During the excellent match at the "Emirates" stadium, the beauty of which was not reflected in the goalless draw, "Arsenal" and "Liverpool" exchanged blows like two boxers, but neither managed to knock out their opponents. It is difficult to understand how neither team managed to score a goal in a match characterized by end-to-end defense, trembling goal frames, and different halves of the game dominated by "Liverpool" in the first half and "Arsenal" in the second. The return of Petr Cech The arrival of Petr Cech from "Chelsea", against the wishes of Jose Mourinho, seemed to solve the goalkeeping problem for the "Arsenal" team. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich showed his good side by allowing P. Cech to move to Arsenal in recognition of his loyalty. It seemed like the perfect purchase - and then came the match against "West Ham". P. Cech contributed to both goals conceded in a sensational 0-2 defeat. When Cheikou Kouyate scored, the goalkeeper made a wrong decision to come out of his goal, and then failed to react properly to Mauro Zarate's shot. Cech's redemption after one game was unpleasant and hasty - yesterday this great goalkeeper took matters into his own hands in a match that featured 34 shots on goal and 0 goals. From the first seconds, the veteran demonstrated his mastery, impressively deflecting shots from Christian Benteke and Philippe Coutinho. Benteke's shot in the 39th minute was blocked by P. Cech. The goalkeeper's game was secure and added confidence to the defense, losing its two main pillars in Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. It was precisely for this reason that Arsene Wenger acquired P. Cech - to provide assurance, experience, and mastery to the defense in moments when the team needs to be saved from dangerous opponent attacks. P. Cech made a total of 8 saves - this was only the fourth time in his Premier League career that he managed to make 8 or more saves. It was said that P. Cech alone could earn 10 points for "Arsenal" in a season. We can say that he earned the first two yesterday. Wenger must strengthen Arsenal This is an old and recurring story, where Arsenal fans urge the coach to strengthen the team with new players. After a great end to the previous season, when Arsenal once again secured a place in the Champions League and defended the FA Cup, optimism in the team reached unprecedented heights. And why not, knowing that A. Wenger, by acquiring P. Cech, made one of the best deals of this summer? Unfortunately, the need for new players still remains. The foundations of the team are already laid, so this summer was the perfect time to acquire several top-class players and complete the championship puzzle. The start of the season, which even Wenger himself calls "pretty average," shows that the team needs to strengthen in key areas - but will the coach fulfill the wishes of the fans? Olivier Giroud is a good forward, but the prevailing opinion that the Frenchman is not good enough to fight for the title remains. Especially when playing against Arsenal's closest rivals, whom they need to surpass to win the Premier League. Arsenal really needs a high-level striker who will not only help O. Giroud, but also Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Danny Welbeck is returning from injury, but he has never been known as a great goal scorer. Real Madrid star Karim Benzema dispelled rumors by saying that he is staying at his current club, so A. Wenger's choices are very limited, but regardless, the coach will be criticized if he fails to sign a new forward by the end of the summer. Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani, playing in a central defensive midfielder role, is another option, and the team also needs a powerful central midfielder who can relieve some of the burden from Francis Coquelin, who currently carries it on his shoulders. So, will A. Wenger buy? After the match against Liverpool, the coach did not show much enthusiasm to spend money, but disappointed fans hope to repeat the 2013 scenario when their club acquired Mesut Ozil for £42.5 million on the last day of transfers. If A. Wenger does not spend money and Arsenal's performance does not improve, the voices of critics will become even louder.
Phil McNulty, "BBC Sport"
