300 NOT OUT: A tribute to Cech ahead of 300th game in EPL!

Our greatest goal keeper of all time and one of the best English football have seen in its existence, Petr Cech is about to play his 300th premier league game against Cardiff at Stamford Bridge. The Czech international has been an indispensable wall behind our back line for the last decade since he joined the club in 2004. And no goal keeper during that period has proven instrumental and so important as Cech was and still is to Chelsea Football Club.
Now, let’s celebrate this achievement by looking back at his Chelsea career and paying a well earned tribute to one of the best in the world today, Petr Cech. He arrived in summer of 2004 when Jose also made his emphatic arrival to English football as the understudy of Carlo Cudicini. But, an injury to the Italian keeper who previously was the undisputed no. 1 at the club forced Mourinho to put Cech in goal. Then, the young keeper, new to the premier league never looked back as he seized the opportunity to cement his name in Chelsea’s starting 11 even after Cudicini’s return.

Then, he finished the 2004/5 premier league season with a great number of clean sheets as the club managed to win its first league title in 50 years. His performances over that season itself fully aligned the order of keepers at Stamford Bridge as Cudicini had to settle for the back-up spot in Mourinho’s team. The 2nd season of Petr Cech at Chelsea was even more astonishing as he managed to get 25 clean sheets (a record in EPL history) throughout the season and helped Chelsea win the back-to-back league titles under Jose Mourinho.

On to his 3rd season at the club, 2006/7. A year when there was huge expectation from owner Abramovic and the media for Chelsea to succeed in Europe and maintain their dominance in domestic as they did in the previous two years. But, in 2006, an unfortunate occasion unfolded at Reading’s majeski stadium in front of Chelsea fans and others that attended the game. The game was just underway a minute before when a through ball was released to striker Hunt who raced behind Carvalho and recklessly collided with Cech’s skull (driving his knee on the keeper’s head while trying to get the ball under Cech).
There was a pause of play at the early minutes at the keeper couldn’t continue and the medics had to rush him off the field and get him to a hospital to get a treatment. His life was thankfully saved as he was able to get a fast assistance by Chelsea doctors and in hospital as he escaped a near death experience.

It would be 2 month until he returns to first team action at the club and during that time, the team suffered many bad results and a lot of draws against the likes of Arsenal who we clearly could have won against like in the previous two years before that. The season was a roller coaster ride for Cech as he started off really well and he had to be out with one of the worst injuries that can happen to any player on the field for 2 months. But, it didn’t prove to be a bad season for Chelsea as the team ended the season by winning the Carling cup and FA Cup trophies (the latter one in the newly opened Wembley stadium against United).
Then, we go on to season 2007/8 which sadly saw the departure of the beloved Jose Mourinho but, Petr Cech (with more synonymous look with the head gear) was influential and on top of his form through out the season as the club finished runners up for the Carling cup, premier league and Champions league in Moscow 2008 final. In that cold, rainy night at the Luzinki stadium, the Czech stopper did his best through the 120 minutes of the game to prevent Chelsea from losing against major rivals Man Utd. But, we were unlikely in the shoot outs as Man Utd emerged victorious despite CECH impressively saving Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty.
Season 2008/9 wasn’t much of improvement from the previous despite Guus Hiddnick arriving at crucial period to re surge Chelsea’s hope back together and lead us to FA Cup glory. Petr Cech was as instrumental as ever in the league doing his best in a year we lost our defensive solidity at the back under the reign of Luis Felipe Scholari.

After the short caretaker role stint of Hiddnick, Carlo Ancelloti arrived for the season 2009/10 as we wrestled back the Premier League trophy from Man Utd and win our first domestic double by also winning the FA Cup at Wembley. Petr Cech was instrumental as he got lots of clean sheets and made impressive amount of save in crucial moments at the FA Cup final in 2010 against Portsmouth.
Then, the following year, Petr Cech went on to win the club’s annual player of the year award and proved instrumental despite Chelsea finishing 2nd to Man Utd. The following year of 2011/12 was a great year from Petr Cech along for the club as we won the first ever Champions League triumph in the club’s history with Petr Cech and Didier Drogba being the major part of the process. it’s a story never to be forgotten as we managed to eliminate the giants of European football such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich. And his 3 penalty saves on that emotional night at Allianz Arena put Petr Cech at few top Legends in the club’s history as we won the UCL against all odds.
Last season, Cech captained a lot of games than any would have expected as Terry was out for much of the season with injury and suspensions while vice captain Lampard wasn’t fit in some parts of the early season as well. Cech’s performances though never faltered as he was crucial to Chelsea survival of missing out on UCL this season and winning the Europa League in May.
After all the great memories and successful year Cech had spent at the club, we arrive to season 2013/14 under the manager that brought him in to Chelsea back in 2004. Jose Mourinho. Date – October 19th 2013. Venue – Stamford Bridge. Opposition – Cardiff City. Occasion – PETR CECH’S 300TH APPEARANCE IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE. 

Here’s Jose’s comments in pre-match press conference about Petr Cech…
‘He came here for a season when the season before, Carlo Cudicini was playing very well,’ he said.
‘Petr came here very young but immediately in the first game of the season, Chelsea v Man United, he kept a clean sheet, the first clean sheet of his book full of clean sheets.
‘The guy is amazing, with his working ethic and the way he lives, and he is a very young keeper, 30 years old is very young.’

The big moment every Chelsea fans wants to witness has arrived and we will get to see our mighty goal keeper protect our goal in the premier league for 300th time. We wish him and the team good luck for this game. Let’s hope there will be many years of success for Petr Cech at Chelsea and many more appearances in goal in EPL under Jose Mourinho.
Thanks for reading and make sure to comment your tribute and wishes to our legendary keeper down below. Follow me on twitter (@FahmiCFC) for more things about Chelsea. KTBFFH!!!