-foot volley as he adjusted his body backwards that gave Arsenal their first Premier League win in December.
While Cech will be at the Emirates for some time yet to stretch his lead at the top of the clean sheets table, Ozil’s presence is not guaranteed.
Yet to sign a new contract, he could leave for nothing in the summer. His performance against Newcastle will have both teased and infuriated Arsenal fans who know he can be the difference-maker in their side.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger clearly feels the same. He said: “He is taking responsibility and that is what you want from him.
“He is mature, he guides the team and they are aware he is on the ball a lot. Your heart rate always goes down when he has the ball.”
The heart rate of Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez could not be any higher at the moment after an eighth defeat in nine games plunged them into the bottom three.
With the club in the process of being sold, he knows that funds will be limited in January, but he cannot buy the one thing he really wants anyway.
Benitez said: “Luis Aragones, the famous Spanish coach, was always saying, ‘You cannot go to the fifth floor of John Lewis and buy confidence’.”
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Bellerin 7, Koscielny 7, Monreal 6, Maitland-Niles 6; Ozil 8, Xhaka 6; Iwobi 9 (Welbeck 73 6), Wilshere 8, Sanchez 7 (Coquelin 89, 6); Lacazette 6 (Giroud 73, 7). Booked: Monreal, Xhaka. Goal: Ozil 24. NEXT UP: West Ham (h), Tom CC.
Newcastle (4-4-2): Elliot 7; Yedlin 6, Lascelles 8, Lejuene 7, Manquillo 6; Murphy 7 (Gayle 68, 6), Hayden 5, Merino 6 (Diame 82, 6), Atsu 5 (Ritchie 54, 6); Perez 6, Joselu 6. Booked: Hayden. NEXT UP: West Ham (a), Sat PL.
Referee: S Attwell (Warwickshire).
