An incredibly expensive sulk.

Every sixty seconds of frowning means a minute of happiness wasted.
This saying cannot be more true then when used to describe the two strikers Chelsea want to sign in January. One of the two moodiest and sometimes morbid players known to the footballing world will arrive at Stamford Bridge albeit with a hefty price tag.
The two players I’m referring to? Bolton Wanderer’s Nicolas ‘Incredible Sulk’ Anelka and Tottenham Hotspur’s brooding Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov.
Both players are supremely talented but both are incredibly moody too. Here’s what Berbatov’s former coach at Bayer Leverkusen Klaus Toppmoller once said about the Bulgarian captain, ‘He is one of the most skillful players I have ever seen but his play depends a lot on his mood. It is always a question of which Berba shows up on matchday. Will it be the moody unhappy soul who refuses to run or will the talented, hardworking and sometimes unplayable Berba report for work?’
This can also apply to Anelka who has had a reputation for wanting out when things don’t go his way – take a look at his spells with Arsenal, Real Madrid and PSG. Which do I prefer of the two? Well, it’s the ‘Incredible Sulk’ – and here’s why.
Attitude and Temperament
Anelka is 28-years-old this year and already has a long list of clubs on his CV. His tantrums at Arsenal and Real Madrid were well documented and this led to most clubs not wanting to take a chance with him, just in case he came in and disrupted the team dynamics with his bad temperament.
He has, to a degree, recognised the error of his ways nad has shut his mouth in recent years, finally understanding the fact that his bad reputation has cost him a place in more illustrious clubs with only Manchester City, Fenerbahce and Bolton taking him in.
He knows very well that this protracted move to Chelsea is his last chance, in his prime, to play for a title challenging side and if you have been following the last few days of transfer rumours, you will realise that amidst all the gossips and talks, Anelka himself has not come out to demand a move or say anything for that matter. The move clearly means a lot to him, a last chance saloon in many ways.
Playing Style
Anelka’s playing style means he can be deployed as a lone striker in the Christmas tree formation which Avram Grant favours. With such a one dimensional formation, you need a chief striker who has the strength to hold the ball up, the skill to breakthrough two central defenders and finally the pace to get past an offside trap which most teams deploy against us.
The Frenchman is one of the best in the business when it comes to leading the line on his own. Yes, he lacks defensive awareness and you won’t see him dropping deep to help out, but he will hover just in front of the defenders and wait for the through ball behind them.
His favourite move is to turn the defence while facing the ball and getting past them with his great burst of acceleration. Looking at how big his frame is, you wouldn’t think he had that in his locker.
Future
Why sign Anelka when Chelsea have one of the world’s best striker in Didier Drogba? Well, this dates back to Jose Mourinho. The Portugese has yet to take up another managerial job and has been rumoured to favour AC Milan and Barcelona. Drogba is just waiting and holding out till Mourinho decides his next club and you can be sure he will come raiding Stamford Bridge to take some of his trusted allies to whichever club he is at. Drogba will be at the top of his list and the Ivory Coast captain has publicly stated how much he misses Mourinho and that his loyalty lies with the Portugese loudmouth.
So with our chief striker threatening to leave every other week, Anelka’s signing this month would allow him to be eased into the team and come the end of the season, if Drogba does leave, the Frenchman will give us a ready made replacement in the same mould.
What I like about Anelka, if he does come, is his price tag. 16 million pounds for a player who is in his prime, and who has a proven track record at the highest level sounds like a good deal to me. After all, we spent 85 million pounds on Shevchenko so what is 16 million pounds when compared to that? A few drops of oil from Abramovich’s rigs I reckon.
So yes, I know we will have a moody striker at the Bridge in due time and, since, one of the two seems to be on their way, I say go for the cheaper alternative with a proven track record. Berbatov would be wonderful to have but considering the attitude he has displayed across town at Tottenham, what will happen when he arrives and sees a bigger ego (Drogba) starting ahead of him? More sulks and lip pouting. So if we are going to have to tolerate all that nonsense, why not go for the cheaper option?
My only advice for either player, no matter which one arrives, don’t waste a minute of happiness. Smile and enjoy your stay at the best club in London.