切赫：門迪大器晚成 但進步神速、非常全面 - 切爾西足球俱樂部 Chelsea Football Club

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2020/09/25/
petr-cech-on-edouard-mendy---an-all-round-goalkeeper-who-has-ove

Cech on Mendy: 'An all-round goalkeeper who has overcome difficult moments
and is a great addition to our keeping unit'

25 Sep 2020


Who better to speak to about our new goalkeeper Edouard Mendy than the man
who made the same journey from Rennes to Chelsea 16 years ago, Petr Cech.


https://i.imgur.com/l46obSo.jpg


Now the club's technical and performance advisor, Cech was 'very
influential' in Mendy's acquisition, according to Frank Lampard, while our
new no.16 told us yesterday of the reassurance the Czech had supplied
while the final terms of the deal were thrashed out.


Speaking to the official Chelsea website, Cech says he was first alerted
to the Senegalese keeper three years ago by Christophe Lollichon, his
long-time coach who still works at the club, and has closely tracked his
progress ever since.


'I started following him when Reims won Ligue 2 and got promoted,' starts
Cech. 'You could see the first year with Reims in Ligue 1, he made a huge
step forward in terms of his progression, and last year after joining
Rennes you could really see this amazing progression continue.


'He's someone who blossomed late, and it was maybe unexpected for some
people. He's sort of new in top professional football, it's been four
years. He's still fresh, but already has a lot of experience.


https://i.imgur.com/cV8kxVB.jpg
Mendy celebrating a victory during his time at Reims


'He has the qualities of overcoming difficult moments. It's something that
might help him. Coming to Chelsea there is a lot of pressure, but when you
have had different pressures in your life before, like he has when he was
unemployed and without a job, you might cope much better with pressure
from football.


'Last year playing with Rennes in the Europa League, and playing for
Senegal, it gives him a lot of experience. I believe he will be a great
complimentary unit for our team, and challenging our goalkeepers and
fighting for the spot.'


Cech is as well placed as anyone to explain Mendy's technical qualities.
It is clear he makes good use of his 6ft 6in frame.


'He is a very all-round goalkeeper. He is very good with his feet. He has
all the range of distribution, from long to short, and as well in the last
two years if you watch European football, the way he dominates crossing
situations and high balls in the area is unlike anybody else.


'He uses his size and he has great timing to read the trajectory of the
ball. He is strong at high balls and commanding the area, and he uses his
size very well for saves.


'He will be another piece for the puzzle we are trying to complete, to
have a really competitive team to challenge for the highest positions and
titles, because Chelsea is all about that. We are a top club and we have
top players in each position, and he is here to make even more competition
for our goalkeeping department. It gives another option to the manager for
this position.'


It is to be expected that parallels will be drawn between Cech and Mendy
because of their route to Stamford Bridge, but our former no.1 is quick to
play that down. He instead prefers to highlight the similarities between
French and English football, and the manner in which Rennes and Chelsea
like to play the game.


'It's quite unique he comes from the same club as I did, but it doesn't
really have anything to do with it,' says Cech.


'I've played the same league, I've been there, I know how good the league
is. Of course years have gone by, but generally I believe goalkeepers
coming from the French league are ready to play in the Premier League. In
France the players are always physically well prepared, similar to the
Premier League.


https://i.imgur.com/0I6Oilb.jpg
Cech making a save for Rennes in 2003


'The style of football Rennes played last year, a lot was with the
goalkeeper, and trying to play high and press. It's similar to here where
he will have a high line and people pressing high, and you need a
goalkeeper who can play high and anticipate on balls behind and in the
area. He will be a great addition to our goalkeeping department.'

--


"We believe the same thing."

"Maybe there is hope."
- 9x20 The Truth

--