We have surely seen enough of Anelka now to know without any doubt that we can not afford to rely on him. If we are serious about challenging on all fronts we need a new striker in January. Now you rarely get big players moving in January due to European commitments or the fact their clubs are challenging for titles.

As a result your options are limited (which is why we ended up with Anelka in the first place) however I think our need is so great that we need to take a chance and for me that chance should be on Michael Owen's fitness. If we make a move for him in Jamuary there is a very good chance we will get him and he will be far far far more useful than Anelka.

We have surely seen enough of Anelka now to know without any doubt that we can not afford to rely on him. If we are serious about challenging on all fronts we need a new striker in January. Now you rarely get big players moving in January due to European commitments or the fact their clubs are challenging for titles.

As a result your options are limited (which is why we ended up with Anelka in the first place) however I think our need is so great that we need to take a chance and for me that chance should be on Michael Owen's fitness. If we make a move for him in Jamuary there is a very good chance we will get him and he will be far far far more useful than Anelka.

fully agree. there must be no doubt in scolaris mind now that anelka just isnt good enough for us. that miss today was ridiculous, plus he was garbage the 1st half. his first touch was pathetic and a lot of our attacks just broke down on him. the problem is anyone coming in has to understand hes going to be backup to drogba, and is going to have to be able to play the lone striker role. that really narrows down the options.

Totally agree on Anelka. Never been convinced by him and I think he found his level at Bolton. Not sure Owen is the answer though. Maybe a stop gap?

I'm still of the opinion that we should have gone for Defoe when he left Spurs. Could see him and Drogba playing really well together and he scores wherever he goes. Make Pompey an offer they can't refuse in January - maybe let them have Anelka in part exchange?

Personally I am far more convinced by Owen than Defoe - I can't ever persuade myself that Defoe is not much different to Anelka, looks good in an average side but gets found out when surrounded by better players. His performances for England have never ever convinced me he has the quality to play at a level higher than what he has so far.

Personally, I would rather see us go for Huntelaar. Big, physical type of player, prolific goal scorer and quite young.

Another option would be Arshavin (whom I see more as a replacement for Malouda).

EDIT: I really can't see how either Owen or Defoe (or any other mid-table striker for that matter) could come good with us. I am sorry, but Owen is well and truly past it and Defoe is just not that good.

Edited September 21, 200816 yr by Virosh

I personally wouldn't write off Anelka, but yes we need another striker. At least Owen wouldn't need time to settle into the squad which would be a risk getting a foreigner in during January.

I'm a little pissed off that during the time Drogba has been injured, Di Santo didn't get a look in! Even bringing him on for 20-25 minutes at the end of a game, as opposed to 2 minutes in one game.

I personally wouldn't write off Anelka

With all due respect, Mod, what other proof do you need ?

He was bad today and has been sub-Chelsea-standard for the most of the time he's been with us. I like the guy and I see he wants to make it big, but enough is enough.

I think Benzema would be perfect for our team but the problem is that he will cost a fortune and he is also CL-tied. But we have to find a world-class striker in January and it`s no doubt about it. Anelka has never convinced me in the Chelsea-shirt and was yet again awful today. Drogba have had som troubles with injuries now and i doubt he will be back on the level he once was on.

I wouldnt be against us throwing our cap in the ring for Tevez at the very least it might force the mancs to pay more.

Arshavin is not an option if we want a striker that can play in the Champions League - Huntelaar ...err AJax aren't in the CL this year are they. Did they lose in the qualifiers? I thought they were runners up in the Dutch league last season. Aargh just saw they are in the UEFA Cup so they must have lost in the qualifying round.

Not sure if Huntelaar would be allowed to play CL football for us in that case.

Personally I have no concerns that Owen would be up to it. Even at Real Madrid he did well with very limited opportunities - Newcastle are a shambles and you can't judge anyone on what happens to them with the Geordies.

Owen has scored goals at every level against the very best defences - Huntelaar has mainly scored only in the Dutch league - I know which one I would say is the bigger gamble.

I wouldnt be against us throwing our cap in the ring for Tevez at the very least it might force the mancs to pay more.

I want an out and out goal scorer. Tevez doesn't tick that box for me.

we could've had david villa....michael owen and drogba, would be interesting!

I said back in August we should of went for Owen, and I'll stand by that. We could probably pick him up very cheaply too. We lost Pizarro and Shevchenko this season; both of which got a fair amount of games to be honest, so as a result I think there's plenty of opportunity to bring someone else to come in and for them to play a reasonable amount of matches.

Yep - new striker needed, and another poor purchase in the shape of Anelka, given he was a cool 15 million.

I really did have high hopes for him, as I thought his technique was top notch, even if his attitude wasn't, but it seems the former isn't good enough either.

Big shame. Who do we get to replace him?

Owen is an interesting shout, although his injuries worry me big time, and I would rather we discovered our own star, but given there are limited other options and he would come for cheap (which would make a f**king change) he does look like a good choice.

Or we actually give Di Santo a decent go in the 'smaller' games and see if he can make the step up. Big ask, sure, but the best players raise their game when given the chance, so if we have any faith in him, he needs to be given a chance at some point.

Huntelaar all the way for me. Owen is good and yes he is proven, but I'm really against all this signing just as stop gap coverage. I fear, with our track record of injuries, that Owen would spen more time on the physio's table than on the pitch. Also, seeing as we seem to stick with the solitary striker role, I don't think Owen suits that.

Not that Huntelaar has much experience in that role to my knowledge, but I could see him fill that role easier than Owen.

We definately need a striker, but wait a minute we have got Kalou (or maybe he is a winger) and Di Santo. I bet if he was playing for Man Utd or Arsenal he will be getting 10 mins here or there; Di Santo that is instead of bringing on Belletti. We really need to reduce the age of our squad, as we have Anelka, Drogba, Ballack, Deco, Belletti all pushing 30 which if we are not careful we might just turn into Milan one day (pls we dont need no Minero, why not Appiah or play Belletti or Ivanovic (remember him! as a Mikel Cover), even Ballack can play that role against small teams and bring on a youth team player.

Back to the subject of Strikers, We dont have to go too far, why not bid for Zaki from Wigan, or Ex-Wigan Striker Mario Zarate now of Lazio, both players are class. Scolari can earn his corn by buying a striker from South America!

Would certainly love to see us use some of the youngsters. I really don't see much difference between Scolari's usage of the youth players, and Jose's!

Di Santo really should be getting a place on the bench, at the very least! We are loading our bench with mainly defensive players.

Oh and Belletti or Ivanovich would certainly be better than signing yet another stop gap player!

I agree with almost everything said here:

-Di Santo shouldve gotten some solid minutes by now, considering we have had two blowouts. Frankly thats the only place where Scolari has disappointed me.

-I too am tired of stop gaps, and I feel like Anelka was one, but the fact of the matter is that he is best suited as a substitute. I dont know if a guy at 28 years of age, who has been a career-bouncer between clubs is really gonna "find it" here. Not when we have so many big games to play and cant take chances on someone like that.

-Overall, we are just too thin up front. Owen would be cheap, and while an injury risk, is proven. We saw it the other day in a losing effort that he is still clinical. On top of that he is my favorite premiership player ever and first got me into footy. My heart would swell with pride to wear a jersey with his name on the back. In my opinion the perfect partner for drogba: small, crafty, full of guile and capable of scoring from anywhere, which

Huntelaar is a good shout too. He is long term, and will be an absolutely amazing player. I would be happy with either him of little Michael. But we need someone reliable to lead the line.

-Even if Drogba comes back from injury and lights the league up, he is still 30. Injuries will be more frequent and he wont be around forever

I am all for Di Santo getting some playing time - my choice would be to replace Anelka rather than someone as well as Anelka.

I totally agree that Anelka has got to go, he's nowhere near good enough for us.

Di Santo - it might be that Scolari, who sees him every day in training thinks that he's not yet ready for the first team and to throw him in now might ruin him - we just don't know what his character is like.

Owen - I think to get someone largely because they can play in the champions league this year is not the right idea, it's too short sited and a mistake we made when we bought Anelka and I don't think he'd be that cheap.

I don't really follow European football that closely so I'm not too sure on who's out there but Huuntelar would seem like the obvious choice for me.

Thing is you'll never know unless you throw Di Santo into a real match situation, I know Drogba needs time on the pitch to sharpen up, but we should start with Di Santo against 'arry's boys, on his todd or together with Drogba. We could play with Sinclair and Kalou out wide in a more traditional 4-4-2.

Anelka was purchased for his goalscoring which hasnt happened, he is wasting a place that could go be shared by Kalou and Di Santo.

If we do buy a striker as back up, Michael Owen fits the job description, 'a proven goal poacher who can play 20+ games a season'.

I think we can't give up on Anelka. The thing is with Anelka that he is sort of 'too humble' amongst Lampard, Kalou, Joey and Malouda that he 'chooses' to give some space and opportunities to them as well. He needs to be as willing as Drogba to score everytime and every game. Drogba's biggest ability is inside his head IMO.

I think technically Anelka is better and more gifted but DD has so much will power to crush the ball in. Maybe Drogba's comeback helps Anelka too, you never know!

I hear Jimmy's a free agent, he'd have scored that at the weekend.......!

Are Ajax in the CL? What's Huntelaar doing...

AC Milan aren't, audacious bid for Gilardino?

Alas... Owen? Defoe?

AC Milan aren't, audacious bid for Gilardino?

He plays for Fiorentina now, he scored 2 against Lyon last week in the Champions League.

Edited September 22, 200816 yr by sweet waffle