Anelka - I can make this work

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

Belfast Telegraph

I’ll make it work with Drogba: Anelka

Nicolas Anelka has told Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari he is ready to play a supporting role for Didier Drogba in attack.

Anelka bagged the 100th Premier League goal of his career and his 16th of the season in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham, but with Drogba fit again the France striker now wants Scolari to give the pair a chance to form a potent partnership.

Scolari, reflecting on his first six months at Chelsea, has revealed he will be using the next fortnight to tinker with his style and that could mean finding a place for both strikers in his 4-3-3 system.

Chelsea have already dropped 14 points at Stamford Bridge this season and their poor home form is threatening to undermine their title ambitions.

Anelka, 29, has enjoyed successful partnerships with Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal and Michael Owen at Liverpool and now wants the opportunity to see if he can make it work with Drogba.

"It was good to play with Bergkamp," said Anelka. "He is the kind of player that played for you. He can score, but also gave a good ball for you to score, and he liked to do it.

"With Michael Owen it was good, because I played the other way, I used to play in front, then I turned supplier. I was pleased with our partnership and it worked.

"It was good to play with him in front and he is a good player, someone who can score a lot of goals. I loved to play to play just behind him and make him score goals.

"Even if I don’t score as many goals, I like to play good football, and if I have to play behind Didier I will. I won’t score like I score now but I still play a part and I like the way I play. Maybe you don’t

score as many as when you are a striker but it is no problem.

"I think it is strange because there have been some great partnerships. The way football is now with two up front it is seen as too attacking, but I think it is normal.

"Maybe this is the way, football is stronger and quicker now, but I don’t understand why we don’t play like that now and everyone plays with one up front, I don’t understand why."

Until now, Scolari’s options have been limited by injuries and suspension to Drogba, but he intends to use the next 10 days to work on variations in tactics and that is certain to include trying to find a way to use the attacking pair.

[Elliott 7]

I hope that they do and I hope Scolari gives them the chance to!

[True_Blue 469]

Anelka - speed pace and good positioning

Drogba - strenght scoring and excellent header

Combined - Perfect Attack

[BlueLion. 21,491]

If Scolari doesn't play them together, then he should leave. He's got two very clinical strikers in Drogba and Anelka and the pair of them would be fantastic together - he's a fool if he doesn't see it in training.

[Drogba11CFC 108]

Grant failed to play them together and we all know what happened to him

[Mungii 3]

Really that would be perfect attcking pair....but we need to hope that Drogba will leave all his injuries behind...and maybe we should buy one more attacker for cover so he can come in when one of those aren't playing good..!..=))

[Kez 2,727]

If we play 2 up front we'll need extra cover anyway.

This could be the perfect partnership

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Drogba and Anelka really does appear to be similar to Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen to me - they're the perfect formula, just waiting to be let off the leash together.

[Laylabelle 9,408]

Well theres only one way to find out!

And do it soon!Monday or boxing day at least

[True_Blue 469]

Drogba and Anelka really does appear to be similar to Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen to me - they're the perfect formula, just waiting to be let off the leash together.

What a partnership that was........i miss those days

[Badboy 1,526]

So do i they were telepathic !

Edited December 20, 2008 by Badboy