Petr Cech: Arsene Wenger Was More Concerned with 'Arsenal Way' Than Winning

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has said former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger cared more for playing football the right way than winning at times, whereas Unai Emery's approach is better suited for winning titles.

The stopper made the comments after Arsenal's hard-fought 2-0 win over Everton in the Premier League, per the Guardian's David Hytner:

"What we lacked in the past—I would say the 'Arsenal way' was more important than getting the points sometimes, and this is not how you win the league. Sometimes you need to make sure you win an ugly game, when you are not playing completely well but you just dig deep, close the back door and win 1-0 no matter how.

"I think this is what we lacked over the last three years, since I arrived [in 2015]. Against Everton, we went through difficult moments in the game, but we managed to get the win and with the clean sheet so this is very positive.

[...] "[Emery] is very demanding and this is how you improve. I think the place has become much more demanding in every way so this is great to see because this is what initially drives everybody forward and gives you the kind of kick that: 'I'm not doing enough to start the game' or 'I'm not doing enough to keep my spot in the game,' because the manager asked for precision and hard work every day. This is how it should be. We have very healthy competition and we are actually taking the benefit of it."

Sportswriter James Olley shared more from Cech, including a comparison to Tiger Woods:

Some took the comments as a clear shot at Wenger, who spent more than 20 years at the club but failed to deliver a single Premier League title after the 2003-04 season.

Sportswriter Layth Yousif was one of them:

Per Hytner, Wenger's reputation for "purity of style" was offset by accusations he took things easy on his players, who would in turn struggle at times in matches. Training is said to be much harder under Emery, who isn't afraid to use a pragmatic approach on the pitch.

The Gunners needed all of their resolve to come away with the win over Everton, who tested them in the first half but ran into an excellent Cech. 

Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe weighed in on the action:

The 36-year-old veteran turned back the clock and answered questions about his form in a big way. After the match, Emery reaffirmed his belief in Cech and said back-up Bernd Leno will have to be patient to get his chance in the Premier League, per Goal's Jamie Smith.

Cech won four Premier League titles with Chelsea and joined Arsenal in 2015, playing out the final days of the Wenger era. The French tactician left the club at the end of last season after years of campaigns from sections of fans to replace him, per CNN's Tom McGowan. 

Emery replaced him after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. The Spaniard won last year's Ligue 1 title with the club and also guided Sevilla to three consecutive UEFA Europa League titles.