For convenience, here are the stats of all four strikers, painfully compiled.

Didier Drogba #11

was last season's top scorer in the EPL with 20 goals, slightly higher than 1 goal every 2 games. He hit 33 in all competitions. The breakdown of his 33 goals is; 20 in the Premier League, 6 in the UEFA Champions League, 3 in the FA Cup and 4 in the Carling Cup (League Cup). Among the highlights were scoring winners from outside the penalty area against Liverpool, Everton and FC Barcelona, a 93rd minute equaliser against Barcelona at the Camp Nou and both Chelsea's goals in their 2-1 Carling Cup final win over Arsenal. He also notched two hat-tricks; one against Watford and the other against Levski Sofia in the Champions League, Chelsea's first hat-trick in European competition since Gianluca Vialli in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1997. In his last competitive game that season, he scored the winning goal over Manchester United in the first FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium in the 25th minute of ET, fond memories for us Chelsea fans.

In January 2007 Drogba was crowned the Ivorian Player of the Year, beating off opposition from such players as Lille's Kader Keita, Lens' Aruna Dindane, and Arsenal's Kolo Toure. In March, he was named African Footballer of the Year for the first time.

Drogba is also the Captain of Cote d'Ivore.

Andriy Shevchenko #7

Shevchenko has had a troubled first season at Chelsea, to say the least.

He scored a total of 14 from 51 games with 4 in the Premiership.

Shevchenko has 74 caps and 33 goals for the Ukraine national team, whom he represented at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

He is also the Captain of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Premier League Top Scorer: 1998-99

Serie A Top Scorer: 1999-2000, 2003-04

European Footballer of the Year: Winner in 2004, 3rd in 1999 and 2000, 4th in 2003, 5th in 2005, 8th in 2001, Nominated in 1998 and 2006

FIFA World Player of the Year: 3rd in 2004, 5th in 2000, 6th in 2005, 7th in 1999, 9th in 2001, 10th in 2003, 21st in 2006

UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 1998-99, 2000-01, 2005-06

Ukrainian Footballer of the Year: 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005

UEFA Champions League Best Forward: 1998-99

Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year: 2000

Member of the FIFA 100

Ukraine National Team Top Goalscorer

Second all-time scorer in the history of European club competitions[22]

Second all-time scorer in the history of A.C. Milan[23]

#14 Claudio Pizarro

His Chelsea career got off to a good start, scoring a goal on his debut on the opening weekend of the 07/08 English Premier League season.

He is the Captain of Peru.

Bayern Munich

Pizarro was a key player in Bayern's Bundesliga and German Cup double in 2003.

Pizarro carried out his training with Bayern Munich without failure, so that he could assist Bayern's competing in six different tournaments in next months and to defend the titles of the Champions League / the Bundesliga. His debut could not have been more auspicious, since he scored his first goal with the Bavarian team in the fourth minute of the game against Schalke (the second date of the Bundesliga 2001-2002). The "Bomber", or sometimes called "Inca God" by the media, begun on a good foot with Bayern Munich and the projection of his career in the short and medium term continues to be very optimistic.

Honours

Bundesliga: 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06

German Cup: 2003, 2005, 2006

FIFA Intercontinental Cup: 2001

Pizarro played for Peru in the 2007 Copa Am?rica, scoring two goals against Bolivia.

#21 Salomon Kalou

Chelsea manager Jos? Mourinho has spoken highly of Kalou, praising the young Ivorian as being hardworking, versatile, eager to improve, and unafraid of the physical side of the game.

Kalou has scored 6 goals in 27 apperances.

He is a forward, but he is also capable of playing on the wing. He has a preference for playing on the left wing as this gives him opportunities to cut inside and take shots with his right foot (which is his favoured foot). However, he can also put in fairly accurate crosses.

He plays for Cote d'Ivore alongside team-mate Drogba.

In recent times though, he has been deployed more often as a striker, and less often as a winger.

Kalou scored his first Premiership goal in December 2006 in Chelsea's 3-2 victory over Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium. He scored his second Premiership goal against Blackburn in Chelsea's 3-0 win. He also scored a 93rd minute goal against Watford, taking Chelsea up 1-0. He also scored a volleyed goal from 12 yards against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup Quarter-Final, which ended 3-3. Chelsea won the replay 1-2, before progressing to the final with a similar scoreline against Blackburn Rovers. Kalou also played in the 2007 FA Cup final win over Manchester United.

Now that you have all the information, it's time to vote.

Vote according to starting lineups.

A wide array of options is available, depending on Mourinho's fancy to play 4-3-3 or 4-4-2. It is possible of course to have 4 strikers on the pitch at the same time. One possibility is to have Drogba and Shevchenko forward, Pizarro in the hole and Kalou as a winger.

There may be trouble ahead for you by only asking this question of "gentlemen" only!

Still, what do girls know about football? They only watch it for all those pumping thighs, eh ladies? (and Brian M!)

Newbie's going poll crazy, Kenny boy. It's like giving a baby, crack, I tell ya!

PS: pumping thighs? We might have just stumbled onto an explanation about why I have a fixation with Jimmy...

PPS: I voted 'Drogba (hole)'. Not because I understood the poll enough to offer an intelligent opinion, but because the words Drogba and hole in such close proximity caused my cod-piece to fly across the aft deck quicker than a Gronk cross hitting Row Z...

well I voted for dd and kalou, but would love to see Sheva get a game

Newbie's going poll crazy, Kenwyn. It's like giving a baby, crack, I tell ya!

PS: pumping thighs? We might have just stumbled onto an explanation about why I have fixation with Jimmy...

Hey! What do you think you're doing? Outing me by using my real name!

Anyway, Cyberworm 314, thanks for completely frying my brain on a Sunday morning, with your endless poll permutations. I now barely have enough grey matter left to coordinate eating my egg'n'bacon, which is now dribbling in very unsexy fashion down my chin and onto my lap.

I'm praying there aren't another 313 uber-geeks out there, spawned by John Motson!

Personally I'd play SWP as central striker, with you in the hole and JT with the shovel.

It seems intellectualy stimulating discussion is beyond some people.

Oh, and you're welcome.

For only one match a week, I would have thought more people would be interested in the posisble permutations of 1+

3 international captains.

Intellectual please!

It seems intellectualy stimulating discussion is beyond some people. Intellectual please!

Ah, the truth hurts. Wear it like a badge! Still, look on the up-side. You could be posting here:

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/

...makes this place look like a f*cking Mensa convention!

It seems intellectualy stimulating discussion is beyond some people. Intellectual please!

Ah, the truth hurts. Wear it like a badge! Still, look on the up-side. You could be posting here:

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/

...makes this place look like a f*cking Mensa convention!

I got banned from there for not reaching the expletives requirement of 12 per post. And also for using polysyllabic words, as it confuses the moderators (much like on here!)

Don't worry about Brian cyberworm - he is just upset that one of your options wasn't 'Sell them all and buy Kris Boyd, David Healey and Patrick Kluivert'

Personally I would go with Drogba and Sheva in a partnership up front. NOw that it looks like we are going back to playing with two wingers rather than the dreaded diamond this should hopefully suit Shevachenko a lot better and we yet see the class striker that Milan got for all those years.

I said this in my other topic, the one I started about Villa's upcoming match, and I'll say it again.

The reason why I've gotten so used to the tag of Gentlemen your opinion:

Firstly, it is a very sleek presentation of questioning your panellists in the studio (in the context of a footballing match) about their thoughts.

Secondly, here in Asia where John Dykes and co. represent Espn Starsports in presenting the EPL matches, that is what he usually says.

Thirdly, his entire panel is male.

If there are any members of the opposite sex who happen to view this and are offended,

I would like to holistically and sincerely apologize for any psychological damage I have caused by apparently slighting the weaker sex and dismissing their parlance and relevance to modern-day English football.

Although I may be new to the forums, I'm familiar with Chelsea's issues-

and some of you may have noticed I tend to be quite detailed in my posts.

One reason for this is for the benefit of readers so they may have a more complete picture of the scenario.

If there are any members of the opposite sex who happen to view this and are offended,

I would like to holistically and sincerely apologize for any psychological damage I have caused by apparently slighting the weaker sex and dismissing their parlance and relevance to modern-day English football.

I expect some compensation for the distress you have caused me.

drogba and sheva I reckon, once sheva is fit.

It seems intellectualy stimulating discussion is beyond some people.

You're gonna do great here, mate.

Sheva+Drogba.

okay, who voted for sheva and pizarro flanking drogba?

I'm pretty sure that much of last seasdon was Drogba upfront with 10 players trying to hit it up to him with long punts!

I'm pretty sure that much of last seasdon was Drogba upfront with 10 players trying to hit it up to him with long punts!

So many replies...so little time...

To cut to the chase:

On top form, the two best strikers at the club are Drogs and Sheva. Unfortunately, the last time Sheva was anywhere near top form was somewhere around 2003.

So, if we are going to play with two strikers, it is Drogba plus whoever is (1) in best form (2) linking up the best with Drogba. Currently that is probably Pizarro.

If we are going to play a front three - forget about playing any of the above mentioned players on the wing. It just doesn't work. The only choices for wide-forwards in a 4-3-3 are Malouda, Cole, SWP, Kalou and Sinclair.

Dunno G4, but thtat is madness!

I think that there are many permitations for our striker conundrum, ans as of yet this season we are not even sure if Sheva is going to play?! I like 2 upfront with wingers, and Drogba has even said that he likes to play with a secondary striker. Also, lest we forget, Drogs had his great season last year with sheva up in support.

I like Kalou, and his versatility as either a striker or winger is an added bonus. I like him in behind Drogs, and later having Pizarro on instead of Kalou, also partnering Drogs.

Any way you look at it, Drogs is such a threat upfront; his phyisical presence is immense, and if he just shoots rather than trying to mess around with step overs, then he is great. Drogs doesn't have much in the way of total touch, but he more than makes up for that through strength and shot ability. I feel someone with touch and vision is the perfect partner for Drogs. To me that person was Sheva, but I fear he's to old and slow now, so i think Drogs and Pizarro would be the best striker combo

Scott

Drogba and Pizarro, Kalou on the bench, Shevchenko in the stands.

There have been rumours, especially in brit papers that ronaldinho has been in talks with Russian the Great.

It will be most interesting if he comes to the Bridge.

Then Mourinho will be pulling his hair out all day.

Since we haven't seen Sheva yet it's really difficult to say who should play.

So far I would say Drogba and Pizarro together. Kalou hasn't been good enough and might be good to throw in with 15 minutes to go.

Hope Sheva will be back soon so we might see what he can do for us. What is wrong with him by the way?

I volunteer to answer that.

Hope Sheva will be back soon so we might see what he can do for us. What is wrong with him by the way?

Nothing.

Well, not really nothing.

Factor #1: He previously suffered from a back injury.

THis injury kept him out of Chelsea's first three games.

However, he has already recovered from this injury. He demonstrated this by playing for Ukraine during last midweek for 55 minutes, creating quite a few goalscoring opportunities, which we as Chelsea fans should take encouragement for.

Factor #2: No match fitness.

This was built upon by factor #1 as it was difficult to get in proper fitness training with his back problem.

That is why, having already played for Ukraine and being short of match fitness, I hypothesise that he was not available

to play Portsmouth.

I confidently predict that we will receive more news this week about Shevchenko.

I foresee Drogba and Shevchenko making their first starts up front with Pizarro and Kalou in the stands

i mean, on the bench.

By the way:

Drogba and Pizarro, Kalou on the bench, Shevchenko in the stands

I have told that joke to quite a few of my classmates who find it very amusing.

Sarcasm aside, I compliment you, SydneyChelsea, for being gifted for an especially provoking sense of humour.

If there are any members of the opposite sex who happen to view this and are offended' date='

I would like to holistically and sincerely apologize for any psychological damage I have caused by apparently slighting the weaker sex and dismissing their parlance and relevance to modern-day English football. quote]

weaker? it just get better and better!

If there are any members of the opposite sex who happen to view this and are offended,

I would like to holistically and sincerely apologize for any psychological damage I have caused by apparently slighting the weaker sex and dismissing their parlance and relevance to modern-day English football.

Surely not weaker? I mean, who came first, the man or the woman?