Comments on: Anelka and Drogba Combine Forces at Last for…a Nil-Nil Draw http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html League Football, Soccer News and Views from Around the World Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:17:13 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: cfc069 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106551 cfc069 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:19:47 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106551 and when Cech has a go at Drogba LOL LOL - aww bless him - first game back after ACN and injury and his goalkeeper has a go!! Roll on Sunday!! Be a much better game for you to blog Laurie, or you could always clean your kitchen again!!! KTBFFH and when Cech has a go at Drogba LOL LOL – aww bless him – first game back after ACN and injury and his goalkeeper has a go!!

Roll on Sunday!!

Be a much better game for you to blog Laurie, or you could always clean your kitchen again!!!

KTBFFH

]]> By: Jack http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106339 Jack Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:40:22 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106339 You know it's bad when Makelele is providing the creativity in midfield. You know it’s bad when Makelele is providing the creativity in midfield.

]]> By: Michael http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106282 Michael Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:41:32 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106282 Chelsea didn't play well together today. The fact that the players have been split up by the ACN for so long might have had something to do with it. Also, Grant chose not to pick Lampard or Terry, but to rest them for the upcoming Carling Cup Final. Chelsea nearly always play better with those two in the line-up. Chelsea's defense looked tight as always. From what I could see the only thing missing from Chelsea's game was chemistry. To generate better chemistry they needed John Terry on the field as a general, Lampard in the middle distributing the ball (really, he is one of the best long-passers in the EPL), and maybe a different formation. I agree with you about the strikers, Laurie. It would have been fantastic to watch Anelka and Drogba play up front in a 4-4-2. And I was hoping to see Grant employ a 4-4-2 diamond. Anelka was wasted on the wing. Perhaps as his partnership with Drogba develops, Grant will play them together up front. But I doubt he really wants to go back to the 4-4-2 having played the squad in a 4-3-3 so frequently this season. One thing that did stand out to me tonight was the ineffective wingers. Neither Joe Cole nor Malouda really had the burst to go past a defender on the outside. That, or Grant didn't want them to. All four of Chelsea's wide men should have the athletic ability to get by an Olympiakos defender. Unfortunately Makelele, for all his superb awareness, positioning and tackling, simply cannot anticipate or complete a pass. He looked great on the defensive side but gave away possession enough to make me doubt his contribution. Chelsea didn’t play well together today. The fact that the players have been split up by the ACN for so long might have had something to do with it. Also, Grant chose not to pick Lampard or Terry, but to rest them for the upcoming Carling Cup Final. Chelsea nearly always play better with those two in the line-up.

Chelsea’s defense looked tight as always. From what I could see the only thing missing from Chelsea’s game was chemistry. To generate better chemistry they needed John Terry on the field as a general, Lampard in the middle distributing the ball (really, he is one of the best long-passers in the EPL), and maybe a different formation.

I agree with you about the strikers, Laurie.

It would have been fantastic to watch Anelka and Drogba play up front in a 4-4-2. And I was hoping to see Grant employ a 4-4-2 diamond. Anelka was wasted on the wing. Perhaps as his partnership with Drogba develops, Grant will play them together up front. But I doubt he really wants to go back to the 4-4-2 having played the squad in a 4-3-3 so frequently this season.

One thing that did stand out to me tonight was the ineffective wingers. Neither Joe Cole nor Malouda really had the burst to go past a defender on the outside. That, or Grant didn’t want them to. All four of Chelsea’s wide men should have the athletic ability to get by an Olympiakos defender.

Unfortunately Makelele, for all his superb awareness, positioning and tackling, simply cannot anticipate or complete a pass. He looked great on the defensive side but gave away possession enough to make me doubt his contribution.

]]> By: Ian http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106273 Ian Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:13:08 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106273 I watched this match online and I actually thought Olympiakos represented themselves quite well in midfield, putting together some nice passes and such. Still, they had to know that they are probably not going to be the team that breaks Chelsea's streak at the Bridge, and should have tried harder for a home goal. It seemed like Oly were banking on a lucky break from a set piece, and they certainly got enough corners, but their corner deliveries were all pretty weak. If you're gonna beat Chelsea, you have to beat them on your own pitch, and Oly didn't get it done. I watched this match online and I actually thought Olympiakos represented themselves quite well in midfield, putting together some nice passes and such. Still, they had to know that they are probably not going to be the team that breaks Chelsea’s streak at the Bridge, and should have tried harder for a home goal. It seemed like Oly were banking on a lucky break from a set piece, and they certainly got enough corners, but their corner deliveries were all pretty weak. If you’re gonna beat Chelsea, you have to beat them on your own pitch, and Oly didn’t get it done.

]]> By: Erinti http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106268 Erinti Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:56:33 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/anelka-and-drogba-combine-forces-at-last-fora-nil-nil-draw.html#comment-106268 Aw, c'mon, the names aren't that bad. (And you could always copy-paste or do what the Greek fans do and refer to those guys, for example, as Djole, Iero, Kova, and...OK, Torosidis doesn't have a nickname that I know of, but still.) In any case, I wasn't able to even watch the match and I'm falling asleep just seeing it described. Man, here's hoping for a more exciting London leg, even if it means Oly die horribly. Aw, c’mon, the names aren’t that bad. (And you could always copy-paste or do what the Greek fans do and refer to those guys, for example, as Djole, Iero, Kova, and…OK, Torosidis doesn’t have a nickname that I know of, but still.)

In any case, I wasn’t able to even watch the match and I’m falling asleep just seeing it described. Man, here’s hoping for a more exciting London leg, even if it means Oly die horribly.

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