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Gonzalo Higuain

Semper Fi
in General Chelsea FC

Featured Replies

16 minutes ago, Barry Bridges said:

He's only 6'1?!??!  I thought he was my height for some reason......

6'1" is a good height. How tall are you? I am 6'2.5"

Quote

 

Gianfranco Zola has insisted Gonzalo Higuain can make the same instant impact in the Premier League for Chelsea as he did.

Higuain is set to make his debut in the FA Cup Fourth Round against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday having completed a loan deal from Juventus.

Chelsea’s new signing has been questioned in some quarters as he is 31 and is coming in the middle of the season, which means he has little time to adapt to a new country and division.

But Zola was 30 when he made the move from Parma in November 1996 and went on to win the Football Writers’ Player of the Year six months later. He spent seven years at Stamford Bridge and is regarded as one of the greatest in the club’s history.

Higuain has the benefit of working under manager Mauricio Sarri, who was his coach at Napoli when he set a Serie A record of 36 goals with Napoli.

"Zola, who is now Chelsea’s assistant manager, said: “He's coming late, but he's coming in a team that plays a system he knows very well, so this is a big advantage. 

“Here there are the type of players will help him to do what he can do best.

“The conditions are good. There is no problem there. Simple as that.

“What I always thought when I first came over here was to read the League, read the weaknesses of the League, but also the potentials, don't underestimate and have an open mind. That's what allowed me to get into the system quickly. 

“With him it's going to be the same. I'm sure he's going to be looking at defenders, saying 'oh those defenders tactically make some mistakes', which is true sometimes. 

“The intensity and the physicality of the game you have here, I'm sure he'll be studying it, reading the situations and using his ability to get the goals that we need.

“I'm sure there are big expectations. I'm also Gonzalo is used to it. He's played for big clubs. Real Madrid, Juventus, Napoli. I'm sure he can handle these expectations. 

“He's always produced good numbers wherever he's been. This is not a team that is desperate. It's a team that needs to add certain qualities to what it already has. We're going to help Higuain to get his goals, but also Higuain will help the team if he scores.”

Higuain has struggled on loan at AC Milan this term, scoring just eight goals before asking for his season-long loan at the San Siro to be cut short in order to go to Stamford Bridge.

Some pundits have questioned whether he is now past his best, but Zola added: “It is exactly the same questions they posed when I came over here. It is the same question you pose when players come here. 

“Yes, we know he's coming from a different league, maybe a league where the intensity and rhythms are lower than the Premier League, but we're talking about a player who has scored not only in Italy, but everywhere, also in the Champions League.

“We are talking about a top player. I'm confident he can give something to the team and that the team will give him something. There is a lot of positive things that can happen.

“Twenty years ago, 15 years ago, I would've said coming here it's a difficult age. Now with the level of professionalism and with the resources that the players have, 31 is a good age. There is not a doubt about that. Plus the age relates to the person. It seems he takes care of himself.”

 

 

 

    20 hours ago, dan_cfc said:

    Loved the celebrations from him at the end there already looks part of the group, he must have been licking his lips at some of the chances we had today played some lovely stuff.

    Yes, this is something I noticed.  He seemed to settle in straight away.  I think a combination of knowing Sarri, having a few Spanish speakers here, and others familiar with Serie A will all help.  He just looked like he loved football, and winning.  I couldn't imagine Morata doing that; I'd think of him sitting in the back of the dugout with his chin tucked into his coat.

    That's the typical mentality of many players from Argentina, they just want to go ham at any possible occasion and they are not shy to show confidence. This attitude is really helpful most of the times. Higuain will have a few easier games on paper first, that should help him out to adapt faster.

    Last game Giroud could have had a hat-trick, if Higuain makes half of the chances that Giroud had this last game this loan move will pay off.

    On 24/01/2019 at 23:00, ForeverCarefree said:

    Only been in England for a day and already reached more cup finals than Harry Kane.

    Oh this is just too good. I remember when we used to have something on the site for best posts, or it was something like that anyway. This post would definitely have made it on there :biggrin:

    •
    20 hours ago, Skinnedy said:

    Have to admit, I've been walking around the house chanting Gonzalo.... HIGUAIN... All day

    That would sound amazing at somewhere like Wembley with an all round enclosure, its  like a war chant, at the bridge it would be a no no, you wouldn't get the crowd participation

     

    12 hours ago, Munkworth said:

    He’s no Neil Barnett :rolleyes:

     

    10 minutes ago, Ballack & Blu said:

    That would sound amazing at somewhere like Wembley with an all round enclosu??r???e

    PSG does a good job with this too. I went their for our Champions League game against them in 2016 and I was very impressed with the atmosphere (our tactic of hoofing aeriel duels to Costa between Luiz and Silva not so much. Don't think we won a header against those two in either game, but I digress). 

    1 minute ago, Skinnedy said:

    PSG does a good job with this too. I went their for our Champions League game against them in 2016 and I was very impressed with the atmosphere (our tactic of hoofing aeriel duels to Costa between Luiz and Silva not so much. Don't think we won a header against those two in either game, but I digress). 

    Dortmunds Signal Iduna Park would sound good

    • Author
    On 25/01/2019 at 10:18, Barry Bridges said:

    He's only 6'1?!??!  I thought he was my height for some reason......

    Only? lol

    Edited by Semper Fi

    • Author
    1 minute ago, dansubrosa said:

    Excited to see how he does today. 

    I’m hoping we will be like wow, what a truly elite striker! Rather than Meh at least he’s more effective than Morata

    Im just hoping he can stand on his legs at this point. Baby steps lol

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