Cech: We'll Kill Off City Today
PETR CECH says Manchester City can have no excuses if they fail to repay Sheikh Mansour's millions with a trophy this season. And he reckons Chelsea will put a major dent in the title ambitions of Roberto Mancini's team if they win at Eastlands today.
With the Premier League campaign only five games old, the Blues keeper feels that today's clash is already make-or-break for City's big-time ambitions.
He said: "If we can win this game against City, we will be 10 points ahead of them and that is a big advantage at any stage of the season.
"We would regard that as a huge help in putting one of our rivals behind us for the rest of the campaign."
The Czech international has watched the City revolution with keen interest since Sheikh Mansour launched his £220million takeover two years ago. And he is still not sure they have `what it takes to succeed, despite spending almost £350m on new players in the last two years.
Cech added: "You can buy all the best players in the world, have a great squad, great stadium, top manager and fantastic facilities. "But money alone cannot buy success. You need spirit and atmosphere in the dressing room and in the club generally to make the team successful.
"It's down to the players at City to build that but, right now, they have more pressure on them to deliver than ever before. "For the past two years, they've spent lots of money but everyone was prepared to say, 'City are in transition, it will take time'.
"Now they don't have any more excuses. They can't say, 'We have a lot of new players and need time to settle'.
"City have everything set up to win the league. Now all they need is some momentum on the pitch. "We are starting a period of the season when the top teams have a lot of big games and you need the whole squad to be ready to play.
"Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are all used to playing in these situations but City have never had to cope with it before, so only time will tell if they are serious title contenders this season."
One City player who has impressed Cech with the way he has handled the pressure in recent weeks is goalkeeper Joe Hart.
England ace Hart, 23, has broken into the first team for club and country this term.
Cech said: "It's been difficult for him because he has had to show everyone that he deserves to play ahead of such a highly-rated keeper as Shay Given. "He started with a fantastic game at Tottenham and then he really came into the spotlight when he started playing for the national team.
"So now, all of a sudden, everyone is looking at him in a different light. "He's no longer just one of the candidates for an international call-up, he is the No 1 for England and for a club with huge ambitions.
"He has much more pressure on him now but has done really well so far."
Cech, 28, needs no reminding that City were the only team to beat Chelsea home and away last season. And he insists there will be no further slip-ups this afternoon as Carlo Ancelotti's team look to maintain their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season.
Cech recalled: "We made too many mistakes in both games. "In the away game, I made a mistake for their second goal and we missed a penalty.
"And, at Stamford Bridge, we allowed Bellamy and Tevez to have so many counter-attacks and were caught three times, even though they were not dominating."
Cech has seen his Chelsea team-mates burying their opponents in a blizzard of attacking football this season. And he reckons he is probably the only man at the club who is not encouraging his colleagues to keep piling forward.
He added: "It's very difficult to keep the balance when we are winning 3-0 or 4-0 and everyone is excited to see more and more goals.
"Of course it's nice to watch everyone down at the other end of the pitch and attracted to going forward. All the people in the stadium are happy and smiling.
"But I am never happy when I concede. When Scotty Parker scored a brilliant goal in the last minute for West Ham, you could see by my reaction I was angry, even though we won 3-1.
"Luckily, at Chelsea, we have really disciplined and organised players and we all know it's just as important to keep a clean sheet.
"You can only build a team from defending well because, if you score two goals, you know at the back of your mind that the game is locked up. "But if the situation is the other way around and you go on the pitch thinking that two goals isn't enough because you always concede three, then even 2-0 isn't an easy score.
"You know that teams who are not good defensively have an anxiety which you never see in Chelsea's game. "The main focus for Chelsea is always on winning the game. And the start of this season has been perfect in every way."
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