Of course we’re talking about strikers! With the current trio of Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba rotated constantly to fill in for that one prolific centre forward that the Blues are missing; we have a look at who Chelsea need.
Common thought is that Chelsea need a clinical and tough centre forward who can replicate Didier Drogba under Mourinho’s first stint. Diego Costa, Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao, who are hot property in the transfer market, fit the bill perfectly. Well, but some interesting changes in the strikers’ gameplay in Chelsea have been missed by the fans of the West London outfit.
Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto’o emerged to be the top two rotating strikers for Jose Mourinho this season. While their natural game style is similar, there are some key differences too. Torres has been more of a channel runner while Samuel Eto’o is a dribbler. Mourinho has used both strikers according to their strengths as and when needed. Eto’o in some crucial Premier League games has been clinical for Chelsea. Torres despite lacking goals in the league has some valuable goals to his name which were game-clinchers. All of Chelsea’s strikers have been prolific in Europe considering the fact the UEFA Leagues have teams that play good attacking football, in turn holding a high defensive line that enables Torres, Eto’o and Ba to run in behind the defence. But in the League, the luxury of space behind the defenders is not available for The Blues, as most teams try to defend deep. Among the trio, Eto’o has looked the most promising.
The Cameroonian had lost touch with top level football as he came into the Barclays Premier League from Anzhi Makhachkala. Initially, he was clearly not as clinical as before but was still managing to create chances for himself, which of course he couldn’t finish. Eto’o seems to be more at home now when the season has progressed and he has well gone into his usual zone. With his agile movement despite his age, Samuel Eto’o time and again created space for himself in the penalty box even in his out of form days in the early and middle part of the season. His linking up in the midfield has been better than Torres. Eto’o, unlike the Spaniard, has low centre of gravity giving him the balance to fend off rampant centre backs that mark him. A 25 year old Eto’o would have been perfect for Chelsea!
Sadly Eto’o is older and it is reasonable of him to decide his future in a simpler league, The MLS. Chelsea on the other hand, have all the money in the bank and the players also, which they can sell if need may arise in case of Financial Fair Play, to get a top class ball playing striker. Well, we all know about ball playing defenders like Ramos, Luiz, Thiago Silva etc. who like to have the ball at their feet. And then there are traditional stoppers like Cahill, Varane, Koscielny etc. who don’t generally play an attack minded game.
Similar comparisons can be made for strikers, a creator type striker or a target man or a finisher. Torres is the finisher type and Eto’o is the creator type. Demba Ba is a target man, but isn’t as good a finisher as Eto’o or Torres.
The Blues need a striker like Eto’o and not Drogba because the times have changed and Chelsea have more flair players than ever before. Current in-form creative strikers would definitely include Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie in the Premier League and of course the living legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Others who may have been overlooked recently are players like Stevan Jovetic of Manchester City and Luis Muriel of Udinese. It remains to be seen which striker Chelsea would buy in the coming summer- A creative shooter or an out and out centre forward like Cavani or Costa.