Petr Cech, Chelsea goal keeper believes team will defend titles
Chelsea first choice goal keeper Petr Cech told reporters that he believed that the Blues were prepared to deal with the strain of defending their first double. Chelsea won their first ever double, the Premier League title and the FA Cup in the last season, scoring a record 103 goals. Didier Drogba claimed the golden boot and Cech shared the golden glove with Liverpool keeper, Pepe Reina.
In their first fixture of the Premier League, Chelsea kicked off with where they left off. The Blues scored a staggering 6 goals against West Brom and conceded none. Drogba scored a hat trick, with Malouda scoring two and Lampard one. Even without missing players, Chelsea look formidable. Michael Essien has made a comeback, claiming his perfected holding midfielder role, and is a great boost for the Blues. Lampard was at his best again, and if his performance was any sign of things to come then he might just reach the 30 goal mark.
Cech, who is also known as the Clean Sheet King, believes Chelsea is fully capable of repeating last season’s success without missing players and new signings. Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Ricardo, Carvalho, Deco and Belletti have all left this summer, and Ancelotti has made no significant signings. So far, only Yossi Benayoun and Ramires have been brought to Stamford Bridge, and both don’t seem enough to strengthen the squad. But Cech thinks otherwise.
Cech told reporters, “We have the biggest ambitions in every season. Every season we enter with the aim of winning as many trophies as possible. This year we will be defending two which is not going to be easy. But we have an experienced team and I believe we will cope with it”.
Cech believes that this season there are the big six, instead of the big four. With Manchester City and Tottenham joining the race, the big four have to step up their efforts, if they hope to maintain their current positions. Manchester City has spent big to bring in big signings and even though they ended their first fixture with Tottenham in a 0-0 draw, they are expected to bounce back and present a challenge to the big four. He said, "In my opinion, it will expand into six teams. Apart from us, the two Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Tottenham and it will also be interesting to watch how Liverpool does with their new manager.”
However, Cech believes that City, who seem to be following in the Blues footsteps but not getting the same results, may be in over their heads with the various new signings. City have followed a spending pattern which is very reminiscent of when Jose Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge and had a seemingly unlimited budget. However, City need to realize that a group of expensive players cannot win the title and Mourinho put careful planning into his signings. Also, buying former Chelsea players will not guarantee a trophy. The Cech goalkeeper told reporters, “Only the season will tell us. But to buy 30 stars may be a big risk. It is difficult for the manager as well as for the players”.
Cech hopes that this will be the year that the Blues finally prove themselves in Europe. He knows that they are more than capable and have previously been unlucky in the Champions League. But he believes that this could be their year. He made it clear that it would not take preference over their defence of the Premier League, which would always be their first priority. “I think two competitions will be preferred to other ones - the Premier League and the Champions League. To go out there and try to defend the title is a big call. I believe we will keep the trophy at Stamford Bridge for one more year. And to win the Champions League? For that we will fight hard too, for sure”.
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