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Petr Cech to Arsenal: What Would it mean for Szczesny and Ospina?

By Josh Sippie

Aug 4, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech (1) directs traffic against AC Milan during the second half at Metlife Stadium. Chelsea won the game 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 4, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech (1) directs traffic against AC Milan during the second half at Metlife Stadium. Chelsea won the game 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Petr Cech is moving closer and closer to a move to Arsenal. While there is still plenty of time for this move to break down, it appears to be all but a done deal. I have been a naysayer of this move since its conception, but I cannot deny the fact that Petr Cech is indeed world class. He won the title with Chelsea in 2009/10 and won the Champions League with them in 2012/13.

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So if the move does go through, what would Arsenal gain?

The obvious answer would be that we gain another goal keeper to add to David Ospina and Wojciech Szczesny. Why exactly we need three No. 1 keepers is beyond me, but it sure would provide for plenty of internal competition, albeit clustered competition. That is, unless someone else moves on, which seems almost inevitable.

John Terry claims that Petr Cech would save us 12-15 points. That is a pretty cool guestimation.

Cech would bring a winning resume and a lot of experience. That can help a title-challenging team.

But what would the move mean for Szczesny and Ospina? Wojciech Szczesny is only 25 years old, so I am still a little torn over what this deal would do to him. He has declared his love for Arsenal and dedicated himself to the club, but it is showing a serious lack of faith if Petr Cech is signed. He would be an excellent mentor for the Pole, but I do not think he would take it that way.

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Wojciech Szczesny had a fantastic 2013/14 year, one that was statistically better than Petr Cech’s 2012/13 UEFA Champions League winning year. He took home the golden gloves and inspired confidence at the back. This past year had no such luck, but as I have pointed out ad nauseum, Jans Lehmann had a pretty bad year after his stellar Invincible season but he came back strong when given the chance.

Signing Petr Cech does not give Szczesny a chance, and I do not like that. Arsenal is all about allowing players to reach their full potential and either Arsene Wenger thinks Szczesny is at a dead end or he thinks that waiting for him to reach that potential will be detrimental to the clubs title chances, neither of which make sense to me. When Szczesny is on point, he is a machine at the back. That is what he can be and he has shown us what he can be.

I do not see how Wenger would not at least give him a go in the early parts of the Premier League season before purchasing a permanent replacement.

And what would it mean for David Ospina? The Colombian excelled in his first year at Arsenal, putting up a clean sheet every other game and notching a better saves-per-goal number than any other goal keeper in the world other than Claudio Bravo. Are we saying that that is not good enough? And if so, who could ever be good enough?

Petr Cech would bring plenty to Arsenal, I am not downplaying that. I just do not see him as a necessity. However, it would show the fans that Wenger is 100% serious about winning sooner rather than later, which I am sure he already is, but a little reinforcement never hurt anyone.

Next: Morgan Schneiderlin a go or a no go?

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