A quote from 2008 that still makes me angry

[Backbiter]

The Guardian did a feature on the CL final in Moscow, with quotes from Lamps, Cech ......and Anelka:

Nicolas Anelka

Chelsea substitute

At no point did I think I was going to come on. I was on the bench for 100 minutes and suddenly, I am asked to play, not even a minute after I was sent out to warm up. When you go on, you have to be ready to run. I was then asked to take one of the first five penalty kicks but I said: "That is out of the question. I have come on as a right-back and you want me to take a penalty?" So I had to go seventh. Van der Sar pushed away my shot. All the better for him; that is the game.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/de...s-league-moscow

That has to be one of the most unprofessional things I've ever read. If he'd said it to Jose he'd never have played for him again.

[abramovich]

Anelka is a mental case. How much warming up does he need to take a penalty kick?

He was just trying to shift the blame onto Grant although nobody ever blamed him for not scoring, it was Terry's miss that everyone concentrated on.

Edited December 31, 2008 by abramovich

[WoodmanBlue]

This comment makes me want to hate him. He is a big man, an experienced professional and can't blame the miss on this. He missed.........thats it, i don't blame him, just like i don't blame John, it is just one of those things, a great comp and a sad end.

However he has made up for that comment this seaon with his goals so far and if he carries on he will be 25 - 25+ goals and that is good by me!

[Chelsea Lad]

I don't blame Anelka, though he should have put the ball onto VDS's weaker side, but meh. I don't blame JT either, he did his best and we didn't have anyone better at pens ahead of him. I shouldn't really blame Grant but either Lampard or Ballack should have taken the last kick with JT fourth, your best takers should go first and fifth imho.

[TheWestwayWonder]

We all knew Anelka was as mentally fragile as they come. I never expected a guy who had scored one goal for us in six months to bury that penalty.

To me, that just makes what JT did that much more admirable. I dont think ive ever seen him put a goal in on the ground in a game situation, and yet when he strolled up to the penalty spot, after Anelka's and Essien's apparrent refusals, he had that air of confidence and businesslike approach that never left me thinking it was supposed to be anyone but him in that spot. Looking back I should have known better

You look at it too, and it was a well taken pen. He fooled van der Saar and controlled the ball. It was just that wet f**king piece of turf that foiled him. f**king rain. I dont think I will ever forget that moment. Seeing him shoot, and vdS go the wrong way I had already leapt up in celebration. And when the ball wasnt in the back of the net, well, I dont think utterly gutted sums up all of what I was feeling.

And when I heard about the Anelka thing, and looked back on what Drogba did, I felt like they had stabbed every supporter in the heart, and never wanted to see their sorry carcasses again. Obviously, time, sense and some goals have healed those wounds.

[Ruh Buh Juh]

come on as a right-back and you want me to take a penalty?"

No, you came on in place of a right-back and was told to play up front and leave 3 at the back to try and nick a winner. Idiot.