Disconnect emotionally from Chelsea, Lehmann tells Cech

Arsenal’s goalkeeping great, Jens Lehmann, thinks Petr Cech can help lift the Gunners to the next level – but only if he sets aside any lingering love for Chelsea.

The Czech goalkeeper brought a long transfer saga to an end by signing for the Gunners last week in a deal worth £11million. He spent 11 seasons at Stamford Bridge, winning four Premier League titles and building a warm relationship with club staff and fans.

And Lehmann feels Cech can make a big difference at the Emirates, but thinks he has to put his Chelsea connections out of his mind as soon as possible in order to acclimatise to his new surroundings. “Before you can have it in your heart to win titles again, you have to get rid of the love you had before,” Lehmann told the Sun on Sunday.

“As a professional, he must get over [his relationship with Chelsea] and needs to know Arsenal want him to win things again for them.

“That is not an easy thing to get over psychologically… it can take a few weeks, even a few months.”

Lehmann also had words of encouragement for Wojciech Szczesny, who is expected to play second fiddle to Cech in north London next term.

“It’s disappointing when you lose your place,” added the German. “Wojciech has to work really hard and know that nothing else counts apart from performing hard on the training pitch and in games.”