Samuel Eto'o

[The_Flash 1,144]

He scored a great goal and he was very smart in that Hazard first. Both things essential in today's victory! Credit where it's due...

However, he isnt playing well at all. I dont think he is being able to cope with the pace of EPL!

Totally agree it has clearly been a shock to him

[The Skipper 20,609]

He scored a great goal and he was very smart in that Hazard first. Both things essential in today's victory! Credit where it's due...

However, he isnt playing well at all. I dont think he is being able to cope with the pace of EPL!

Give him time to acclimatise. 2 years out in the Russian league (even though it isn't that bad of a league) coming to a fast paced league like the PL; it's natural that he'll look off pace here and there.

He's getting better game by game though.

[DJames 729]

First goal for Chelsea! Congrats Eto'o. Looking forward to more :blue scalf:

[OneMoSalah 8,885]

His role in Hazard's goal was cheeky, referee got it wrong though, it should have been given as a foul. His goal was great though, typical Samuel Eto'o, great first touch and great finish.

[Strike 7,477]

He did well yesterday. Many times he ran down the channels and linked up with Hazard or Willian. Took his goal well too

[CHOULO19 24,332]

His role in Hazard's goal was cheeky, referee got it wrong though, it should have been given as a foul. His goal was great though, typical Samuel Eto'o, great first touch and great finish.

How is it a foul? He got the ball.

[Strike 7,477]

How is it a foul? He got the ball.

that's why it's a foul apparently

[Barbara 15,149]

I feel like if he starts scoring goals like the one he did today and carries on with the linkup he'll be the most useful striker we could use now. Chelsea doesn't (or won't) play a striker as a target-man - something most strikers like Falcão, Cavani, Suarez normally play (and something Lukaku also favors). We need the guys who take opportunities, like van Persie, Lewa and if Eto'o starts doing that for us (something Torres can still offer if he continues his recent improvement curve), it may work just fine.

I feel like this is what we require the most from our strikers, to linkup, and take those chances. Eto'o has two advantages over Torres imo: strength - I feel Eto'o is better for physical matches (although Ba is better than both on that - and only that), and dribbling/taking-on - although this one not because Eto'o is great on that (he is at most decent at this point in his career), but because Torres is terrible. So if he isn't bad physically, if he can pass by opponents decently, all we need him now is to remember his clinical finishing and net some of those few opportunities we create for our strikers.

If Torres carries on from his form in the past 2-3 games before today's, I think we'll end up the season with a decent amount of goals scored by our strikers.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

that's why it's a foul apparently

Huh?

[Strike 7,477]

Huh?

can't tackle a GK when he's bouncing the ball.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

can't tackle a GK when he's bouncing the ball.

Hmm, I think you're actually right. Check page 23 here: http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/law_12_fouls_misconduct_en_47379.pdf

The keeper is considered in possession of the ball while bouncing it, so no opponent is allowed to challenge him. But looking at the same page, we should have had about a dozen indirect free kicks inside the area yesterday because according to the rules, the keeper is not allowed to keep hold of the ball for more than 6 seconds.

[OneMoSalah 8,885]

How is it a foul? He got the ball.

Goalkeeper bounced the ball as opposed to dropping it, if he'd dropped it wouldn't have been a foul.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Goalkeeper bounced the ball as opposed to dropping it, if he'd dropped it wouldn't have been a foul.

Yeah, I checked the rules:

Hmm, I think you're actually right. Check page 23 here: http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/law_12_fouls_misconduct_en_47379.pdf

The keeper is considered in possession of the ball while bouncing it, so no opponent is allowed to challenge him. But looking at the same page, we should have had about a dozen indirect free kicks inside the area yesterday because according to the rules, the keeper is not allowed to keep hold of the ball for more than 6 seconds.

[zolayes 14,489]

very little mention that he seemed to handle the ball outside the box and should have been red carded

[JDY 1,290]

I don't like limited forwards either but I'd take a limited forward who scores goals over a forward that does other things right but doesn't score goals. Either way I've never though Eto'o is a limited forward/striker, he has many attributes in his game some might be dull due to his years but he is only a stop gap this season in any case and he is starting to score goals which is why he was bought.

Easy to say you'd take a limited striker that scores goals but a limited striker wouldn't survive in our system. How many teams actually play with a 'fox in the box' nowadays? Football has moved on from these type of players.

But I agree that if you scoring goals on top being a good all round player then that's fantastic. I just get the impression sometimes with fans that they are stuck in the past a bit and if a striker is not scoring then he must be awful. The guy sitting behind me yesterday was saying Eto'o had done 'fuck all' all game. This was before he scored but I really wonder what people are watching sometimes.