Petr Cech will bounce back from nightmare debut, insists Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger 

  • Petr Cech had a difficult debut as Arsenal lost to West Ham in opener
  • Arsene Wenger blamed the defeat on poor defending rather than Cech
  • The Gunners face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday 

Arsene Wenger expects a positive reaction from Petr Cech at Crystal Palace on Sunday and blamed the goalkeeper's debut disaster on poor defending.

After demanding a strong start to the new campaign, Wenger was far from impressed to see his team slump to a 2-0 defeat at home against West Ham on Sunday.

The Arsenal boss blamed a mixture of nerves and complacency for the display but backed Cech, even though the £10million signing from Chelsea was at fault for both goals. 

Petr Cech is beaten to the ball by Cheikhou Kouyate as Arsenal fell behind to West Ham at the Emirates

Petr Cech is beaten to the ball by Cheikhou Kouyate as Arsenal fell behind to West Ham at the Emirates

Arsenal goalkeeper Cech was unable to stop Mauro Zarate's low effort and had a debut to forget on Sunday

Arsenal goalkeeper Cech was unable to stop Mauro Zarate's low effort and had a debut to forget on Sunday

Cech, signed from Chelsea in the summer, looks dejected as Arsenal began the season with a 2-0 defeat

Cech, signed from Chelsea in the summer, looks dejected as Arsenal began the season with a 2-0 defeat

Zarate celebrates with Aaron Cresswell (left) and Dimitri Payet (right) after doubling West Ham's advantage

Zarate celebrates with Aaron Cresswell (left) and Dimitri Payet (right) after doubling West Ham's advantage

Arsene Wenger expects a positive reaction from Cech when Arsenal face Crystal Palace on Sunday

Arsene Wenger expects a positive reaction from Cech when Arsenal face Crystal Palace on Sunday

'He is a great goalkeeper and needs to focus on the next one,' said Wenger. 'He analyses it very well, he is a bright player, a bright man and he knows that it is down to how well he responds to that.


'Maybe he wanted to save the team in a situation where the defending was not great.'

Dreadful marking by Nacho Monreal allowed Cheikhou Kouyate to head in the first and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was dispossessed for the second, scored by Mauro Zarate.

'Maybe it was a mixture of nerves and thinking we would win the game, too much confidence,' said Wenger, when asked if the pressure of being tipped to challenge for the title had affected his team.

'We were quite sound but paid for two mistakes. And, in the final third, our accuracy and creativity was not at the usual level. When you play at home and don't score is a surprise to us.

'We made it difficult for ourselves. At 1-0 we would have come back. The second goal gave West Ham belief to beat us.'

Shoddy marking by Nacho Monreal allowed  Kouyate to score and Wenger blamed the result on poor defending

Shoddy marking by Nacho Monreal allowed Kouyate to score and Wenger blamed the result on poor defending

Wenger claimed his team always responds well to setbacks but insisted a defeat is never a blessing

Wenger claimed his team always responds well to setbacks but insisted a defeat is never a blessing

Wenger rejected the theory that the shock defeat might jolt his players into life. And a trip to Selhurst Park, who won their opening game, is a tricky fixture for a team determined to make up lost ground, even if Palace have not beaten Arsenal for 20 years.

'We've always respond well but a defeat is never a blessing,' said Wenger. 'It always hurts. Every defeat makes you a bit smaller but it's our job to take it into perspective with 37 games to go.

'History is behind us from the second half of the campaign last year, when we showed we have quality to respond and be consistent.

'You know you will lose a game in the season. That was not planned but we have analysed what happened and we have not to go overboard. It is a defeat and it hurts but shouldn't take away belief in potential.'