Tony Cascarino believes that Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech is suffering a swift decline in form and has suggested that Arsene Wenger may need to buy a new replacement in the near future.
The four-time Premier League winner is currently regarded as the number one option at the Emirates Stadium and is ahead of David Ospina in the pecking order.
He captained the Gunners on Friday night in their Premier League opener and will be disappointed with his own individual performance in the 4-3 win.
The shot stopper was beaten twice by Jamie Vardy and once by Shinji Okazaki in a thrilling game which may have left Arsenal fans worried about their defensive frailties.
Cascarino has suggested that the 35-year-old is nowhere near the player he once was and feels he has looked “shaky” recently.
He has also claimed that manager Wenger could have to find a new replacement in January if his form doesn’t improve.
“I’m not sure that Petr Cech will be No 1 at Arsenal come the end of season,” Cascarino wrote on the Times. “The 35-year-old is nowhere near the level he was and rather than using his experience to compensate for fading ability he looks increasingly shaky in goal.
“He’s playing on reputation but I’m not sure David Ospina is good enough to replace him. If this becomes a problem Arsene Wenger may have to look at buying a goalkeeper in January.
Cech has been a mainstay in the Arsenal team since his move to the north London club in 2015, but is mainly recognised for his trophy-laden years at rivals Chelsea.
OPINION
Premier League great Cech is certainly reaching the latter stages of his career and at 35 can’t be expected to pull of the same saves he once could. However, he is undoubtedly still a major leader in the dressing room and can contribute in the new season in a title bid. If Wenger believes the goalkeeper is not strong enough anymore then he does have the capable Ospina in reserve. Arsenal would be silly waiting until January to try find a new goalkeeper and if they feel they need a new number one then there is still over two weeks to try find a replacement for Cech.