Another game another stellar performance, this time against Blackpool at the weekend. Well it certainly was in the first half anyway and even the second period could have and should have produced a few more goals. Just like West Ham the week before and even against Zilina, there was a degree of energy conservation when the game was well out of the opposition's reach long before the full 90-odd minutes were played.
Last week from me there was a thought that our Didier wasn't absolutely firing on all cylinders in the East End, even if he did create two goals. This week I make no apology in talking about our star striker again, this time in total and absolutely glowing terms. There were points in the Blackpool game when you actually began to feel a bit sorry for their defenders, after all there were usually only two or three marking him most of the time and that clearly wasn't nearly enough on the day.
Obviously there was his goal, but there were plenty of other moments that beggared belief. Just think of two, the time he flicked the ball over his opponents in the box only to be denied by the keeper's legs and then the scissors kick pass down at the Shed End which was wonderfully inventive and almost perfectly executed. He was on the day unplayable to all intents and purposes.
The goals scored and assists stats already this season are phenomenal from a player who is absolutely at the top of his game when he is in the mood, which is most of the time at the moment. It immediately begged the question, is there anyone even close to him as the best striker in the world right at this moment?
Well the weekend at least made the debate interesting because there were some fine displays on show in the Premier League. Fernando Torres has finally begun to look like he might be getting back some of the fantastic form he has shown in the past few years after a quieter period. I feel he lost a bit of pace when he injured his hamstring, but the explosiveness looks like it is not gone forever after all.
There was also a quite superb hat trick from Dimitar Berbatov for Manchester United that any striker would be delighted to score, even if it was just in training. With Rooney not quite back to his best and the Bulgarian under pressure to deliver, he has looked very impressive this season. That said, I do not think there are many in the game who could hand on heart say that any of these players is hitting the heights that Drogba is on such a consistent basis.
There was a joy and a freedom about the Ivorian's outlook on Saturday that said loud and clear that he is at the peak of his powers. If he steers clear of injury and he remains just as happy then sit back and enjoy watching one of the finest strikers of not only his, but of any generation. Maybe the little rest from the jaunt to Slovakia sharpened him up and amazingly Chelsea are probably in a position to give him a rest now and again. On Saturday, Lampard, Terry and Anelka were all missing and I struggled to see that this made the team considerable weaker. What other squad could say that of such quality players? Answer none, I suspect.
So Wednesday sees Newcastle visit the Bridge, with I would imagine at least some trepidation. They will be hoping that Carlo does a Fergie and drops about ten players for this one and I for one wouldn't complain if he did. This campaign has to be managed if it is going to get close to last season's dizzying heights.
As I sat in the press box at Old Trafford last week and listened to the groans of the United faithful as the team v Rangers in the Champions League was read out, I understood the disappointment. If you have forked out a lot of money to see your team, maybe travelled a long way (apparently many United fans have to for home games), then it is galling to see Smalling instead of Rio or Hernandez instead of Berbatov. The good thing for Chelsea fans is that if the likes of Drogba, Lampard and Ashley Cole are missing then Anelka, Malouda and Zhirkov are far from disappointing substitutes; right at this moment I still reckon it would be well worth the admission fee.
Last week from me there was a thought that our Didier wasn't absolutely firing on all cylinders in the East End, even if he did create two goals. This week I make no apology in talking about our star striker again, this time in total and absolutely glowing terms. There were points in the Blackpool game when you actually began to feel a bit sorry for their defenders, after all there were usually only two or three marking him most of the time and that clearly wasn't nearly enough on the day.
Obviously there was his goal, but there were plenty of other moments that beggared belief. Just think of two, the time he flicked the ball over his opponents in the box only to be denied by the keeper's legs and then the scissors kick pass down at the Shed End which was wonderfully inventive and almost perfectly executed. He was on the day unplayable to all intents and purposes.
The goals scored and assists stats already this season are phenomenal from a player who is absolutely at the top of his game when he is in the mood, which is most of the time at the moment. It immediately begged the question, is there anyone even close to him as the best striker in the world right at this moment?
Well the weekend at least made the debate interesting because there were some fine displays on show in the Premier League. Fernando Torres has finally begun to look like he might be getting back some of the fantastic form he has shown in the past few years after a quieter period. I feel he lost a bit of pace when he injured his hamstring, but the explosiveness looks like it is not gone forever after all.
There was also a quite superb hat trick from Dimitar Berbatov for Manchester United that any striker would be delighted to score, even if it was just in training. With Rooney not quite back to his best and the Bulgarian under pressure to deliver, he has looked very impressive this season. That said, I do not think there are many in the game who could hand on heart say that any of these players is hitting the heights that Drogba is on such a consistent basis.
There was a joy and a freedom about the Ivorian's outlook on Saturday that said loud and clear that he is at the peak of his powers. If he steers clear of injury and he remains just as happy then sit back and enjoy watching one of the finest strikers of not only his, but of any generation. Maybe the little rest from the jaunt to Slovakia sharpened him up and amazingly Chelsea are probably in a position to give him a rest now and again. On Saturday, Lampard, Terry and Anelka were all missing and I struggled to see that this made the team considerable weaker. What other squad could say that of such quality players? Answer none, I suspect.
So Wednesday sees Newcastle visit the Bridge, with I would imagine at least some trepidation. They will be hoping that Carlo does a Fergie and drops about ten players for this one and I for one wouldn't complain if he did. This campaign has to be managed if it is going to get close to last season's dizzying heights.
As I sat in the press box at Old Trafford last week and listened to the groans of the United faithful as the team v Rangers in the Champions League was read out, I understood the disappointment. If you have forked out a lot of money to see your team, maybe travelled a long way (apparently many United fans have to for home games), then it is galling to see Smalling instead of Rio or Hernandez instead of Berbatov. The good thing for Chelsea fans is that if the likes of Drogba, Lampard and Ashley Cole are missing then Anelka, Malouda and Zhirkov are far from disappointing substitutes; right at this moment I still reckon it would be well worth the admission fee.
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