4 clean sheets in 5: Why Peter Cech’s form is key to Chelsea’s PL challenge

Chelsea have kept four clean sheets in their last five games, following a run of games where they had conceded nine in six. This new found defensive solidity has been crucial for the club recording four consecutive Premier League wins and finally showing some much needed consistency. How crucial has Petr Cech been to this run of form?

Cech compares relatively well to three of the other most in form goal keepers in the Premier League. Chelsea’s defence has conceded the joint second lowest number of goals this season at 19, with Arsenal the most frugal backline. Wojciech Szczesny has been in good form as we can see making 2.44 saves per goal conceded. Tim Howard’s Everton have conceded 19 goals along with Chelsea but he has the best saves per goal rate of three, as well as keeping a very impressive ten clean sheets this season, more than any other Premier League keeper.

For Cech, only Howard, Szczesny and Hugo Lloris have kept more clean sheets than him. Of Cech’s eight clean sheets though, four came in the last five games, demonstrating the marked improvement in his recent form. In these last five league games Petr Cech has made seven saves and conceded just once. A stark improvement on the previous sequence where Chelsea were leaking goals too freely in the Premier League. A problem illustrated perfectly by the Blues’ leaking of six goals in two games versus Sunderland and Stoke. Worse than that, Chelsea actually went through a run of eleven games in which they kept just one clean sheet (in a 0-3 win at West Ham). This up-turn in form is reflected in Cech’s Performance Score.

In the run of games where Chelsea were conceding Cech was not the safest pair of hands, occasionally making errors that cost his side dearly. In the 2-2 draw with West Brom for example Cech should have done better with both goals. In the last five games however he’s been a much safer pair of hands.

Petr Cech is certainly a very good goalkeeper. That being said, he isn’t facing too many shots at this present time as Chelsea are more solid as a back five as a whole. The whole tactical set up is now tighter, with more emphasis on containment and counterattacking play, rather than free-flowing attacking football. Against Arsenal, for example, the North London club were only able to force one save out of Cech, largely because Chelsea defended deeply and in an organized manner. Even if things are quiet though, it’s important for Chelsea to have a goalkeeper who they can rely on to make a save after a long spell of being inactive.

There’s a certain Thibaut Courtois ready to step into his shoes if the veteran Czech international was to let up.