Looking back, Arsene Wenger laments the days leading up to February 9, 2004 stronger than most. Arsenal had pushed hard to coax a 21-year-old goalkeeper owning a burgeoning reputation to London and believed they may well have a deal sewn.

Wenger retained the trust of the player’s representative, Frederic Dobraje, and had already signed two of his clients – Robert Pires and Pascal Cygan. It appeared Rennes’ Petr Cech would be on his way.

The club, however, had not banked on Chelsea stealing a march, sorting a £9million transfer for the upcoming summer and depriving Arsenal of a ready-made replacement for David Seaman.

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech could have joined the club in 2004 but signed for Chelsea instead

Cech left Rennes in 2004 but joined Chelsea as Arsenal missed out on the highly-rated goalkeeper

Wenger is of the mind that those hours dallying – as Roman Abramovich performed speedy business – triggered the infamously lean trophyless spell with which the club has not yet fully recovered. Arsenal last won the Premier League three months after Cech’s arrival at Stamford Bridge was announced; they ended waiting 11 years for his signature.

‘Sometimes he comes to my mind and it makes me just think I missed him when he was at Rennes, and how that could’ve changed for us had we signed him,’ Wenger said. ‘We could’ve been quicker than Chelsea on the day. We weren’t sharp enough.’

Wenger wistfulness is borne out of the potential of winning the division this season, a position that will become all the healthier should they beat Manchester City at the Emirates on Monday night. So many times they have found themselves in similar situations and so many times they have not hurdled the required obstacles.

That, the Frenchman believes, is down to the lack of a world-class No 1.

‘There is no history of teams winning big things without having a great goalkeeper,’ he added. ‘I’m 30 years in the job and what you learn over the years is that the goalkeeper is the most under-rated position in football, and maybe the most vital one to win things.

‘You’ll always have in life the strikers being better paid than the goalkeeper, but are they more important than the goalkeepers?

‘In the big games that the number of shots on target shrink. But the one save can be the difference in the end result.

‘When Spain won the World Cup [in 2010] I came out thinking every game [Iker] Casillas saved a one against one at 0-0, or a decisive ball, even in the final against [Arjen] Robben. Instead of being 1-0 down you’re 0-0. At the end of the day he makes the difference.’

Arsene Wenger laments the day he lost Cech to Chelsea as Arsenal missed out on the goalkeeper in 2004

Chelsea deprived Wenger’s Arsenal of a ready-made replacement for David Seaman in 2004

Try as they might, Arsenal never found anybody as stable as Seaman and anybody who could command his penalty area with that level of authority.

Cech already has 11 clean sheets in all competitions – another on Monday would surpass David James’ Premier League record of 169.

‘Petr Cech has done it all, you know. He gives you an aura, a charisma,’ Wenger said. ‘He’s always important in the big games for players. You look around you in the dressing room and you think “are we strong enough?” and these kind of faces help you believe it.

‘He has brought his experience, calm and leadership. He’s good, highly focused. What I say could be a bit detrimental to [David] Ospina, but I don’t want to be because he was exceptional last year.

‘I must say I met him before he signed, we had a long discussion about the game, the job and his position. I was deeply impressed by his knowledge, by his professionalism and his detail. Since I have not been surprised because I got the whole package in one go.’

Those qualities relayed have clearly rubbed off on Wenger’s squad. They appear more resolute and ready for a fight, even if the quality of this year’s top six has diminished.

Finally, thanks to Cech, Wenger is adamant the title wait could be over.

‘If we have no belief now we’ll never have it. We have an opportunity to show that we can do it. I think we can. Just go for it.’ 

Wenger is adamant their Premier League title wait could be over with Cech now on Arsenal’s side