Which one will you choose between Cech or Courtois, Mou?

Commonly, A Football Club has only 1 High-profile Goalkeeper which then conveyed by two or three back-up Goalkeeper to undergo season. And obviously, The Back-up Goalkeeper should have less quality compared to The High-profile one. Meanwhile, in this very day, Chelsea FC owns 2 Great Goalkeeper in the same time. Chelsea has Petr Cech that undoubtedly stands among The Best in the world, and Thibaut Courtois, who recently considered as The Best Young Goalkeeper in the world. This news seems very delightful for the club for having these two great goalkeeper. 

Currently, Petr Cech, 31 years old, is still Number One in Chelsea which makes Courtois, 21 years old, has to go on loan to Atletico Madrid for almost 3 years. The situation was good for the 1^st-2^nd years of Courtois in Atletico. However, lately, the rumor said that Courtois wants to get a verdict about his future whether he is still with Chelsea or not. He is no longer willing to be a 2^nd choice in Stamford Bridge’s Goal for next year. The situation become more complicated after Petr’s performance as Chelsea’s Focal Goalie is still on his top stages like his old days. Moreover, last memorable moment about Petr is when he broke 209 times Chelsea’s All-Time Clean Sheet by Peter Bonetti. Based on this situation, it would be very tough choice for Jose Mourinho. It is because starting from next season, he has to decide between Cech and Courtois as his number 1^st goalie.

Let’s get closer about these two goalkeeper stories, so we would be able to understand how hard Mourinho’s choice is.

Thibaut Courtois will be 22 years old in this May 2014. It was the same age when Petr Cech landed on the Stamford Bridge and started to encounter Carlo Cudicini’s post at that time. With quality talent laid on him, Courtois is really right man to take Petr Cech legacy below Chelsea’s Goal in the future. During his time in Atletico, he brought down Sergio Asenjo to become Atletico’s back-up goalkeeper in his early time. Since then, he showed many brilliant saves that drew interest from European Football. He also helped Atletico to break domination of Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga. He was able to bring Atletico to win Europa League 2012, UEFA Super Cup 2012, and to steal Copa del Rey 2013 from Real Madrid. Currently, he surprised European Football because he can manage Atletico as a team in La Liga with fewest goal conceded in this season. In the level of National Team, he is able to make Simon Mignolet, another talented goalkeeper from belgium, to find his bench.
With, all of those evidences,
Courtois develop so fast in his young age, and I’m sure that this rapid growth of Courtois is also beyond Chelsea’s expectations who still has Cech as undisputed number 1.

In the other hand, Petr Cech will complete his incredible 10 years career by the end of this season. He has already become devoting servant for Chelsea. Even though he had ever suffered Basal Skull Fracture which almost cost his life in 2006, but he made his comeback within his top performances. He has undergoes countless bitter-sweet experiences with Chelsea. He is among the men behind Chelsea’s success in the last decade with numerous title that has been achieved. He is very recognized with his routine saves in every crucial moments. He was the man who blocked Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty in the UCL Final 2008. He is the man who always made frustration on Barcelona’s side whenever Chelsea meets them in UCL. And one of interesting part is, Lionel Messi never scores against him although Messi has already met Cech for 6 times. Cech was also the one who denied three penalty of Bayern Munich’s player in UCL Final 2012 that brought The Big Ears to Stamford Bridge.

As individual, Petr Cech also hold several achievement and amazing record as goalkeeper, such as:

1.  IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper: 2005

Alongside with Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas, Petr Cech always dominate that prestigious nomination since 2005. However, Buffon and Casillas are luckier, because they play for Italy and Spain which won World Cup 2006 and 2010, meanwhile Cech plays for Czech Republic. It is also an evidence that Those Big Three are World’s Best and Most Consistent Goalkeeper for Last Decades.

2.  UEFA Club Football Awards Best Goalkeeper: 2005, 2007, 2008

3.  Czech Footballer of The Year: 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

4.  Premier League’s Golden Gloves: 2004/2005, 2009/2010

5.  Premier League’s Most Clean Sheet in a Season: 21 Clean sheet (2004/2005)

6.  Premier League’s 100 Clean Sheet with Fewest Appearances.

7.  Former holder of Consecutive Streak with 1025 without conceding before it was surpassed by Edwin Van Der Sar with (1311 minutes without conceding).

8.  Chelsea’s All-Time Most Clean Sheet Record: 211 Clean Sheet (still counting)

9.  And Now Petr is still on his way to surpass All-Time Premier League Clean Sheet that still hold by David James.

One time he broke that record, it would be fair to say that he is The Best Goalkeeper in Premier League’s History.

Shown Table below is the List of Premier League Goalkeeper with 100 or more clean sheet.

Rank	Player	Appearances	Clean sheets	Average	Club(s)
1	David James	572	169	0.29	Liverpool (72), Aston Villa (21), West Ham United (18), Manchester City (20), Portsmouth (39)
2	Petr Čech	316	155	0.49	Chelsea (155)
3	Mark Schwarzer	504	149	0.41	Middlesbrough (93), Fulham (56), Chelsea
4	David Seaman	344	142	0.41	Arsenal (138)
5	Nigel Martyn	372	138	0.37	Crystal Palace (25), Leeds United (82), Everton (31)
6	Jose Reina	285	134	0.47	Liverpool (134)
=	Edwin Van der Sar	314	134	0.32	Fulham (42), Manchester United (92)
8	Brad Friedel	450	132	0.29	Liverpool (6), Blackburn Rovers (77), Aston Villa (35), Tottenham Hotspur (14)
9	Peter Schmeichel	310	129	0.41	Manchester United (113), Aston Villa (7), Manchester City (9)
10	Shay Given	440	115	0.26	Blackburn Rovers (1), Newcastle United (91), Manchester City (15), Aston Villa (8)
11	Tim Howard	326	111	0.34	Manchester United (16), Everton (96)
12	Thomas Sørensen	361	109	0.3	Sunderland (36), Aston Villa (46), Stoke City (27)
13	Jussi Jääskeläinen	435	108	0.32	Bolton Wanderers (89), West Ham United (19)

Cech will be 32, in May 2014. For Goalkeeper, such age like that is still young enough. A lot of football commentator used to say that the best stage for goalkeeper is in the age of between 30 and 35. It also means that Petr still has 5 or 6 years ahead in the Chelsea’s Future as long as he could maintain his top performance. Petr has been a model professional in Chelsea, a man who does his media duties with a dry wit, who is always polite and personable. But, if it was in that case, Courtois obviously wouldn’t accept that truth because Courtois couldn’t wait any longer to be 2^nd choice.

So, what do you think guys?

I think this is really big dilemma for Chelsea, especially Jose Mourinho. It would become more serious problems than Chelsea striker’s crisis this season. Obviously, he can’t let the Great-Potential Goalkeeper who might has 15 years future for the club to fly away from the club. But in the other hand, he couldn’t kick immediately, a Legendary Goalkeeper on his top form with all his experiences, accumulated wisdom of gold dressing room, who has brought success for the club in the last decades. 

Personally, I prefer Petr Cech to be a long last time Goalkeeper till he passed his peak. I believe that he still could carries his job for 5-7 years ahead. He deserves that appreciation after everything he has done for the club. He has to be remembered in the Chelsea's Hall of Fame. And hopefully, from that time, there would be another young Courtois who would take Cech’s Legacy.