Nothing 145;dodgy146; about epithet chasing Cech

Or Liverpool8217;s left-back, Djimi Traore, who was denied at close range by the quick-reacting Czech. Or those tricky customers from Newcastle United, Laurent Robert and Craig Bellamy, whose best efforts were insufficient to defeat Cech. 8216;8216;Even if the other side gets past us defenders, big Petr has shown he can deal with everything,8217;8217; enthuses John Terry, Chelsea8217;s admiring centre-half.

The man himself remains keen to transfer credit to Terry and those other bulwarks at the Bridge, knowing that a backline drawn from William Gallas, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira and Wayne Bridge, as well as the mighty Terry, minimises opponents8217; shooting and heading opportunities.

8216;8216;This is the best defence I8217;ve ever played behind,8217;8217; argues Cech. 8216;8216;I don8217;t think there8217;s been a defence as solid and reliable as this one for many years. They have played fantastically since the beginning of the season and that8217;s why I have kept 15 clean sheets.8217;8217;

Shut-outs are a Cech speciality, regardless of the strength of the covering shield. He holds the Czech league record for not conceding in 904 minutes while protecting Sparta Prague8217;s net in 2001. He was only 19, the same age he earned the first of his 21 caps. Cech8217;s youth, and the accepted wisdom that keepers tend to mature in their late 20s, means that the pounds 7 million paid to Rennes is money incredibly well-spent.

8216;8216;Petr is magnificent,8217;8217; gushes Jose Mourinho, Chelsea8217;s coach. 8216;8216;Normally, tall people are heavy but Petr has agility. He has safe hands and reads the game well.8221;

And a terrific attitude. No rampant ego or eccentricities colour Cech8217;s play. In making a save, Cech does not finish the movement with a theatrical roll to seduce gasps of wonder. The moment the ball is controlled, he immediately looks to trigger counter-attacks.

8216;8216;Another great quality I like in Petr is that he doesn8217;t play for the photographers,8217;8217; adds Mourinho. 8216;8216;He just does what he has to do. He doesn8217;t do silly, magnificent saves. He is stable and plays for the team.8221;

He has to be on his toes. At training every morning, Cech is reminded of the dangers of a fumbled cross or shot. Joining him and Lenny Pidgeley for the goalkeeping sessions is Carlo Cudicini, who would stroll into the first teams of Arsenal and Manchester United. 8216;8216;Cech is fantastic and Cudicini is also responsible for that,8217;8217; explains Mourinho. 8216;8216;Every time Cudicini plays he plays so well that Petr feels if he slips he has a great goalkeeper behind him.8217;8217;

Watching him working out, what becomes swiftly apparent is the quality of Cech8217;s touch when the ball is hipped to his feet.

Since the end of the back-pass rule, keepers have had to rely more on decent footork and Cech exudes Edwin van der Sar8217;s sweeper-keeper ease at controlling a ball with his feet. And when Chelsea8217;s keepers practise spot-kicks, Cech is deadly at converting them. Poacher and goalkeeper, the title-chasing Cech is far from 8216;8216;dodgy8217;8217;.

The Daily Telegraph