Desailly: Anelka Can Never Replace Drogba

[TrueChelseaBlue 105]

Former Chelsea captain Marcel Desailly insists that his compatriot Nicolas Anelka will never be able to replace Didier Drogba.

Following Chelsea's purchase of France international striker Nicolas Anelka from Bolton on £15million, the Blues appear to have covered Didier Drogba's absence over the next month on African Nations Cup duty with Ivory Coast.

However, Marcel Desailly, who played more than 200 matches for Chelsea between 1998 and 2004, believes that while Anelka will do a good job for the Blues, he cannot replace Drogba.

Desailly says the FA Cup holders would be crazy to allow the Ivorian - who has said he wants a new challenge - to leave Stamford Bridge.

Desailly told The Sun in an interview ahead of the African Cup of Nations, which is being held in Ghana where he was born, and which he will be helping the BBC to cover: "Anelka has huge potential but Drogba is Drogba.

"He [Anelka] will be there competing with Andriy Shevchenko and the other strikers but you cannot replace Drogba because he is the best.

"I don't know if Anelka can be the real first choice for Chelsea all the time."

The reaction of Drogba, 29, to the sacking of Jose Mourinho in September suggested he would quit Chelsea at the first opportunity. He gave emotional interviews to that effect but subsequently back-tracked and said he would stay.

However, in recent comments to the media Drogba remains equivocal about his Chelsea future.

Injury has disrupted his campaign so far, but when he has played, Drogba has underlined his value to Avram Grant's side, leading the line with his particular combination of power and panache.

Having recovered from recent knee surgery, Drogba will be looking to sparkle for Ivory Coast as they attempt to become champions of Africa in the upcoming continental tournament.

But Desailly fears that even after the Nations Cup, Anelka may never get the chance to partner Drogba in the Chelsea attack.

The 1998 World Cup winner with France told The Sun: "It will be hard for them to play together.

"Anelka doesn't really like to stay up front and he moves around a lot.

"Drogba goes right and left and it will need a lot of work for them to form a partnership."

Source: Goal.com

Edited January 21, 2008 by TrueChelseaBlue

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

They're both different at what they do on the pitch.

When DD is on top of his game it would be hard to find a better striker anywhere. I dont think its a case of replacing him, more a case of adapting if he does decide to move on.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Anelka likes balls into feet and taking players on, Drogba prefers long balls. They are different strikers, so Anelka will never replace Drogba. The closest player to Drogba in European football is Adebayor, but he's a cunt