Arsenal boss Unai Emery has decided to stick with Petr Cech as his first-choice goalkeeper despite the summer arrival of rival shot-stopper Bernd Leno, according to reports.
The German arrived from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen in a £22million deal over the summer and had been expected to immediately take the No.1 jersey.
However, The Telegraph claim that Emery has opted to pick Cech as his main man for the foreseeable future – starting against Manchester City – due to the experience and leadership qualities he possesses.
Arsenal begin their Premier League campaign with a daunting clash against champions City at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and Cech has won over Emery to get the nod between the sticks.
In the absence of injured defender and skipper Laurent Koscielny, Emery has picked out four more ‘leaders’ among his squad – and Cech is one of those.
Arsenal boss Unai Emery has shared his ambitious plan to win the Premier League title ahead of welcoming champions Manchester City to the Emirates on Sunday.
Emery was reported to only have £50 million to play with prior to this summer’s transfer window opening. When business came to a close on Thursday afternoon, the Gunners had forked out just over £71 million over the summer, with defensive midfielder Lucas Torreira and goalkeeper Bernd Leno amongst the key players to arrive at the club.
Those players will join an Arsenal dressing room that is already stacked with top-class talent, with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil making up the Gunners’ ranks.
However, Emery is adamant that the aggressive style of play he will bring to the club will be the deciding factor this season.
“Our style with the ball is to be protagonists, to do things with combinations, to control the match with the positioning of the ball,” Emery told Sky Sports. “And then, when we have the space, to be aggressive going forward.
“Defensively: first it is to be organised, recover the ball quickly. But in these two moments in the match, we need to work. To say it here is easier than doing it on the pitch. We also need time, but now I am happy because I think the players are improving.”
Emery added that he wants each of his players, regardless of their positions on the pitch to adopt a holistic approach to the games they play.
He continued: “We need two things: quality players, which we have, and then organisation. Together I think we can improve, to win in our way. I repeat: organised, then play.”
“When we are thinking in an attacking moment, I want the goalkeeper thinking for that, he is the first. The same when we are thinking defensively, I want our strikers to be thinking: ‘We need to protect the goalkeepers’. I want those two moments to feel the same for all players.
“Each player has this quality, this characteristic to help the team as a collective. For me, that is very important.”
The former Sevilla manager also stated Arsenal’s aim of becoming Premier League champions for the first time since 2004: “It’s clear, the aim for the club is to arrive as champions, play for titles. But for me, I want to enjoy the way [we do it].
“I want the players and supporters to feel that together, and also enjoy each match, each moment in our stadium, and in this way the team transmits to the supporters the passion.”
Emery’s philosophy will be put to the test immediately this season as his side takes on champions Manchester City on Sunday