Florent Malouda

[Madmax 9,219]

Chelsea career

Signed on a three-year contract in the summer of 2007, an undisclosed fee was paid to Lyon for the then 27-year-old French international winger who was one of Jose Mourinho's final purchases for the club.

The first year started brightly with an excellently-taken Community Shield goal at Wembley and another strike in the first league game. He won a controversially-awarded penalty for an important point at Anfield and opened his Champions League account at home to Schalke.

However a two-month absence in midwinter due to a persistent knee injury took its toll on Florent's form, although he did hit one of the passes of the season for

Joe Cole's winner at Goodison Park in the Carling Cup semi-final.

Following a grim FA Cup exit at Barnsley there was a month in the wilderness but Avram Grant issued a recall for the Champions League quarter-finals, the then manager frequently choosing the more cautious Malouda rather than

Salomon Kalou in European away games. The policy was retained in the Final in Moscow where Florent played the first 92 minutes.

He completed his first Chelsea campaign with four goals from 29 starts and nine sub appearances, before Luiz Felipe Scolari arrived in the summer of 2008 announcing he wanted to see the same Malouda at Chelsea he had seen at Lyon, with direct running and a stronger eye for goal.

The winger responded with a run of four goals in 10 games before an injury setback at the end of November kept him out until Boxing Day. With his natural left-footedness, Malouda provided balance and width to an emerging three-pronged attack with his friend from earlier playing days in France,

Didier Drogba, and Nicolas Anelka.

Under Guus Hiddink, Malouda started to show a consistency to his game that had been missing. Assists, running and goals began to become regular facets as he played a key role in FA Cup semi-final success over Arsenal, while in the Champions League semi-final he denied Lionel Messi the space he needed in the Camp Nou to hurt the Blues in

Ashley Cole's absence. Unfortunately Chelsea lost out in the second leg in controversial fashion.

Back at Wembley it was Florent's cross that set up Drogba's equaliser in the 2009 FA Cup Final against Everton and he and

Ashley Cole spent the first half tormenting Tony Hibbert to the degree that the right-back was taken off at the interval. Florent was denied his own Wembley goal on a victorious day when a tremendous drive cannoned back off the crossbar.

He continued to go from strength to strength in 2009/10, building on his solid finish to the previous campaign.

The Frenchman made

Carlo Ancelotti's early selections and by the end of the season he had cemented his place in the starting line-up. He was instrumental in a number of historic wins and netted 15 goals throughout an industrious campaign.

That was an important measurement of his abilities but just as vital were the assists. Malouda helped set up 12 of Chelsea's League goals, including his cross which

Joe Cole back-heeled over the line against Manchester United as we beat out title rivals 2-1 at Old Trafford.

He was a versatile member of the team, playing as a midfielder rather than a wide man in a 4-3-3 towards the season's end and he even moved back into the left-back position away against Inter Milan when both

Ashley Cole and Yury Zhirkov were unavailable.

He ended the 2009/10 season with another FA Cup Final appearance and a winners' medal to add the Premier League one handed out a week earlier. He was Chelsea Players' Player of the Year.

Both his and the team's form were carried over to the commencement of 2010/11 and a couple of months in, Florent was the Premier League's top scorer. However as important players were lost to injury and illness, and results declined as winter set in, his form suffered too and he scored just one league goal in three months.

Although the season ultimately ended trophyless, Florent rediscovered his influence towards to the end and finished the team's league top scorer with a career-best 13 goals and a good total of assists too.

The 2011-12 season has seen the Frenchman still very much involved in first-team affairs, with over 30 appearances, although perhaps more frustrating is his limited league starts this campaign. He started the season very much involved in Andre Villas-Boas's side, scoring a late winner in our first home match against West Brom, although that remains the sole Chelsea strike in 2011-12 for last season's top league goalscorer.

Pre-Chelsea

Lyon was Florent's third club. He began his career in Paris with lower league Châteauroux where he played two seasons before moving up the ladder to Guingamp.

In Brittany he teamed up with

Didier Drogba and his impressive form over three seasons attracted the attention of Lyon.

Arriving at his new club the same season as

Michael Essien, the two shared in championship success, Florent staying at the Stade Gerland long enough to win a hat-trick of league titles while starring in Champions League displays.

International

Florent quickly became a regular for France after making his debut against Poland in November 2004. He was a prominent member of the French team that reached the final of the 2006 World Cup, winning the penalty that Zinedine Zidane converted to open the scoring in a match that they would eventually lose on penalties.

He remained a fixture in and around the French XI, and was a key part of the Euro 2008 qualification campaign although, similar to many of his compatriots, he endured a disappointing tournament, losing his place for the final group game as the team ended bottom.

He netted the only goal in France's dismal 2010 World Cup campaign, pulling a goal back against South Africa to make it 1-2. In September 2010 he stood in as captain against Belarus due to Patrice Evra's five-game suspension that came out of summer tournament.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Absolute conker today ... great first time hit on that horrendous pitch.

Let's not forget the Torres assist! (albeit accidental )

[HRiver 1,512]

Four goals in three games now.

Malouda is gradually returning to his form of last season, and you can notice signs of the old Malouda when he's running, he can beat his opponents when one versus one, that's what a winger should do.

[5354 204]

he always show good form at the end of the season :champions:

[eldo 868]

he always show good form at the end of the season :champions:

Someone has a theory that he is afraid of being axed.

[BLionheart 516]

Someone has a theory that he is afraid of being axed.

malouda , kalou , Drogba and usually anelka are always on the top of their game at the end of each season , because they are afraid of being axed.

there are some exceptions like Drogba last season and malouda , but usually that is what happens with the french connection . suddenly at the end of the season they start clicking , scoring goals from all angles , play a football which is a joy to watch .

the new season starts and each one of them looks like his former self , malouda always looking to shoot and losses possession , anelka drops back and slows the tempo , kalou missing sitters and Drogba showing theatrics and spends more time on the ground .

i hope the 4 of them will be gone by the summer , i don't think we will miss kalou , anelka or malouda but we will miss Drogba and his power and personality but now that torres is here there is only place for one of them .

[Tortilla9 390]

Good Malouda read/interview. A few highlights:

"The club have been saying that because I am over 30, I have to wait until the last year of my contract to speak about an extension. Questions come into my mind. Do the club want me to say?"

"I am much appreciated by the coach. But I need support from the club as well."

"Even my son loves Fernando Torres. He's glamour. He's a top striker. My son likes Drogba and Anelka. The strikers are always the one the children seen on TV celebrating.''

"I want Ancelotti to stay. Players come and go but the manager is the key. We can win the Champions League under him one day. We got to the quarter-finals and lost to United, who could win it. We are still in competition for the title. It's not a bad season. Most managers would like this kind of season."

"They are complementary. Didier is more like a target player and Fernando likes to go into the space, and attack the line."

"Fernando is popular. It's not easy to come into a team in January with great expectations and the amount of the transfer. He's quiet. He's working really hard. It takes time. It took me almost 10 months to fit in. You need patience. That's why Fernando signed a long-term deal."

"I never went up to a top striker like Fernando and said 'it will be OK'. I am the one who should be asking him how to improve. But we were feeling the pressure. Everyone was anxious. We are humans."

[ZanSnake 1,211]

Good Malouda read/interview. A few highlights:

"The club have been saying that because I am over 30, I have to wait until the last year of my contract to speak about an extension. Questions come into my mind. Do the club want me to say?"

No, it is more an restriction Chelsea have put on themselves since Anelka's deal, and the most likely deal he would get would a one year contract with an extension option if the club and player feel like it, or something among those lines.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

When is his contract up?

[ZanSnake 1,211]

When is his contract up?

Same as Carlo's i think, next summer.

[Madmax 9,219]

Malouda more often than not says the right things. His attitude on the pitch though can be different, as we've already seen. So I take his politically correct talks re Torres with a pinch of salt.

[Tortilla9 390]

At least he doesn't come across as a complete ass and was professional in his comments. I'm one who thinks he doesn't like Torres and/or won't pass to him. I haven't followed him as closely as most of you so I saw a different side. Didn't realize he was 30. Thought he was younger. Maybe anybody 30 or younger seems a baby to me.

[Term-X 7,891]

"I'm 30. I want to be the Ryan Giggs of Chelsea!"

Silly quote.

Even Lampard won't manage that, Giggs has been at United since he was a kid FFS.

[Tortilla9 390]

I saw the Giggs comment and my first thought was..... YOGA.

[Madmax 9,219]

At least he doesn't come across as a complete ass and was professional in his comments. I'm one who thinks he doesn't like Torres and/or won't pass to him. I haven't followed him as closely as most of you so I saw a different side.

Most of us think that here. We even had a thread about it if I remember

[Tortilla9 390]

When I try to quote a post I get a bunch of weird stuff.

I remember the Malouda won't pass to Torres thread and even posted there. Maybe I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt now because the team is doing well. If he doesn't pass to a wide open Torres tomorrow (or whenever) I promise to be the first to bash him.

[J.F. 1,484]

giggs is a legend and model footballer, malouda is decent and talks too much....

[Milan 17,853]

117 - If you combine PL goals + chances created this season, F Malouda is top (117) followed by K Davies (92) & S Downing (89).