Cech: Give Benitez a chance

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has urged Blues supporters to give new manager Rafael Benitez the chance to prove himself at Stamford Bridge.



The Spaniard was given a hostile reception in his first game in interim charge in Sunday's goalless draw with defending Premier League champions Manchester City as the home faithful protested against the appointment.



Benitez has succeeded Roberto Di Matteo, who was sacked despite winning the Champions League and FA Cup last season.



The former Liverpool boss' past rivalry with Chelsea has damaged his popularity in London but Cech wants a united front.



The goalkeeper told Sky Sports: "Unfortunately you can't change history. We had a lot of rivalry against Liverpool but he (Benitez) is here to try to change things, put us in a winning mode, and he needs to get a chance to prove he deserves the chance."



Cech also regrets the sacking of Di Matteo after the Italian paid the price for just two wins in eight games in all competitions.



He said: "It's always bad news as a player, because you are responsible if you don't do well. Unfortunately you can't change the whole team and the manager is the first to go.



"Today (Sunday) was about starting from zero again and getting a positive result.



"You need some time when you change the manager to get a positive result and mood and 0-0 against the champions is not a bad result."

Cech: Suarez is not a cheat

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has leapt to the defence of Luis Suarez, claiming the Liverpool striker has an unfair reputation as a diver.



Suarez has frequently been criticised by rival managers for going to ground too easily, but Cech believes the Uruguay international deserves credit for his performance during Sunday's 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.



Suarez threatened to snatch a late winner for Liverpool but the keeper praised Suarez for staying on his feet when he could have tried to win a penalty.



"We should give Suarez credit because when we had a one- versus-one, he didn't try to cheat and jump or dive, and that was a fair thing for him to do," Cech said in the Sun.



"We all know how dangerous he is in the box. He's a natural goalscorer, always in the right place to tap the ball in. It's a gift not everyone has. He is on fire this season in terms of scoring goals and, unfortunately, he had the chance to keep that run going on Sunday."



Suarez appeared to push Ramires before nodding in a second-half equaliser to earn a point for Liverpool but Cech says Chelsea can have no complaints as they should have killed off the game earlier.



"Suarez is a clever player and he did it in a moment when the referee and his assistant couldn't have seen it," Cech said. "I don't know how much of a push there was by Suarez but we should have been 3-0 up and we shouldn't be discussing the incident."



Having failed to keep a single clean sheet in his last eight Chelsea games, Cech is hoping to stop leaking goals to ensure his side remain in the title race after the Blues picked up just two points from their last three Premier League games.



"Every single point matters when you want to win the league and even goal difference can be decisive," Cech said. "It is looking like the title race is going to be between three teams this season and we have lost valuable points in our last three games against United, Swansea and now Liverpool.



"Sometimes I would like more clean sheets but the most important thing is to win so, even if it finishes 5-4, I can live with it. Winning 5-4 is better than drawing 0-0 but if you don't keep clean sheets you always have to score more than one."

Cech hopes for right balance

Petr Cech thinks it is important for Chelsea to strike the right blend between youth and experience if they are to enjoy a successful season.



The Blues have been criticised in recent seasons for having an ageing squad but there has been something of a regeneration this summer, with veteran striker Didier Drogba leaving for China and youngsters such as Eden Hazard and Marko Marin arriving.



Roberto Di Matteo will be hoping the team can build on last season's achievements and sustain a stronger challenge in the Premier League, and Cech believes the future is bright.



"It is important for a team to have new players, young players and experienced players," said Cech in The Independent.



"I hope we find the right balance to go through the season and have success."



Cech remains firmly established as the first-choice goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge despite the arrival last summer of Belgian Thibaut Courtois.



Courtois will have ambitions to eventually dislodge Cech when he returns from a second season on loan with Atletico Madrid next year, but his senior colleague is ready for the challenge.



"In big clubs they are always buying top players for every position, it is up to you to keep your place," said Cech.



"When the moment comes it will come, but I believe I have a lot to offer and I will try and keep my place for another four years."



Cech, who will have spent a dozen years at Stamford Bridge if he sees out his deal, added: "When I joined I tried to gain my place in the starting XI, to play as much as possible and win trophies, but I was not thinking I could be at Chelsea for 12 years.



"The club is a big part of my life and I am very happy there."



Cech has had seven managers in eight years at the club and, while he admits such instability is not ideal, he respects Roman Abramovich's ambition.



"Ideally a club keeps the manager for a long time but sometimes that is the way it is," said Cech. "If you have an owner who expects the team to win trophies every year, sometimes he will change the coach. Last year the change made a difference which ended up with two trophies."



One of those trophies was the UEFA Champions League, which prompted Abramovich to turn Di Matteo's temporary deal into a permanent arrangement.



"If you have the coach of the team who wins the Champions League and the FA Cup you expect that to happen," said Cech. "That is good as all the players know what to expect from the manager already. We don't start from zero."



Di Matteo was initially handed the reins in March following the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas, who has since sealed a swift return to English football with London rivals Tottenham.



Asked if it was a surprise to see Villas-Boas back, Cech added: "No, because Andre showed he is a great manager before he came to us, that is why the club brought him in.



"We were doing the right things on the training ground but we were not able to transfer this into games.



"It became an issue because we were not able to find the reasons for that, but I believe he will have a different story with Spurs."