Is Anelka past his best?

[chrismada9 1,948]

I keep thinking to myself after seeing his performance against Everton last weekend! I don't think we're getting the best out of him at the moment. He's beginning to see the shadow of his former self. Would you say it was time for someone fresher to replace him in the future! I just think he's past his sell by date!!

I was listening to Andy Gray just now on Monday Night Football. He reckons that Chelsea haven't refreshed the squad enough, and that Bosingwa remains the only real player in the last 6 years we've bought that has played regularly (not the last 6 years)

I think this is worth a few people discussing this....

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Just a little over a month ago nearly everyone was singing praises of Anelka, saying how consistent he's been. Now we're going through a rough patch he's turned into enemy #1. Anelka has been better than Drogba recently. I know Drog's had malaria but everyone in the team has been playing bad. Even Malouda and Cole. Anelka & Ramires are the ones being singled out though.

Let's wait till we get out of this "rough patch" and see how he's doing then huh?

[Wilson 358]

Hahaha. Andy Gray must be a fucking muppet! We are just having an unlucky run just now, like most teams do!

[Peace. 4,352]

I do not think is past his best... The whole squad is playing bad for more than a month (excepted Cech). It's just a bad patch.

He (and the other players) just needs to wake up.

Edited December 6, 2010 by killamanjaro

[Styles 9,790]

No he's just tired, like many of our players, and desperately needs a rest.

[Kostas 1,468]

No he's just tired, like many of our players, and desperately needs a rest.

Exactly what I was going to say.

[BLionheart 516]

well may be that is not the right question , may be it should be : should anelka be our pacy , tricky and creative winger ??

and my answer to that question will be absolutely not.

anelka is not past his best and if we were playing with 2 strikers i would have been glad to have him around but as long as we are playing a 4-3-3 formation he shouldn't be in the starting line up .

[Madmax 9,219]

One word - NO.

[gary gordon 1,777]

As a support striker/winger yes! As a Central striker NO! It's not half obvious that the year Nico got the Golden Boot was the same year Drogba was injured and fell out of favour with the gaffa. If Nico is up front i believe he is a more Clinical finisher inside the box then Drogba. But Drogba is the kind of player who can pop up anywhere, and score from just about any place on the field. I would love to see Anelka back to his scoring days but at what price? Drogba on the wing? Won't happen.....

[Styles 9,790]

As a support striker/winger yes! As a Central striker NO! It's not half obvious that the year Nico got the Golden Boot was the same year Drogba was injured and fell out of favour with the gaffa. If Nico is up front i believe he is a more Clinical finisher inside the box then Drogba. But Drogba is the kind of player who can pop up anywhere, and score from just about any place on the field. I would love to see Anelka back to his scoring days but at what price? Drogba on the wing? Won't happen.....

I agree with you that Anelka is a better finisher than Drogba. He is the best finisher at the club by a long distance. However he has started to drop deeper into midfield and is ineffective in these areas which is a real problem. Malouda sometimes gets into better goalscoring positions and he's a winger. I think Anelka needs to start playing more like a right forward as opposed to a right sided attacking midfielder. Stay upfield more and play on the last shoulder of the defenders because he has the pace and finishing ability to score more goals. Either the instructions he is getting or the way he wants to play is not working for him or for the team.

[Henrique 9,133]

Anelka has been better than Drogba recently. I know Drog's had malaria but everyone in the team has been playing bad.

perfect

[crazy1 24]

i think its just the matter of time he wil come to his regular (good) form soon.............................

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Anelka is past his prime, I would say - I think we were lucky enough in 2008/09 to see him at his absolute best. That being said, he is still a very, very good footballer and in my view perfect for this team. He is simply VERY tired, he's had to play a lot more games than I think he will have expected to have by this stage.

[Wilson 358]

I love how people think that cause we are having a bad time, they think it's ok to change their minds and say he or someone else is 'past it' just because we are not playing well at a precise moment. Fucking hilarious. LOSERS.

[True_Blue 469]

No

only people that don't know what ''form'' means think that he is past it.

Form is temporary,class is permanent.

[Wilson 358]

True I suppose, and what is also is true is Anelka is class.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

No

only people that don't know what ''form'' means think that he is past it.

Form is temporary,class is permanent.

You win, for eternity.

[boshman 1,073]

He has already scored 10 goals this year. Nico goes through spells like this. He has had it in every season he has been with us. A spell of a couple of months when he just doesn't score. I'm sure he'll get back to his best sometime soon as will the whole team. Just need a bit of luck to kickstar the season again.

[chrismada9 1,948]

Anelka is past his prime, I would say - I think we were lucky enough in 2008/09 to see him at his absolute best. That being said, he is still a very, very good footballer and in my view perfect for this team. He is simply VERY tired, he's had to play a lot more games than I think he will have expected to have by this stage.

True statement, but you have to look at his age to consider the facts. At some point in time, we are going to have to buy a decent striker to replace him. Carlo can't go all out and say "we won't buy anyone in January." Looking at our form of late, you can state quite clearly that we do need to buy someone. There are plenty of decent names out there, "Aguero, Benzema (although he has regained some form at Madrid), Tevez (might want to return to his family in Argentina), Neymar, Lukaku"

Drogba however, may be 32, but I still believe he's the best striker in the Premiership, not just because he scores goals, but because he has the strength to hold off players and go for goal, and he's been here long enough to bond with the other long-term players. The bottom line is, it's players like him (as well as Lampard, Terry, Essien) that attract other top names to our club, because everyone praises him for who he is... a prolific goalscorer.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Nic is a very good player, technically proficient and versatile and a valuable member of the squad and while he offers something playing on the right wing, I just think we need something different.

Too many times he comes inside, too many times he drops deep, too many times he walks around with the ball at his feet as if he were taking a stroll through a public park in Paris. I'd love to se us sign a dynamic, fast right winger who can take on a man and whip in a cross, I really think thats the sort of player we should be looking for in January.