Mata Torres Sturridge - a dream team?

[Blue Armour 4,436]

And Anelka fits AVB's style right?

As long as he can score or provide for the team,I don't see why he shouldn't.

[Sheva. 5,373]

As long as he can score or provide for the team,I don't see why he shouldn't.

You do know this is the same Anelka that just scored his first goal in months against wba?

And scored 6 league goals last season?

Anyway if Torres is going to be dropped, i hope it's Lukaku that takes his place!

[lionsden 4,689]

And Anelka fits AVB's style right?

Yes. He's quick, skillful, has the intelligence and flexibility to play anywhere in the front 3 and can fucking control a ball, beat his marker easily and retain possession unlike Torres and and Drogba.

[zolayes 14,489]

You do know this is the same Anelka that just scored his first goal in months against wba?

And scored 6 league goals last season?

Anyway if Torres is going to be dropped, i hope it's Lukaku that takes his place!

Im not sure how often Anelka led the line last year ,,, Don't think it was often . Do know he led it the year before when Drog was at ACON ..

and Anelka actually led the attack brilliantly,,

[Sheva. 5,373]

Im not sure how often Anelka led the line last year ,,, Don't think it was often . Do know he led it the year before when Drog was at ACON ..

and Anelka actually led the attack brilliantly,,

Yeah he did, he was also good there in the CL last season when Drogba was absent.

Yes. He's quick, skillful, has the intelligence and flexibility to play anywhere in the front 3 and can fucking control a ball, beat his marker easily and retain possession unlike Torres and and Drogba.

This doesn't really matter though does it? we were successful with the 4-3-3 without Drogba being flexible to play anywhere... and so were Porto with Falcao.

[lionsden 4,689]

Yeah he did, he was also good there in the CL last season when Drogba was absent.

This doesn't really matter though does it? we were successful with the 4-3-3 without Drogba being flexible to play anywhere... and so were Porto with Falcao.

Don't change the subject matter. I have merely responded to your doubt as to whether Anelka fits into AVB style of play. The manager himself has publicly emphasized the importance of flexibility in the team and Anelka matches the manager's attacking football philosophy far far better than Torres and Drogba at this point in time.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Don't change the subject matter. I have merely responded to your doubt as to whether Anelka fits into AVB style of play. The manager himself has publicly emphasized the importance of flexibility in the team and Anelka matches the manager's attacking football philosophy far far better than Torres and Drogba at this point in time.

all i was saying is that particular aspect is not such a big deal, the rest i agree with.

[eldo 868]

Lmao some guys enjoy slating Torres.

[SeB 1,281]

At Bolton he excelled because he was used as a striker with Elmander. But here, we play 4-3-3 which means he'll be a makeshift winger. It won't work, I can only hope AVB will give him license to get central and develop an understanding with Torres in this aspect.

It was with Kevin Davies, Elmander was on a flank.

But I do agree, he can organize the play behind the striker and he likes to have free license. Anyway I think he can do like Anelka and have a large license to cover the entire width of the pitch behind Torres. In 2010 by example, Drogba was excellent upfront but he was even better with such a great provider than Anelka is so I think the plan to play Sturridge behind a forward such as Torres is not a bad idea.

The only problem is to wonder if Sturridge and Mata can play together, against Norwich, Mata used to play on the entire width and at Bolton, Sturridge did also so...

As for Torres, well... He isn't any good. And even if he grabs his confidence back, I do not think he will be as near good as the old Torres. I'll agree to give him two more chances to start a game, but after that if he doesn't grab those chance, we just have to stop wasting time with him.

It's not a matter of level or confidence, if we play the same lineup than against WBA, no support for Torres, you can give a lot of games to Torres and you can also wait long to have a decent performance for him.

The only matter about him is to provide him direct support like he did always had at Liverpool when he was on fire. Mata or Sturridge can be this support.

Torres seems to be fit now, the only problem is that if he wants the ball he has to leave his position and to come on the wings or lower on the pitch to play relays with Lampard and Bosingwa... After that he replaces himself straight into the box but what do you want to do with no player able to give a decent cross, who is tempted to give the ball to Mikel to switch the play ? In front of a wall and standing at the top of a static team, he could have be bought for £150m and having won 3 times the lottery in a row, he can't do miracles...

And even if he has a decent crosser, he is not likely to repeat the header he managed to do against Norwich because he has never been a player who has the impact to play a duel in the air and win it between 2 Premier League level CBs (meaning that all Prem CBs are necessarly good in the air). Drogba or Lukaku seems more likely to be able to do so

He needs direct support very near around the box, nothing less or more... You speak about the old Torres, but he wasn't made of nothing, he had some support. The fact he hasn't any now implies the consequence that he irretrievably looks far from his best level

[Tomo 21,751]

Im not sure how often Anelka led the line last year ,,, Don't think it was often . Do know he led it the year before when Drog was at ACON ..

and Anelka actually led the attack brilliantly,,

The last time he led the attack was at White Hart Lane last season in the first half and to be Frank it was one of the worst performances ive ever seen by a Chelsea player.

Having said that i think he should lead the line saturday.

[Blue Armour 4,436]

You do know this is the same Anelka that just scored his first goal in months against wba?

And scored 6 league goals last season?

I'm talking about strikers that are currently in form..

I'm not saying he's going to win the golden boot, but he has already scored once, and has already contributed more than once towards our miserable goal tally so far...It need not be Anelka, it could be any striker up front as long as the performances are good.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

People who are quoting Anelka's goal stats have severely missed the point here about us talking about his inclusion..

[Sheva. 5,373]

I'm talking about strikers that are currently in form..

I'm not saying he's going to win the golden boot, but he has already scored once, and has already contributed more than once towards our miserable goal tally so far...It need not be Anelka, it could be any striker up front as long as the performances are good.

Fair enough. He's probably the only forward that has not had a "bad" game this season.

- minimum 2 games played.

[eldo 868]

People who are quoting Anelka's goal stats have severely missed the point here about us talking about his inclusion..

Slating Torres is the latest hit on this forum...I remember those comments about Anelka last season.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Slating Torres is the latest hit on this forum...I remember those comments about Anelka last season.

There's a difference between slating and criticizing.

Everyone wants Torres to succeed and start scoring goals and everyone supports him too, but if he's not on form then alternatives have to be considered.