🚨 Petr Cech on Joao Pedro’s brace against Bournemouth and Chelsea’s striker expectations:
“People are saying Joao Pedro has finally broken the Chelsea number 9 curse.
I don’t believe in curses. I believe in what a goalkeeper sees when a striker is running towards him.
And Joao Pedro is giving goalkeepers plenty to think about.
I spent years at Chelsea training against Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka. Later, Diego Costa arrived. Different players, different personalities, but they had one thing in common.
If you gave them a chance, you couldn’t expect a second invitation.
I remember Didier scoring past me in training and celebrating like we’d just won a final.
I said, ‘Didier, it’s Tuesday morning.’
He said, ‘Petr, the goal doesn’t know what day it is.’
Then he asked for another ball.
That was Didier. And when you have somebody like that at your club, every striker who comes afterwards is measured against him.
One missed chance at Stamford Bridge and somebody is already saying, ‘Drogba would have scored that.’
Imagine carrying that around every weekend.
This is why I’ve enjoyed watching Joao.
He isn’t trying to play like Didier. He isn’t trying to become Diego Costa.
He’s finding his own way of making defenders uncomfortable.
Look at Bournemouth today.
Henderson scores early. Rogers makes it two. Chelsea are in control.
Then Joao comes out for the second half and scores almost immediately.
I imagined the Bournemouth goalkeeper thinking, ‘We’ve only just come back out.’
And Joao wasn’t finished.
Bournemouth pull one back. Chelsea need to make sure the game doesn’t become complicated.
João scores again.
As a goalkeeper, that’s the kind of striker you hate facing. He doesn’t disappear because his team are ahead. He still wants to be involved in the next attack.
People see the finish. I look at what happened before it.
Where was he standing when the move began? When did he make his run? Did he give the defender a chance to look over his shoulder?
A striker who understands those things can make a goalkeeper feel like the goal is twice its normal size.
Five goals and three assists in six Premier League matches. It’s an excellent start under Xabi Alonso.
But what I like most is what it does for Chelsea.
I’ve played at Stamford Bridge when the supporters could sense a goal coming before the ball even reached the penalty area.
You could feel it.
That’s what a dangerous striker gives you. Belief.
And remember, Joao wasn’t selected for Brazil’s World Cup squad. I don’t know what was said behind closed doors, but I know how much that kind of disappointment can hurt a player.
He could have spent the season explaining why he deserved to go.
Instead, every weekend he’s giving people another reason to ask why he didn’t.
Someone asked me, ‘Petr, is Joao Pedro the next Drogba?’
I said, ‘Why does he have to be?’
‘Because Chelsea need a striker like Didier.’
‘Chelsea need a striker who scores goals. Joao seems to understand the assignment.’
Let him have his own career. His own goals. His own moments at Stamford Bridge.
Because right now, the people thinking most about Joao Pedro aren’t the Chelsea supporters wondering whether he’s good enough.
They’re the goalkeepers checking when Chelsea are next on the fixture list.”
If you want to marry a submissive woman who will respect you,
Marry a woman from communities we consider "hardship communities"
• Maasai
• Turkana
• Borana
• Somali
• Giriama
• Taita
• Pokot
• Tugen
• Teso
Especially if they grew up in their families.
They have lived in situations that call for patience and humility.
No matter how tough your marriage becomes, they will endure everything.
They will remain respectful and submissive.
They are good women.
I didn't say you marry them from the city. The Gilbey Dragons will stress you for nothing.
Get them from their villages.
Remember, you are marrying a mother of your children, a woman whom you will live with for the rest of your life.
Don't gamble.
Harambee Stars arrive for training at Nyayo Stadium after a week-long go-slow due to non-payment of allowances. Kenya will only have one training session the day before taking on Eritrea in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers on Saturday.
🚨 For Chelsea to equal Arsenal’s achievements, They needs:
• 13 Community Shield titles
• 8 Premier League titles and
• 6 FA Cup titles
🚨 But For Arsenal to equal Chelsea’s achievements, They needs:
• 3 League Cup titles
• 2 Champions League titles
• 1 FIFA Intercontinental title
• 2 UEFA Europa League
• 2 UEFA Super Cup
• 1 FIFA Club World Cup title
• 2 UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup
• 1 Best Club in Europe
• Special award for winning all UEFA trophies
• English Club with the most European trophies
• 1 UEFA Conference League title.
Any disrespect to Chelsea from all Arsenal and their fans will not be tolerated anymore... 🤔
🗣 Morgan Rogers: "Joao Pedro is on the top of his game right now. The way he's playing, the way he's been last season and into pre-season. So I think it's really exciting."
~ @SkySportsPL