Premier League - Anelka questions Everton

Eurosport - Wed, 08 Oct 15:09:00 2008

Eurosport blogger and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka mulls over how a lazy summer can impact on a club's season.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Chelsea Nicolas Anelka - 0

"I'm not going to comment on what Newcastle's stand-in manager Joe Kinnear said in that press conference, but it seemed to have some kind of effect on the players - coming from two down to draw at Everton is a good result by anyone's standards! Hopefully it will give them some confidence to build on.

On the other hand, Everton should be challenging the big teams but I did have a feeling that they would struggle to repeat last year's top-five finish. And now I really doubt they can come close to it.

They have started the season quite badly, and their recruitment in the summer did not match the level of their ambition.

Everton lost several players in important positions, but they did not bring enough of the right men in to replace them and to improve the team, while other clubs have made big signings. They will not do so well this season, I think.

Hull City, however, are a massive surprise. I hope that they continue in this way but it will be difficult because the season is long and a lot of things can happen.

They have made a very, very good start because in the summer they brought in loads of good players, players who can cut it at this level. I mean Geovanni played for Barcelona a few years ago and he is still pretty young!

I don't think their performance, and the good start by West Brom, says that the Championship is necessarily closing in on the Premier League.

What I do think it shows is that, if you are a well-run club like Hull, and you use the money you get for promotion in a clever, coherent way, that you can close the gap quite quickly.

And it also shows that the bigger clubs cannot be complacent with this kind of competition going on in the market.

Back to Chelsea, I came off during the 2-0 win against Aston Villa, but it was more of a precaution than anything else.

We have so many injuries at the moment that there was no point in risking losing another player. Joe Cole, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Didier Drogba, Alex, Michael Essien... It's getting a bit silly now!

I hurt myself before that match, in the Champions League draw with CFR Cluj, but it was just a little tightening in my thigh.

I suppose I could have played beyond half-time last weekend but it was decided that I should not come out for the second half in case I made it worse. The whole team played a really strong match and, after the game against Cluj, we were able to get back to a good level of play.

It is true that we have a lot of injuries at the moment, but we cannot complain too much because that is what happens in football and we have a strong squad to help in these times.

The short break we are getting for the international games should do us some good and we will try to hit the ground running on our return."

Nicolas Anelka / Eurosport

Comment 4 - 23 of 63

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  1. henry M you should shut up about Chelsea. Ten years ago you couldn't find anyone owning up to being a Chelski supporter now you get a moody sulking average player giving his opinion of other teams. I'd like to hear his opinion of how his brothers ****** up his career.
    How long before Abrom goes due to his money dissapearing the Chelski down to Championship league.....................

    From r.j.hall@..., on Wed 8 Oct 11:48AM

  2. DE, if you don't want to see 'Anelka this, Anelka that....' on YOUR SCREEN!!!, break your screen and shut your mouth. CHELSEA 4 LIFE

    From henry, on Wed 8 Oct 11:23AM

  3. If you think about it, when looking for opinions about premier league clubs Anelka is probably one of the best people to ask...afterall he has played for a quarter of them!

    From gard_scott, on Wed 8 Oct 11:17AM

  4. leave him alone these are just opinions that any of us would give if asked, get over the perception you have of the man because none of us truly knows him

    From Dave S, on Wed 8 Oct 11:06AM

  5. For thise if you who complain about anelka's views been posted....please take into consideration that he has played in almost all the prolific european leagues

    From Ahaoma U, on Wed 8 Oct 10:48AM

  6. Why do they keep posting Anelka's view...he isnt exactly the greatest player!! Its boring to always see 'Anelka this, Anelka that....' on MY SCREEN!!!

    From DE, on Wed 8 Oct 10:32AM

  7. its left for the coachs to develop a new idea

    From 4real, on Wed 8 Oct 10:07AM

  8. reply for message # 17, Anelka has been paid by EURO sport to give his opinion about EPL and other clubs ! its sad that some people take every thing on negative perspective, just read his comments and look at the brighter picture! he's been honest and he never tried to insult any one or any club! cheers ( BTW am not a chelsea fan)

    From shamsheer m, on Wed 8 Oct 9:53AM

  9. Why is Anelka's opinion asked for and printed? This is about the 3rd article where he opens his big gob and gives opinions on things he knows little about. Perhaps instead of pretending to be a Manager, he should concentrate on and start scoring goals for a change!

    From crispyduck, on Wed 8 Oct 9:34AM

  10. wots the big deal about moyes contract....I mean. wots he won....zilch and going close doesn't cut it anymore I'm happy as a red but you blues have really lost the plot

    From steviecalrow, on Wed 8 Oct 9:31AM

  11. Insightful stuff, Nic!

    From Mark, on Wed 8 Oct 9:30AM

  12. Anelka's right, so many managers think that mid-table is some kind of respectable achievement! Like the guy at Fulham who says: "I hope we do enough to stay in this league." If your manager is not showing ambition, and aim for the rooftops instead of the stars, you'll end up in the gutter fighting relegation! If all clubs believed the could win the Premiership, you'll find Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool etc, finishing lower down the table every other season. It's the managers who give a club ambition and attract good players, not the club.

    From TruthRaider, on Wed 8 Oct 9:19AM

  13. This article confirms what I have suspected from the start ie that it is ghost written. Le Sulk using the word "coherent"? Per-lease!

    From Buckaroo Banzai, on Wed 8 Oct 8:59AM

  14. HOW CAN HE BLOG AND COMPLAIN ABOUT OTHER TEAMS, HE IS USELESS. IF CHELSEA HAD BOUGHT SOMEONE LIKE GIOVANNI HE WOULD BE SCORING 2 EVERY GAME, ANELKA YOU ARE @#$% AND DONT EVER FORGET THAT!

    From MACA, on Wed 8 Oct 8:56AM

  15. Does the french tw*t ever stop talking @#$%

    From Richard, on Wed 8 Oct 8:56AM

  16. you sut ur @#$% and bitchy mouth

    From kao_bei, on Wed 8 Oct 8:47AM

  17. please "LA SILK" make sure your target scores for this season is 30 goals ..because we need all the trophy..this is your time to show planet football who really you are or you wont have that chance again...

    From lincorn, on Wed 8 Oct 8:33AM

  18. there's a reason why people call him le sulk!!!!!! Maybe in his early years did he show the ability to become world class, but if Wenger cannot even keep him happy then nobody can!!! And i dont even support Arsenal, but Wenger is a great manager.

    From largeskinnybear, on Wed 8 Oct 8:30AM

  19. Anelka is the last player expected to comment on other teams efforts. what has he acheived? a move to stamford bridge?... he has played for five clubs in 8 years and he thinks he's world class.

    From chijioke a, on Wed 8 Oct 8:19AM

  20. Emre

    Your judgement is better than Scolari is it?

    Four goals in 6.5 games at the highest level of club football in the world.

    I think any mug would admit that is a plus for the team, try to make a comment that makes sense next time.

    From JONATHAN T, on Wed 8 Oct 7:46AM
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