Cech – I did my part for the team

Arsenal overcame Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League last night and on the back of their outstanding result, Man of the Match Petr Cech claims that discipline was key to his side’s success over Pep Guardiola’s men, who saw much more of the ball than the Gunners.

Cech spoke with the media about the game and when asked about his performance between the sticks for Arsenal, claimed that he was only helping out his teammates for the defensive effort they were putting in, but admitted that his one-on-one save against in-form Robert Lewandowski was certainly an important moment in the match.

Everybody was doing their bit and I was trying to do my bit. It is always when you play a team full of confidence and takes the ball, controls the ball and the pace of the game.

We knew they would have a lot of possession but we had to be patient and defend as a unit. I would say that I’m pleased with my performance – whenever they managed to get through our defensive block I was there to help my team-mates.

I’m very glad in the second half there was a turning point when I saved the one vs. one with Lewandowski then a few minutes later we scored the first goal which was probably the decisive moment of the game. I’m pleased with my performance but I’m pleased with the team’s performance as I thought we had been up for the game.

Now that the Gunners have picked up their first three points in Europe, Cech was asked about his thoughts on the team’s campaign and whether they are now back on track – the Czech Republic international believes that his team are now firmly back in the running for a place in the knockout stage of the competition.

Having seen the result from the other game, we obviously needed to win three points and we are back in the game. The position has not changed but now with these three points it was crucial to win and we can carry on at the moment in the league then in two weeks we will try to do the same.

During the match, German world cup winner Manuel Neuer made an outstanding save to prevent Theo Walcott opening the scoring and Cech remained astounded as to how the Munich ‘keeper kept the header out.

I think at the moment I saw the header and I thought we were winning then it bounced back and I was like, ‘How did he do that?’ The game could have probably been different if we had scored but in the end when you win a game you would not change a thing.

I don’t know Theo’s reaction but I thought we had scored. The moment we saw somebody was running and the header I thought it was in and made the ball bounce back. It was an unbelievable save and he kept them in the game. The game could have been different if we had scored in that moment and in the end we did really well and we are obviously very pleased with the three points as they were crucial for us.

Cech seemed pleased with the way that Arsenal adapted their game to deal with Bayern whereby they gave up their regular possession focused football with a more rigid and organised system.

I think we did well in a different type of game. Usually we have more possession than our opponents and we control the game and today was more them as they used the ball really well and opened up space so we had to be very disciplined and organised which is not easy at times but I think we have done remarkably well.

When asked about the key to the Gunners’ success against Munich, Cech claimed that discipline was the main factor that held the Germans at bay and so allowed Arsenal to catch them on the break.

I think the key was to keep the discipline in the performance because they played really well and came full of confidence and they controlled the game by having the ball and opening spaces. Also, we need to make sure that we are organised and disciplined and work as unit as one and I think we did really well.

Cech earned his Man of the Match award for a string of outstanding saves which kept the Munich attackers from scoring and the Czech argues that his save against Robert Lewandowski was the most important because it made the difference between the Gunners going 1-0 down as opposed to 1-0 up.

I think there were two key moments. Obviously if Thiago had scored early in the game then they would have had control of the game so it was a very important save at the start and then I’m obviously glad I made the save against Lewandowski as in that moment we could have been 1-0 down instead of in a few minutes we were 1-0 up and basically decided the game because this team as much as it went up and down and there was chances and shots and it was very entertaining, it looked like one goal might decide it.

We are glad that we were the team that scored the goal.

However, Cech conceded that although the win over Bayern Munich was huge in terms of reestablishing themselves in their Champions League group, they still have a long way to go to progress into the next stage of the competition after Olympiacos beat Dinamo Zagreb to stay three points clear of the Gunners.

Obviously we are back in the game but our position has not changed much as Olympiacos won their game and obviously that have the home advantage in the next leg so we still need more points.

We go to Munich knowing we can compete with them and we are positive we are in another game where we can get points and obviously it will depend on how the game will go but it has been a great night tonight and lets see what will happen in the future.

Arsenal’s win over Bayern Munich will certainly go down in history as one of Wenger’s most important and so the Gunners will be hoping to continue their red-hot form in the Barclays Premier League at the weekend where they face Roberto Martinez’s Everton who will still be reeling from their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.