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Arsenal: No feeling sorry for Petr Cech
Ben Foster has stated that he feels sorry for Petr Cech and the uncomfortable style that Unai Emery is imparting on the Arsenal goalkeeper. However, there should be no feeling sorry for Cech; it is up to him to adapt or be replaced.
In football, players must perform as their manager wants and expects to play. That is no new development. As long as the sport has existed, to earn playing time, players have had to impress their manager. It is one the consistent thread that runs through the fabric of the sport. And it exists to this day.
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It is not something to bemoan or chastise. It is the nature of competitive sport. Not every player can play at the same level and in the same style. Therefore, it is up to the manager to pick the ones he wants.
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The reason I bring this up is Ben Foster’s comments on the current goalkeeping situation at Arsenal. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s excellent Monday Night Club, Foster expressed his sympathies to Petr Cech, acknowledging just how difficult it is for a goalkeeper to change his style so drastically as Unai Emery is asking Cech to do:
"“Cech is one of the best goalkeepers the Premier League has seen but that really is not his game. He has spent his whole career playing one style of football and now, at the end of his career, he’s being asked to play another one altogether. His strong points have always been being big and commanding and making saves, but the way football is going now you almost have to be one of those Ederson-type of goalkeepers. For a lot of goalies, it really isn’t an easy thing to do. It’s going to take some time to get used to and I do feel sorry for him.”"
While I do understand where Foster is coming from, I do struggle with the concept of feeling sorry for Cech. Yes, it is extremely difficult for Cech to adapt to Emery’s new style and there have been uncomfortable and awkward moments this season that belie his ability and experience, but, and I am sure Cech is quite aware of this, it is up to him to prove that he is capable of doing what the manager wants. And if he can’t, Emery will find someone else who can. £20 million Bernd Leno is sat on the bench, licking his lips at an opportunity to win the starting job.
Unfortunately, this is just football. If a player cannot execute at the level and in the manner that is required, then he will be dropped for someone who can. I am sure that Foster himself has experienced this in the past. I am sure that Cech is quite aware of the competition that he is in to keep his spot in the team.
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That’s not something to feel sorry for. It’s just part and parcel of the sport. Unfortunately, some players cannot play. It’s up to Cech to prove that he isn’t one of them.