Premier League Week 9: Top 5 performers

The Premier League’s big boys struggled in Week 9, but who were the league’s top performers?

Nine teams failed to score in a round of fixtures that included three goalless draws. Defense, barring a four-goal outburst by Chelsea, was clearly on top in Week 9 of the Premier League.

But which five players stepped up and set themselves apart from the rest? Each position, other than an out-and-out striker, is represented in this week’s top five. Let’s get to it.

5. Petr Cech shuts the door

Middlesbrough possessed the ball for a measly 25 percent of the match, and only mustered four shots on goal away to Arsenal on Saturday — not exactly the kind of stats you’d expect would translate into a sterling performance from the Arsenal keeper.

Every one of his four saves, however, was out of the top drawer and, maybe more importantly, came at pivotal moments in the match. His biggest two saves came off the back of a Laurent Koscielny defensive lapse.

The center-back dawdled on the ball and had his pocket picked by a bullish Adama Traore, who sprinted in on goal uncontested. Cech bided his time and picked the opportune moment to challenge the Spanish midfielder. Splaying his arms and legs to cover as much ground as possible, Cech made his first of two kick saves in short succession. Alvaro Negredo followed up with the rebound, which Cech also saved with an outstretched leg. Negredo should have buried the rebound but let’s not take anything away from Cech’s big feat.

The 34-year-old, 6-foot-5 goalkeeper sprang to his feet with youthful exuberance, almost defying logic and reason. He made another point-blank save off a Gaston Ramirez header minutes later to keep the score level.

Cech, while his afternoon slowed down considerably in the second half, capped off a flawless performance by getting a hand to another Traore sizzler, further showing why Arsenal lured him away from Stamford Bridge.