Adrian Durham SLAMS Arsenal boss Unai Emery for starting Petr Cech against former side Chelsea in Europa League final in extraordinary rant

Adrian Durham has blasted Unai Emery’s decision to start Chelsea legend Petr Cech in Wednesday night’s Europa League final – insisting it should ‘not happen’.

Cech will make his final appearance for the Gunners against his former side in the first of two all-England European finals this week.

Petr Cech’s final professional game sees him start in the Europa League final against former side – and Adrian Durham has slammed that decision

Ahead of the clash in Baku, Cech questioned the mentality at the Emirates – insisting there’s ‘no pressure to do anything’.

He said: “At Chelsea, even when we drew at home against a big team, it felt like a funeral in the dressing-room. It was so bad. It felt impossible that we didn’t win.

“But then I came to Arsenal and as much as Arsene Wenger hated losing, he always stayed a gentleman whatever the result. If we won or lost, he just kind of carried on.

“And that was something I’d never experienced before.

“So as strange as it might sound, I think at Arsenal there is not enough pressure.”

And those comments, along with the decision to hand a starting berth to the veteran keeper, have seemingly riled Durham who went on an extraordinary rant on Drivetime.

He said: “What he’s basically said [about the club’s mentality] is that it’s easy being at Arsenal as there’s no pressure to do anything.

“I’m looking at Petr Cech here and thinking hang on weren’t you the type of player they were bringing into the club to up the levels across the board?

“Having someone with that experience of winning everything domestically at Chelsea should have galvanised him to make a difference at Arsenal.

Cech has won every major European club honour and remains a club icon at Stamford Bridge

“It wasn’t to sit in the shadows and take your money so your kids can go to school in London – we all know that’s why he went to Arsenal! It’s incredibly convenient for him at the end of the day.”

He continued: “He ain’t ripped up trees, he’s not rocked the boat, he’s not bust heads together in the dressing room in a bid to make Arsenal better.

“So what on earth is Unai Emery thinking about playing Cech tonight?! It should not happen.”

Durham went on to sensationally label Cech a ‘failure’ for his contribution at Arsenal and insists his loyal lies completely with the Blues – thus he should have no involvement in the huge showdown.

“He’s been a failure there,” he added. “He’s about to go back to Chelsea in the summer [heavily linked with director of football role] – that’s where his heart has always been.

“He may have moved, he may have signed a contract, he may have worn that shirt and rubbed the badge, but he is still Chelsea through and through. Everyone can see that!

“I’m not saying he’s going to let anything in the goal, but it’s madness to play him. He’s ok with his clean sheets, he can say yeah well I did alright.

“But did he really do enough? Was he a real leader in the dressing room? They can make the difference at the end of the day.

“Arsenal needed leaders – everyone could see that. And he hasn’t been one of those for them.”

Durham’s comments come after talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino claimed last week that Emery would be committing a ‘sackable offence’ if he chose to play Cech in the Europa League final.

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag would be the perfect man to be Chelsea's next manager, talkSPORT has been told. The Blues look set to be searching for a new boss for the second consecutive summer, with Maurizio Sarri heavily linked with the vacant Juventus job after winning the Europa League in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea will find 'no better man' than Ajax bos | SportSpyder

Liverpool star Sadio Mane has made the front page of Spanish newspaper Marca amid transfer interest from Real Madrid. The headline, with Zinedine Zidane and Mane pictured together following last season's Champions League final, reads: "Zidane asks for Mane".
Liverpool news : Sadio Mane transfer talk makes front page

Transfer news LIVE: Alexis Sanchez on verge of Man Utd Unloved Pogba will leave Man United, Zinedine Zidane reveals he had no intention of giving Gareth Bale farewell outing at the
Transfers - talkSPORT

Manchester United transfer news: Red Devils 'interested' in promising Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff after breakthrough season Sean Longstaff is a summer transfer target for
Manchester United transfer news: Red Devils 'interested' in

Leeds fan suffers leg break celebrating goal - but STAYS until end of game A BRAVE Leeds United fan broke his leg celebrating a goal in their 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday - and somehow stayed until the final whistle.
Leeds fan breaks ankle celebrating, refuses to leave until

MUNICH, Germany: Bayern Munich won a record-extending seventh consecutive Bundesliga title on Saturday after crushing Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 to finish two points ahead of rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Ribery and Robben score farewell goals as Bayern Munich

Liverpool send scouts to watch Memphis Depay as Jurgen Klopp lines up stunning transfer for former Man Utd flop swoop for the former Manchester United flop, who has nine goals and 13 assists

A 'devastated' Manchester City fan believes Pep Guardiola should be SACKED after his latest Champions League failure. City have once again failed to make it past the quarter-final stage, as they were dumped out by Premier League rivals..
Pep Guardiola assures Man City fans he has no intentions of

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona: Jose Mourinho credits Jurgen Klopp for stunning Champions League comeback at Anfield - 'This is about him' Wednesday, 8 May 2019 ( 3 weeks ago ) Jose Mourinho has paid tribute to Jurgen Klopp for masterminding Liverpool's stunning Champions League comeback against Barcelona, saying: 'This is about him'.
Mourinho Showers Praise on Klopp after Liverpool's Stunning

Champions League final: Tottenham 0-2 Liverpool AS IT HAPPENED: Reds 2019 champions LIVERPOOL were crowned 2019 Champions League winners thanks to an early goal from Mohamed Salah and a late
~ Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham: Reds boost title hopes with last

Harry Kane vs Virgil van Dijk. This is the big duel in the final as Harry Kane and Virgil van Dijk are of equally huge importance for their respective clubs. It looks as though Kane will be fit to start the final despite his ankle injury so he'll probably do battle with PFA Player of the Year Van Dijk.
Champions League final man of the match: Virgil van Dijk

David Moyes has revealed Manchester United had a helicopter ready to bring Gareth Bale to Old Trafford as they attempted to secure him ahead of Real Madrid in 2013. The Scot was appointed as United manager following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, but lasted just 10 months in the job before being sacked with the club eventually slumping to
David Moyes reveals Man Utd came so close to signing Gareth

Tony Cascarino has told talkSPORT he would pick Tottenham star Harry Kane over Liverpool's Mohamed Salah if he had to choose between the star strikers.. Spurs take on the Reds in an all-English Champions League final in Madrid on Saturday - with LIVE commentary on talkSPORT from the Spanish capital.

Jul 03, 2018 · The exits since then have seemed to alternate between galling failure (a loss to tiny Iceland at the 2016 European Championship) and utter humiliation (a group-stage exit from the 2014 World Cup

Pages

Live Football Forever

Labels