Football news - Petr Cech: Arsene Wenger put style above winning at Arsenal
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ByEurosport
Updated 24/09/2018 at 12:19 GMT
Petr Cech believes Arsenal have struggled in recent years because Arsene Wenger was more interested in style rather than winning games.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Image credit: Eurosport
Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla, who left in the summer to rejoin Villarreal, claimed over the weekend that the club lacked the belief in Wenger’s final seasons to put themselves back among England’s elite.
And it appears to be a point of view shared by in-form Czech goalkeeper Cech, who was outstanding in the 2-0 win over Everton in the Premier League on Sunday. Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored at the Emirates as Arsenal won their fourth straight game.
Wenger ended his 22-year tenure with a disappointing sixth-placed finish last season and Cech feels there is an added impetus on addressing recent shortcomings now Unai Emery has taken charge.
“What we lacked in the past…I would say the Arsenal way was more important than getting the points sometimes and this is not sometimes how you win the league,” said Cech.
“Sometimes you need to make sure you win an ugly game, when you are not playing completely well but you just dig deep, close the back door and win 1-0 no matter how.
I think this is what we lacked since I arrived, over the last three years. Yesterday we showed, going through difficult moments in the game, we managed to get the win with the clean sheet so this is very positive.
“I think the place became much more demanding in every way so this is great to see because this is what initially drives everybody forward and gives you the kind of kick that ‘I’m not doing enough to start the game’ or ‘I’m not doing enough to keep my spot in the game’.”
Arsenal have not lifted the Premier League since they went unbeaten throughout the 2003/04 campaign.
Arsenal have tasted success in that time, winning four FA Cups under former boss Arsene Wenger in the intervening years.
“For any club who wins titles in the recent years, you have a team with the know-how to finish it off and you can see it in any sport,” said Cech.
I take Tiger Woods – 10 years since he won a Major tournament (in golf) and the longer it goes, the harder it becomes. This club hasn’t won the league for over 10 years so obviously you need to get back into knowing how to do it.
“We started with the new manager from scratch basically and we try to get this mentality of winning every game, progressing every game, working every day and hopefully we can build this up and win the title sooner rather than later. That will make the big difference.”
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