Gerrard Asks Wenger To Drop Star Player To Win Champions League
Dec 7, 2016 at 6:10 PM
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has suggested Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to drop David Ospina in favor of star goalkeeper Petr Cech in the knock-out stages of the Champions League.
The Gunners have finished at the top of their group and have remained unbeaten in the group stages for the first time since 2004/05 season where they eventually went to the finals of the tournament.
David Ospina has played all the group stage games in the Champions League this season and have impressed despite being No.1 at the club behind Petr Cech. Cech has been primarily used in the Premier League so far by Wenger and is tipped to make a comeback in the Champions League in the knockout stages.
However, the recall of Cech could leave future of Ospina at the club in jeopardy but Gerrard believes that Cech should be the automatic starter for the club if Arsenal aspires to go to the latter stages in the tournament that they are yet to win.
‘For me it’s a no-brainer, you’ve got to play Petr Cech,’ Gerrard told BT Sport.
“It’s OK in a group game or a game like tonight where there’s not really too much on the line, but when you go into the last-16 it’s got to be Petr Cech for me.’
Arsenal have finished at the top of their group after PSG dropping points against Ludogorets in the final round. The result meant that they could eliminate few heavyweights in European football like Barcelona but their fate will be decided in the Champions League draw on Monday next week.
Despite their impressive progress, they still has the chance of drawing against the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16. Arsenal have failed to reach quarterfinals in the last six campaigns as they were constantly drawn against the European giants like Bayern Munich and Barcelona over the past few years.