by Lewis Ambrose

Once seeing pulling shirts at corners and netting own goals, now usually on Sky’s Super Sunday or Monday Night Football, Jamie Carragher knows a thing or two about defending.

Of course I brought up the shirt pulling and own goals but the Liverpool legend was a solid defender, they don’t love him at Anfield for no reason.

Along with former-rival and modern day colleague Gary Neville, Carragher has often criticised Arsenal. Always pretty but is there any substance? We aren’t solid enough. All the usual criticisms which – in fairness – don’t come without any basis.

But now he has praised the signing of Čech.

“Arsenal have made a big signing in Petr Čech,” Carragher said on kicca.

“Čech is still one of the best 3 keepers in the Premier League & will make a big difference not just in his quality but his presence & leadership, which should have a big affect on those in front of him which the best keepers do.” 

The former England defender knows what difference it makes to play in front of a better goalkeeper, so we can take his word for it.

The second half of the season in particular saw Arsenal defend far better as a unit, and Čech will only add to that. The presence and leadership traits that Carragher mentions are huge, the goalkeeper has an incredible amount of experience and we should be more composed defensively as a result.

Čech is a top goalkeeper but, by bringing his experience and composure to Arsenal, he can be even more than that.