From: Lescor on
I, more or less, asked this question a few months ago. I can't help
feeling that the uncertainty in, what are normally, pretty talented
defenders
stems from lack of confidence in the keeper when faced with high balls in
a crowd. Fine when he has space, but a bit of a lottery when he doesn't.

Time for a rest maybe...........before it is too late? He will be getting
more
and more of these to defend from now on, that's for sure.

LC

From: Graf Finklestein on
On 14 Dec, 12:32, "Lescor" <les...(a)btinternet.com> wrote:
> I, more or less, asked this question a few months ago. I can't help
> feeling that the uncertainty in, what are normally, pretty talented
> defenders
> stems from lack of confidence in the keeper when faced with high balls in
> a crowd.  Fine when he has space, but a bit of a lottery when he doesn't.
>
> Time for a rest maybe...........before it is too late?  He will be getting
> more
> and more of these to defend from now on, that's for sure.
>
> LC

I've been saying for some time now that we need to look at other
options. Sadly, Petr's become a liability - something we can't afford
in a defence where Terry can't jump and has lost mobility, and
Carvalho seems to have aged 20 years in one pre-season.

But Carlo faces an uncomfortable decision where Cech's place in the
team is concerned. Not so much uncomfortable because he's a big name,
still carrying a no-longer-valid reputation for being one of the best
keepers on the planet, and - let's face it - it's not as if we have a
top keeper ready to step into his place.

I mean uncomfortable because, to drop him will seem heartless. The
press will have a field day with the endless shitstirring. After all,
Cech's failings aren't simply down to lack of form. They are, in all
probability, the by-product of his terrible head injuries. So what
kind of story will this make? I mean, here's a guy whose head was
smashed, who feared he'd never play again, who overcome his life-
threatening injuries to make a triumphant return to the game, still
throwing himself bravely at attackers' feet. Why, he still wears the
protective cap as a reminder. What a hero. Then those heartless
bastards at Chelsea drop him. Just because he's made a few mistakes.
There's no room for heroes in the game anymore, another example of how
any romanticism is being strangled out of the game, etc etc. A lot of
Chelsea fans will feel exactly the same way.

It's a shame, and it feels wrong to say this, but I honestly think
Carlo may be forced to accept that Cech will never again be the world-
class keeper he was, and the world-class keeper club like ours needs,
and to look around for an alternative.
From: Stephen O'Connell on
"Lescor" <lescor(a)btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:IuSdnaJft9rJrbvWnZ2dnUVZ7t-dnZ2d(a)bt.com...
> I, more or less, asked this question a few months ago. I can't help
> feeling that the uncertainty in, what are normally, pretty talented
> defenders
> stems from lack of confidence in the keeper when faced with high balls
> in a crowd. Fine when he has space, but a bit of a lottery when he
> doesn't.
>
> Time for a rest maybe...........before it is too late? He will be
> getting more and more of these to defend from now on, that's for sure.

We don't really have any other option but to continue playing Cech, as we
don't have top-class cover in that position. Ross Turnball is too
inexperienced for a team hoping to win the Premier League/Champions
League. Whilst Hillario is okay as temporary cover, but he's hardly the
future. Yes it is obvious to anyone that Cech has major problems coming in
to a crowd of players, and with Terry/Carvalho not as solid as they used
to be (maybe because of injuries), Cech's failings are becoming more
frequent.

Cech might be dropped for a game or two if Ancelotti thinks it will help
him, but I can't see the club buying a 'keeper to replace Cech just yet.
So it'll be down to how good the coaches are, and can the defensive
mistakes be eradicated... In all fairness we looked fairly solid against
Arsenal, so it can be done!