Cech Blow Continues Blues Injury Curse
PETR CECH
By dixon9
April 7 2008
Petr Cech had surgery on a lacerated lip and chin after a clash in training today and will definitely miss tomorrow’s crucial Champions League 2nd leg clash with Fenerbahce at Stamford Bridge. It is not clear how long our Nº 1 will need to recover and we can only hope it is soon and will not miss too many Premier League matches during the title run-in. (2 weeks out is being quoted in the media).
It never rains but it pours for Chelsea and the latest chapter in what must be our worst run of injuries ever in a season has been written as Cech was due to play against Fenerbahce after just recovering from a bruised hip.
The injury was apparently the result of a studs up challenge from Ben Tal Haim during this morning’s training session.
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With so many key injuries for around 60% of the season and the Mourinho departure any thoughts of challenging for the title looked almost wildly optimistic – but we still managed to stay in it.
Then came the very recent ridiculous decision by Sky to suddenly make us play our away fixture to Everton on the Thursday after we play Wigan on a Setanta dictated Monday (whilst Man Utd and Arsenal put their feet up and rest for a whole week!) – A decision which blatantly favours our direct rivals in the title race.
Now this with Cech!
We do have a very competent deputy in Carlo Cuducini but I honestly thought the terrible injury curse which has plagued us this season was over.
Oh well!
'I can still train,' he announced. 'The problem is I cannot afford any contact so I can run, I can do some stuff in the gym, I am doing that now and I am waiting for the solution from the surgeon to get me back on the field.'
That solution is all about finding a way to minimise the risk of any further damage to the stitched-up area on his lower face.
'As soon as we can get the solution, hopefully there will be a chance for me to play. It looks much better, it feels much better and it is not that swollen. The recovery is going well at the moment.
'There are still plenty of games to play and I have been missing games for a long time and I can't wait to be back.'
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Incredibly, Chelsea manager Avram Grant did not even know the name of his youth team keeper, Rhys Taylor, following Tuesday's 2-0 victory over Fenerbahce in the quarter-final second leg.
Chelsea could promote the 18-year-old to their squad and deregister one of their injured keepers.
Q: What are your options for a goalkeeper on the bench when Cech and Cudicini are not available?
AG: Hilario and ... er ... the goalkeeper from the youth team.
Q: Who's that?
AG: He is a good goalkeeper.
Q: What's his name? Blank looks from AG.
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
CECH MEDICAL CHECK-UP
On Thursday, Petr Cech gave his assessment of the facial injury that currently rules him out of action. Now adding to the keeper's words is Chelsea club doctor Bryan English.
He was one of the first to treat the player and speaking exclusively to Chelsea TV, English revealed that the stitches in the wound are due to be removed in three-to-four days, adding:
'It is healing very well. I admire plastic surgeons' talents at putting wounds back together.
'You have to respect the wound and all the hassle Petr went through having a general anaesthetic and getting it back together again. So he's avoiding contact, avoiding a bouncing ball coming into his face over the next couple of days.'
Cech revealed earlier this week that he is back in controlled training and English confirmed the player had recovered from an ankle injury that had kept him out of the nine games prior to this latest injury setback.
'He was in his second training session since he had come back, he was looking good, he was looking sharp. Whether Avram would have selected him to play against Fenerbahçe I am not sure, but he was available for selection.
'He was very unlucky to get this injury. I am just glad he has had some good luck this year with the birth of his first child which is fit and well.'
English also explained the severity of the cut and why it needed specialist surgery.
'When you have a deep cut, you have several layers that you need to sew back together again. You have what are called facial layers and there was a torn muscle as well.
'That's why a lot of stitches are deep as well as those sticking the skin back together again. It was the depth that was a little more of a concern rather than the length of the cut.
'Ricardo Carvalho had a cut probably of greater length along the top of his head three-to-four weeks ago and he was training again the following day.
'The cut Petr had his from his lip down to his jaw is a little more of a vulnerable area and you have to look at it from an aesthetic point of view as well as a football point of view.
'If that wound doesn't heal well, or it broke down again, then it could become a more ugly-looking scar.
'It is a flesh wound and he is going to have a full recovery.'
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
And there was this classic moment:
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Carl Edwards wasn´t it?
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Always remember him prancing around with a red sarf around his head!
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.


