Of course he wasn't our first choice but recently he's been in good form and great link up with hazard.

Your opinions ??

Considering he used to be the best in clinical finishing in his prime, he has been atrocious with us in finishing and wasted countless chances that were set on a plate by Mata and co.

 

Stop-gap signing for me, although that link-up with Hazard for his 2nd was an excellent assist and shows a high understanding between our attackers.

I never expected great things from him, as a season long help to our striking problem and coming from a two year stint in a league that requires such different fitness levels and strength, I think he has been well worth Jose's punt.

 

He is linking up well and not just the stand out Hazard goal yesterday, he has shown he wants to win things here and has a level head that must be important when he does his best to get the boys up for it, he's done it all and will be/has been a valuable player this season.

 

I still think he's the best option we have and his being here has likely helped us to get a bit more from Torres.

He is clearly Jose's 1st choice striker IMO. OK he isn't Drogba but then who is? Good temporary answer to the ongoing centre forward problem until Jose can can't get his own preferred choice in the summer.

Edited February 9, 201412 yr by just

as a free transfer, he's been decent. his goals return certainly stands up well against torres' in his first couple of seasons, especially given the 50 mil difference in price tag between the two.

Got to disagree with you Just, i think Torres is clearly Jose's number one choice, but Eto'o has done quite well and taken advantage of torres' injury. can't see Sammy keeping his starting place when nando's back fit

Jose started Eto'o over a fit and available Torres against Liverpool and United. Two of the biggest games of the season. What manager wouldn't pick his first choice striker for those matches?

And his decision was fully vindicated on both occasions.

Jose started Eto'o over a fit and available Torres against Liverpool and United. Two of the biggest games of the season. What manager wouldn't pick his first choice striker for those matches?

And his decision was fully vindicated on both occasions.

 

I think that had to do with the style of play Jose wanted against those teams.

Considering he used to be the best in clinical finishing in his prime, he has been atrocious with us in finishing and wasted countless chances that were set on a plate by Mata and co.

 

Stop-gap signing for me, although that link-up with Hazard for his 2nd was an excellent assist and shows a high understanding between our attackers.

 

Eto'o was NEVER a clinical finisher. Barcelona fans coveted David Villa for years because of it. Eto'o's speed and movement and hard work meant he got into shooting positions far more than most strikers, aided by the likes of Messi/Xavi/Iniesta/Ronaldinho/Deco. His shots to goals ratio is dreadful considering how many goals he did actually score.

 

That's the problem we have now. He gets more opportunities than Torres or Ba because his movement is still there, but he's very wasteful and has been throughout his whole career.

He's been a good stop gap signing.

He scored a hat-trick against United and has a few goals and assists here and there. What more were people expecting from an ageing free transfer?  We will buy a marquee striker in the summer but Eto'o has done as expected.. maybe even better than expected

FYI there is only one African King and that is Didier Drogba.

Topic should be changed immediately.

Jose started Eto'o over a fit and available Torres against Liverpool and United. Two of the biggest games of the season. What manager wouldn't pick his first choice striker for those matches?

And his decision was fully vindicated on both occasions.

Was it not obvious jose preferred eto in home games and torres in away games? Think your the only person who has let that blow over there head.

Since torres injury eto has really come into his own. Been impressed by his link up play. I mentioned it yesterday but I'll say it again he is the total opposite to what I thought he would be. I expected a lazy old eto who would finish every chance he got but wouldn't get involved in the link up play. Instead we have got a sharp mobile eto who can't finish for toffee but his link up play is brilliant.

He started off very poorly and is now getting to the level I expected of the stop-gap. He's ok.

 

If you look at the signing in a vacuum, then yeah it's not a bad signing at all for a year. But when you think that the reason Lukaku is out on loan is because Eto'o was brought in, it becomes a terrible move imo.

Since torres injury eto has really come into his own. Been impressed by his link up play. I mentioned it yesterday but I'll say it again he is the total opposite to what I thought he would be. I expected a lazy old eto who would finish every chance he got but wouldn't get involved in the link up play. Instead we have got a sharp mobile eto who can't finish for toffee but his link up play is brilliant.

 

Have you never watched Eto'o at any point in his career?

 

A cheating, mouthy, whingy, cocky son-of-a-bitch he may have been, but never lazy (even in Rjikaard's optional-defending team), and brilliantly creative for himself and for others.

 

Couldn't finish a ham sandwich until the 30th attempt though, not now, not back at Barca, not ever.

Have you never watched Eto'o at any point in his career?

 

A cheating, mouthy, whingy, cocky son-of-a-bitch he may have been, but never lazy (even in Rjikaard's optional-defending team), and brilliantly creative for himself and for others.

 

Couldn't finish a ham sandwich until the 30th attempt though, not now, not back at Barca, not ever.

Got to admit I hadn't seen much of him. I remember him in his days at inter under jose though playing out on the wing. His workrate was exceptional back then. My main reasoning for thinking he would be lazy was because of where he has been playing his football the last couple of years and his age.

Got to admit I hadn't seen much of him. I remember him in his days at inter under jose though playing out on the wing. His workrate was exceptional back then. My main reasoning for thinking he would be lazy was because of where he has been playing his football the last couple of years and his age.

 

 

Fair enough. No, even in Russia, a model professional. He's cut from the same cloth as Ibrahimovic or Jose, the kind of people whose mouth suggests a habit of unprofessionalism whereas that could not be further from the truth.

 

I do think his experience, and the fact that he gets far more opportunities in a game than Torres/Ba, will make him first choice for Mourinho. He is definitely better at playing with Hazard etc. than Torres and Ba who were largely one-man counter-attacks in their prime.

Have you never watched Eto'o at any point in his career?

 

A cheating, mouthy, whingy, cocky son-of-a-bitch he may have been, but never lazy (even in Rjikaard's optional-defending team), and brilliantly creative for himself and for others.

 

Couldn't finish a ham sandwich until the 30th attempt though, not now, not back at Barca, not ever.

 

how can you get on Eto'o for not finishing???? the man is CLUTCH - end of story

I have no idea what "clutch" means

I have no idea what "clutch" means

it means when the pressure is on eto'o is the man you want, to even question his finishing over his career is one of the craziest things you could do

I think blind loyalty in the face of statistics that say otherwise is crazier.

I didn't say he was a bad striker. I said he wasn't clinical It's not a criticism, it's an observation.

Eto'o has been far better than Torres has been at any point of his Chelsea career, and in an ideal world our strike force next season would be whoever we're looking to bring in(ie. Diego Costa, Rooney or Mandzukic), Lukaku and Eto'o, and that is a strikeforce as good as any other in the world.

 

It will be a shame if he does leave at the end of the season.

Edited February 10, 201412 yr by Jonty

Eto'o has been far better than Torres has been at any point of his Chelsea career, and in an ideal world our strike force next season would be whoever we're looking to bring in(ie. Diego Costa, Rooney or Mandzukic), Lukaku and Eto'o, and that is a strikeforce as good as any other in the world.

 

It will be a shame if he does leave at the end of the season.

 

I think he's already signed an agreement with someone for next season.  He was always only going to be here for a year, but I'm glad we had him.  Hopefully he gets a Prem winners medal as a souvenir.

His legacy here is already set and there are still many games left to play in the season. He keeps improving too which is why I wish we had signed him to a 2 year deal because it has taken Sam months to recover from Siberia, poor soul. Eto'o was our rock at the front at the Etihad. #unsunghero

Was very good again. It is easy to see the main difference between him and Torres; Eto'o is relaxed and Torres very very serious.

He always tries to trick people especially keepers which is very much within the rules of the game. Not sure if he tricked the defender to get the penalty. I'm not talking about cheating or diving, I hate that. But a bit of a tongue in the cheek type of trickery.

He's been a good signing and I'm sure when the games get tougher Eto'o gets better. You can see he loves the big occasions. Same as DD.