needed update
seven weeks of gameplay have passed, and i've (we've) had enough time to observe many of the lineup changes and transfers in the premiership. so i'll start to reflect on a few of them that i found puzzling thus far, hoping you others can fill in some of the gaps.
where is shevchenko?
its been a disenchanting premiership-shakedown for shevchenko. and while one's acheivements in five matches may not be the same tune played all season, it can be said that andriy's early on performance has been less than innervating in chelsea's 4-1 start (his lone goal this season coming in chelsea's 2-1 loss to middlesbrough). and while shevi grapples to find his footing and style of play in the premiership, drogba continues to demonstrate his ability to be uniformly potent, scoring four goals in five games. see, in what i've seen, shevchenko's play has been all hardscrabble: a lot of effort and movement, but lack of ball control, playing on the margins, and not really fitting into the blue's offense like he should, which in the end gets him nowhere. i guess i shouldn't broadside shevchenko, but even if it is hard to score, i know he can find ways to score, its his gift. and that is why chelsea signed him: to score lots and lots of pretty goals to make all the (rich) fans cheer for the blues, to make the blues a more 'european' team that can compete for the champions league title. none of this has happened, and his minutes have and will diminish as a result. kalou and drogba upfront in an ivory coast connection?
i will say this in defense of shevchenko: perhaps his inherence on the field causes teams to focus more on containing the yellow peril, causally freeing up copious amounts of space and time for drogba to find the back of the net game after game. after all, chelsea are still winning as usual, so until things start becoming a bit more unusual, i would start to worry that shevchenko isn't the right fit for the blues or for the english premier league.
wo ist ballack?
perhaps abromavich's summer investments really aren't panning out at the moment. ballack was sent off last match against liverpool for stomping on liverpool's sissoko--ballack's frustration getting the best of him as his season has been even worse than shevchenko's. like his world cup performances, where at times you wondered where exactly he was in the game, ballack enjoys taking the back seat and letting essien, lampard, and makelel
e do the work. no goals, no assists, marginal minutes played, he doesn't seem to be fitting either.
counter-example: gamst pederson
a poor start to the season can be thwarted in one game. the norwegian was silent in his first four games of the season for blackburn, but in the six goal thriller against manchester city at ewood park, pederson finally netted his first of the season, and assisted on two goals as his team edged out man city 4-2. pederson was one of blackburn's key threats last season, and serves as an example that both ballack and shevchenko (who can be threats) could burst out at any given moment.
where have all the great footballers gone? read more.
where is shevchenko?
its been a disenchanting premiership-shakedown for shevchenko. and while one's acheivements in five matches may not be the same tune played all season, it can be said that andriy's early on performance has been less than innervating in chelsea's 4-1 start (his lone goal this season coming in chelsea's 2-1 loss to middlesbrough). and while shevi grapples to find his footing and style of play in the premiership, drogba continues to demonstrate his ability to be uniformly potent, scoring four goals in five games. see, in what i've seen, shevchenko's play has been all hardscrabble: a lot of effort and movement, but lack of ball control, playing on the margins, and not really fitting into the blue's offense like he should, which in the end gets him nowhere. i guess i shouldn't broadside shevchenko, but even if it is hard to score, i know he can find ways to score, its his gift. and that is why chelsea signed him: to score lots and lots of pretty goals to make all the (rich) fans cheer for the blues, to make the blues a more 'european' team that can compete for the champions league title. none of this has happened, and his minutes have and will diminish as a result. kalou and drogba upfront in an ivory coast connection?
i will say this in defense of shevchenko: perhaps his inherence on the field causes teams to focus more on containing the yellow peril, causally freeing up copious amounts of space and time for drogba to find the back of the net game after game. after all, chelsea are still winning as usual, so until things start becoming a bit more unusual, i would start to worry that shevchenko isn't the right fit for the blues or for the english premier league.
wo ist ballack?
perhaps abromavich's summer investments really aren't panning out at the moment. ballack was sent off last match against liverpool for stomping on liverpool's sissoko--ballack's frustration getting the best of him as his season has been even worse than shevchenko's. like his world cup performances, where at times you wondered where exactly he was in the game, ballack enjoys taking the back seat and letting essien, lampard, and makelel
e do the work. no goals, no assists, marginal minutes played, he doesn't seem to be fitting either.counter-example: gamst pederson
a poor start to the season can be thwarted in one game. the norwegian was silent in his first four games of the season for blackburn, but in the six goal thriller against manchester city at ewood park, pederson finally netted his first of the season, and assisted on two goals as his team edged out man city 4-2. pederson was one of blackburn's key threats last season, and serves as an example that both ballack and shevchenko (who can be threats) could burst out at any given moment.
where have all the great footballers gone? read more.
posted by Jonathan at 08:24
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