The Russian arrived from CSKA Moscow in the summer with a reputation as a pacy winger capable of beating players that could also fill in at left-back.
Injury to Ashley Cole meant we certainly saw the latter, but the form of others, largely Florent Malouda, meant the 26-year-old's attacking prowess only came to the fore in flashes.
Fitness problems of his own prevented Zhirkov from a competitive Chelsea debut until late September, a troublesome knee meaning all Blues fans had seen of him to that point was an impressive bow against AC Milan in Baltimore, in which he scored the winner from a tucked-in midfield position.
The player himself admitted the two months that followed were a struggle as he adapted to a new country and a new club without the day-to-day involvement that full training allows.
Speaking just before Christmas, by which time he had still only played a handful of matches, Yury announced he had not 'done anything special so far' but chances would come in 2010.
He impressed against Watford and Sunderland, creating goals in each, and figured regularly during a January where we were missing key players at the African Cup of Nations.
Then came Cole's injury in early February, a fractured ankle that would keep him out two months. Such luck then that just two games into his spell at left-back, Zhirkov suffered injury of his own - a knock on the calf against Wolves resulting in him missing our Champions League first leg against Inter.
Back for the second leg, he found himself marginalized by the excellent Maicon and too often sucked inside on the defensive. If that night was a low in the season, then his highlight was undoubtedly against Aston Villa 11 days later.
Given free rein to attack, he galloped forward time and again, twice beating his man inside the area before being brought down for penalties, and then supplying the pinpoint cross for Malouda to volley home the goal of the game.
Cole's return to fitness in late April meant Yury featured less in the run-in, but with a season of adaptation under his belt, and a more comfortable grasp of the language, expect him to be a key player in 2010/11, when he will be hoping to up his goals return to something like the levels he achieved in Russia.
Injury to Ashley Cole meant we certainly saw the latter, but the form of others, largely Florent Malouda, meant the 26-year-old's attacking prowess only came to the fore in flashes.
Fitness problems of his own prevented Zhirkov from a competitive Chelsea debut until late September, a troublesome knee meaning all Blues fans had seen of him to that point was an impressive bow against AC Milan in Baltimore, in which he scored the winner from a tucked-in midfield position.
The player himself admitted the two months that followed were a struggle as he adapted to a new country and a new club without the day-to-day involvement that full training allows.
Speaking just before Christmas, by which time he had still only played a handful of matches, Yury announced he had not 'done anything special so far' but chances would come in 2010.
He impressed against Watford and Sunderland, creating goals in each, and figured regularly during a January where we were missing key players at the African Cup of Nations.
Then came Cole's injury in early February, a fractured ankle that would keep him out two months. Such luck then that just two games into his spell at left-back, Zhirkov suffered injury of his own - a knock on the calf against Wolves resulting in him missing our Champions League first leg against Inter.
Back for the second leg, he found himself marginalized by the excellent Maicon and too often sucked inside on the defensive. If that night was a low in the season, then his highlight was undoubtedly against Aston Villa 11 days later.
Given free rein to attack, he galloped forward time and again, twice beating his man inside the area before being brought down for penalties, and then supplying the pinpoint cross for Malouda to volley home the goal of the game.
Cole's return to fitness in late April meant Yury featured less in the run-in, but with a season of adaptation under his belt, and a more comfortable grasp of the language, expect him to be a key player in 2010/11, when he will be hoping to up his goals return to something like the levels he achieved in Russia.
