Samuel Eto'o

[remains of the day 564]

I think Eto's ability to hold the ball up should at least count for something especially since the other two strikers haven't exactly done that too well. Despite that missed sitter, which I admit was bad, his overall game was a lot better than some of the recent performances of Torres and Ba. The strikers we have now don't score enough goals, everyone and his mother knows that. But if they can't win us games by their goal output, then at the barest minimum I expect them to at least be able to keep possession well, hold up the ball, bring the three attacking midfielders into play, be dynamic in their movement, work the channels and contribute to moving the attack along. I don't think Torres & Ba have even been doing that well enough or consistently enough, which is just as problematic as the lack of goals because our system relies heavily on the strikers being able to link up well with the three behind him.

On whoscored Torres has 19 turnovers to Eto's 8! Yes, Torres has started more matches and has made 3 more apps than Eto'o but at the very least when the ball is played into Eto's feet, even if he's surrounded with 3 or so players from the opponent side you know that Eto'o will manage to emerge out of the tight space with the ball still planted firmly on his feet. Torres and Ba? Forget it. They'll either turnover possession, fall over or both.

So my point is, Eto'o has missed his share of sitters and he himself has had some terrible performances (i.e stoke) but at the very least he makes our attack fluid. Unless we're playing a long ball approach were the centre forward needs to have some aerial dominance and if that's the case then I would play Torres, otherwise I think Eto'o should be played ahead of him.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Looks good

But how do you know it was in regard of Eto'o?

Also, its not nice to tell someone to "STFU" since a forum is all about sharing opinions and "talking".

Because I haven't really seen Liquidator whine about Hazard before, so enough is enough regarding Hazard wouldn't make sense, and don't be so uptight.

[Mustafa 885]

... He missed some chances yes, didn't have a great game, yes but he still gave 100%, didn't go missing, held the ball up well.

Very true.... That's the one thing I won't criticize him for. Unlike Torres, he actually kept plucking away. Getting into the right positions, making the right runs. Poor lad just cant finish for shit

[Henrique 9,133]

I missed the game today but was he really that bad?

It seems you are missing lots of games...thats explain why you appears in Luiz topic to make negative posts even when the man have a good match.

[Henrique 9,133]

Etoo is probably the worst Chelsea deal since Torres.

The man is really bad at the moment. Mourinho really got this wrong. What makes it even more laughable is the fact it was a free one, but still a horrendous one.

[DDA 9,690]

Admittedly the only thing he did ok was hold the ball up but it is pathetic people telling him to "piss off in January" etc. So you would have chased him out for being shit in a few games? Brilliant. Why not bother with Hazard, Ivanovic and Cole if we are going to judge on a few games. Were there new seats in MHL in the first few rows? Looked like it from Shed upper

You can not compare the performances of Hazard, Ivanovic and Cole to those of Eto'o. The seats didn't look new but to be honest I was right in the corner for this game and normally I am in the middle half way up!

[The only place to be 11,313]

On whoscored Torres has 19 turnovers to Eto's 8! Yes, Torres has started more matches and has made 3 more apps

Torres has also started in games like Spurs and Arsenal away where he was a lot more isolated than Eto'o might have been in games like yesterday's,

They're both varying degrees of shit, but Eto'o's signing was a disgrace when we subsequently loaned out Lukaku. The expectations for him were low, and he's still failing to meet them.

[haranr 485]

We're lucky he can't do too much damage from the bench. I would love to be proved wrong.

And you will be. Eto'o can break out of this shitty form.

[yuvala 2,167]

And you will be. Eto'o can break out of this shitty form.

I'm afraid not ..

All of our strikers are shit and will continue to be shit. forever.

[Stingray 9,441]

The conversation isnt about Luiz nor is it about Mikel. No need to point fingers to justify.

Now you are getting quite heated up aswell with the swearing.

Lol, how random after your random facebook reference. Here, have a waffle from me as well. The belgian ones are truly the best.

[The_Flash 1,144]

Love the support he's getting here. Some of the 'fans' on here make me sick, I try my best not to associate myself with some of you. He missed some chances yes, didn't have a great game, yes but he still gave 100%, didn't go missing, held the ball up well.

Amazes me the criticism he gets for bad performances when he still gives everything yet some people are so stuck up Eden Hazard's arse when he doesn't always seem to give everything and goes missing in about half our games.

To complain about about a very very bad performer is part of being a fan, we are entitled to our opinion. i am sure EVERYONE here WANTS him to do well but he is TERRIBLE and we need someone better. I want the club to succeed not because i am a glory hunter, i have been here many years with nothing but because I love Chelsea and love to see the players and fans happy at winning a wee trophy.

He does not give everything, he should never have agreed to come here, he is not up to it.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

I'm afraid not ..

All of our strikers are shit and will continue to be shit. forever.

Unless a new medicine is being invented which allows human to get younger by 5-10 years

[TrippingStep 336]

In open play before the box, he was good.

In the box, not very clinical and made some strande decisions, not giving simple lay-off and instead trying to have a shooting position in a crowded space. He doesn't have the pace on the first yards to make a little space for a shoot like he tried 3-4 times yesterday.

[Hamon 103]

He played quite well, quality movement and good key passes (his performance rated 7.3/10 by WhoScored), but his finishing has been really bad: it seems to me like lack of self-confidence.

Anyway, goals or not, to think that Samuel Eto'o on his days used to play in such a beautiful way that would make today Hazard's level only average, makes me really sad; now Eto'o doesn't have the power, mental and physical, to play like that anymore.

I can say for sure that the last time I've seen REAL Samuel Eto'o play on a football pitch has been 29 May 2011, with a final decided by his double.

Almost 3 years ago.

[haranr 485]

I'm afraid not ..

All of our strikers are shit and will continue to be shit. forever.

NOOOOOO, Eto'o has it

[Tomo 21,733]

On whoscored Torres has 19 turnovers to Eto's 8! Yes, Torres has started more matches and has made 3 more apps than Eto'o but at the very least when the ball is played into Eto's feet, even if he's surrounded with 3 or so players from the opponent side you know that Eto'o will manage to emerge out of the tight space with the ball still planted firmly on his feet. Torres and Ba? Forget it. They'll either turnover possession, fall over or both.

I have been saying that all season.

[remains of the day 564]

Torres has also started in games like Spurs and Arsenal away where he was a lot more isolated than Eto'o might have been in games like yesterday's, They're both varying degrees of shit, but Eto'o's signing was a disgrace when we subsequently loaned out Lukaku. The expectations for him were low, and he's still failing to meet them.

Fair enough but if you look at their dispossession rate against mid-table/lower opposition, Torres still losses possession more often than Eto'o. Against West Ham & West Brom, Eto'o was dispossessed 3 times each, while Torres was dispossessed 6 times against Southampton & 4 times against Sunderland.

You know, I'm not arguing that it was the right decision to bring Eto'o here and loan out Lukaku. Before he put pen to paper, I came out and questioned how big of an impact a 32 yr striker who has spent the past two years playing in the Russian league can make. But what I think is truly disgraceful is not so much his signing but this blatant unearned & underserved favouritism that Torres is getting and has been receiving despite serial poor performances. That's what's disgraceful. This is the same Torres who for long periods of time has looked like he couldn't give a rat's ass, but yet he's continuously afforded with allowances and showered with empathy by our supporters. This guy has been at the club for 2 years or so, has made 95 appearances, 149 in total and I count the number of good performances that he's put in for us on my two hands. That's what disgraceful.

Whether the expectations are low for Eto'o or not, the man has come here with a better attitude than Torres showed for large parts of last season and even this season, has displayed commitment on the pitch, has worked for the team to the point that he routinely hassles goalkeepers, hasn't been anonymous for any length of time, hasn't let his head drop whenever he misses big chances and has chipped in with a handful of goals while still adapting to a new environment and a new team. It's completely unfair how he's being singled out on here.

[The_Flash 1,144]

NOOOOOO, Eto'o has it

That must be a joke, HE DID HAVE IT....its long gone..