Theo Walcott says that the Premier League experience of Petr Cech is being felt in the Arsenal dressing room as Arsene Wenger’s team seek their first title since 2004.
The Czech international was the goalkeeper for three of Chelsea’s four recent league wins (playing second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois last season), and Walcott has revealed he’s using that knowledge to keep spirits high.
The 0-0 draw with Stoke may have been vaguely disappointing, especially after the draw at Anfield, but Cech told his teammates to look at it as a positive result.
“The mental strength in our dressing room is the strongest it has ever been,” he told the Evening Standard.
“When you have the likes of Petr Cech coming in as well, he only enhances that. He has lifted everybody’s heads up, saying this is a very good point and that nobody tends to win here.
“There were mixed emotions in the dressing room, I’m not going to lie, but we just have to look at him because he has been at the top level and won many things so if we have the belief that he has got, we can push on.
“It is always difficult looking back at games but we dropped two points at Liverpool and we felt it was going to be a tough match here. All the big teams that have come here have struggled with Stoke getting positive results.”
Other players have also spoken about Cech’s experience and advice:
Calum Chambers
“I was worried about my hair ahead of a big date, but Petr just told me ‘Hey, the girl should like you for you who you are, not how well-sculpted your admittedly gorgeous hair is. Don’t worry so much’.
“And he was right. The date was a fantastic success and I didn’t have to carry a tub of moulding wax with me to ensure my quiff remained rock solid.”
Joel Campbell
“I remember being a bit down one day because I was having problems with my plumbing at home. Petr has been there and done that when it comes to drainage issues, and he gave the number of a great handyman who came out and sorted everything out without ripping me for lots of new parts I didn’t need.
“That’s the real measure of the man.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
“I was concerned that one day Arsene Wenger was quite frosty with me, I got really paranoid I’d done something really wrong. I expressed those concerns to Petr and he said, ‘Hey Chambo, don’t forget the boss is human too. He has his ups and downs like everyone else. Perhaps he’s worried about something just like you. It’s not personal.’
“And he was right! The next day the manager was great with me and even said if I wanted to go on holidays he’d let me have his weekend house in Bridlington if I ever wanted it.”
Tomas Rosicky
“I might be the most experienced player in the squad but even I can use some good advice. I was feeling down about my knee and the fact I hadn’t played this season. Petr noticed and took me to a nearby cafe for a mocha-choca-latta-yaya and told me, ‘Tomas, you might be nearing the end of your career, but just think of when we both go back to the Czech Republic and assume power.
‘Those plans we made will come to fruition, we will make our nation the most powerful in Europe and then on earth, at which point will will RULE OVER THEM LIKE THE DOGS THEY ARE.’
“I immediately felt better!”
—
What a guy.
Lol, I don’t think the Ox should be so happy that Arsene wants him to go on holiday on the weekend (during the season, when we play games), but as long as it helps maintain the team’s spirit may his naivety continue.
Also, I’m getting in good with my Czech overlords now and buying myself a Cech hat which I assume will be a critical part of the national dress for the new empire!
I had a baby two days ago.
I didn’t know what to do so I asked Petr for some advice.
“Man the f*ck up and take care of business son…” came his definitive reply.
Needless to say I did.
*at least one part of this story is true.
Did you call it Gary or Philip?
Petr of course.
I disowned those d*ckheads a long time ago.
Superb comeback.
Can’t wait to read these quotes on Sports Bible.
haha
Blogs you to funny, like the last sentence like the Dogs
Remember, you read it here first!
Chambers:
“I was worried about my hair ahead of a big date, but Petr just told me ‘Hey, the girl should like you for you who you are, not how well-sculpted your admittedly gorgeous hair is. Don’t worry so much’.
…????.That made my day folks !
For some reason, I can actually imagine Chambers being that kind of a guy.
“theo you have been here for ten yearz…speak to zeem about zee mental strengzz coz i have done it over and over and its become boring zeey will believe you more”
“He has lifted everybody’s heads up”
It’s natural since humans tend to look at the face of whoever is speaking to them, and Cech’s face is placed really high.
Nice Lady Marmalade reference there, Blogs.
Would you have HER on toast without butter, Blogs ?
Thumbs up for using the words ‘toast’ and ‘butter’
I’m in the states for work, it’s just gone 7am here. Watched the game with my buddies in the hotel over breakfast, all the waiting staff are into the PL. They loved this and so did I. Great start to the day, cheers blogs
It’s now clear as daylight…Adrian Durham is a wanker.
Did you read the rubbish he wrote about our Ozil?
Yes, and normally I get pissed off by Durham (I know I shouldn’t let the idiot bother me…) but on this occasion it was so ridiculous I actually laughed.
Guy’s a spastic, plain and simple. Hilariously he thinks he looks at anything objectively.
…and the most Humorous Blog Award goes to the Arseblog…Yeeeee, Yeeeah baby!!!
I’m assuming they’ll be aligning with Flamini as their Minister of Energy. If not we may have a State vs Corporation problem on our hands that threatens to destabilize the dressing room.
Just leave the club out of it boys and I’m fine with the rest!
Okay, i don’t want to seem like i’m jumping on some Walcott hate bandwagon, cause i think he’s a useful player. BUT, what i find worrying is that he’s been at Arsenal for 10 years, with one of the best developers of young players, but his first touch and dribbling has not improved much. Whenever he plays on the wing, he’s never available for the ball. he’s just making runs off the ALL the time. He needs to know when to help the midfield and pick the ball up, and when to make a run. He’s a very confusing player.… Read more »
Walcott is filling a titanic sized hole left by Sanchez. Left wing is not his favoured position of the front 3. He’d fit in far better on the right but, Campbell has just been amazing. Add to that the fact that he’s a confidence player and rent wants to play CF and you can see that he’s just been putting in a shift. Once his confidence is up, all those problems should be sorted.
I agree with you though, he is confusing… frustrating even. He’ll come good when Sanchez is back though.
*really not rent
There is no bandwagon..Just people being sensitive…People talk about Ramsey and Ox when they have both improved…Ox is in a difficult moment but if he can get through it he will be much better for it… Walcott is just a shit footballer but at Arsenal he provides exceptional balance with his pace and off the ball option… He has improved the timing of his runs and finishing over the span of ten years… Watch an entire game from when he first signed and now…You will be surprised at how little difference…Infact he was probably better than because he actually used… Read more »
Great behind the scenes stuff blogs. Petr is so down to earth he might even catch a train with us commoners!! I know, I know, dream on Ondi, dream on.
Blogs, you are too funy. With the arsecast extra and the news, you and the other Andrew have provided about 63% of my laughs today.
Couldn’t resist taking a subtle dig at Theo even in the picture could you blogs?
It wasn’t really that subtle. It was just a joke though.
I’d rather theo walcott really not talk publicly about anything and just focus on improving his game – which at the moment is quite a bit…, sh*t.
Cech in glasses looks as professorial as Arsene does lol!
All these players praises for each other can only be a good thing. Arsenal’s dressing room obviously rocks with the experience and camaraderie going on. Let’s win the EPL this season!