[Archived] Di Santo -

[den]

you can turn the drogba comparison around and name hundreds who were great players and as good as they were ever going to get at 20 years old and very, very few that got significantly better in the attacking departments after 20.

Don't be saying things like that BRFC1995, you'll get hung and quartered.

Strikers mature early and don't improve much after a certain age - my, my

drawn as well!

[nicko]

Nicko he's had about 4 one on one's and fluffed the lot.

I'm not saying we're creating chance after chance for him, but he should be sitting pretty on 4-5 goals right now - not 1.

I agree totally that his finishing has to be better. But he has scored goals before, so it is not a physical defect.

It is in the boy's head. You can see his face when he misses one, he is tensing up.

That changes with one thing...a goal that gets him going.

Once he adds that to his game on a regular basis he is just about the complete striker. His reading of the game, runs off the ball, strength on it, touch and balance are exceptional for someone of his age.

[Bobby G]

nicko is spot on.

Technically he is a great player. He has the whole package but needs to add goal scoring to it.

Im also impressed by the variety of shots he takes and they are usually on target, with his left or right foot.

One on one composure is missing definitely.

I still have faith in him.

[John]

I agree totally that his finishing has to be better. But he has scored goals before, so it is not a physical defect.

It is in the boy's head. You can see his face when he misses one, he is tensing up.

That changes with one thing...a goal that gets him going.

Once he adds that to his game on a regular basis he is just about the complete striker. His reading of the game, runs off the ball, strength on it, touch and balance are exceptional for someone of his age.

Same with Kalinić then.....

[T4E]

I actually agree with you there John. Kalinic has shown as much promise as Di Santo has.

[Amo]

I don't know why Sam is averse to playing Di Santo & Kalinic together. It's not like we can be anymore toothless than usual, and I think the two would complement one another.

[Majiball]

Who knows Topman, perhaps we'll get our wish at Wigan!!

[BPF]

I don't understand the blind optimism towards him.

"He is going to start scoring, no doubt!"

"He is clearly a natural goalscorer"

When, in his entire (although short) career has he shown this to be the case?

[John]

No mention of Di Santo: Chelsea boss won't make striker additions

[John]

No mention of Di Santo: Chelsea boss won't make striker additions

Also: Ancelotti confirmed yesterday that he has no plans to recall Franco Di Santo and Michael Mancienne from loan spells at Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively

[Majiball]

Having players out on loan is very italian as they loan playersleft right and centre.

He'll end up going back to Chelsea in the summer and they'll make their decision on hm then. We just have to hope that he scores a few but not too many and doesn't impress too much during pre-season next year so they'll let him go.

Trouble is I thought he was very highly rated at Chelsea?

[BRFC1995]

i'll get shot down for saying it by some but i am 99% sure now its in his contract to start every game he is fit for, i'll bee 100% if he's in on monday.........we have'nt good enough strikers there was a reason we picked up wins with 1 up and there is a reason we are wide open with 2 up added to the fact the change has done absolutely nothing to make us more attractive, long periods of todays game were mind numbing. 5 in midfield for me until some quality comes through the door

[MeanGreenMachine]

Having players out on loan is very italian as they loan playersleft right and centre.

He'll end up going back to Chelsea in the summer and they'll make their decision on hm then. We just have to hope that he scores a few but not too many and doesn't impress too much during pre-season next year so they'll let him go.

Trouble is I thought he was very highly rated at Chelsea?

We can only hope he scores plenty in pre season for them. Why does running around alot and winning the odd header make him some sort of bloody wonderkid?

[Tom]

Bit of an enigma this one, there's promise there for sure but how much is debatable. The original figures of £6m or so are looking way way too high, at the minute a deal of about a million or two rising to £3m would be about right.

[MeanGreenMachine]

Dont get me wrong, his touch is good 9/10 and he puts a decent shift in but the way people talk him up is pathetic, a couple of million tops i would pay, because strikers are paid to score goals, and he cant.

[thenodrog]

Bit of an enigma this one, there's promise there for sure but how much is debatable. The original figures of £6m or so are looking way way too high, at the minute a deal of about a million or two rising to £3m would be about right.

We should propose any deal based on goals scored.

[Amo]

If we had some half-decent wingers, I think we'd get more out of his guy. As it stands, I don't think he is suitable to lead the line. We need players like McCarthy and Kalinic, who've shown they can create something out of nothing.

[Tom]

We should propose any deal based on goals scored.

The problem will be finding a mutually appealing deal, Chelsea will want a good amount back for him or will think its pointless to sell and they may as well loan him out a few more times before deciding, and we wont want to pay a lot up front based on his current goalscoring prowess.

I suppose this is the challenges faced with any player purchase though.

[BRFC1995]

The problem will be finding a mutually appealing deal, Chelsea will want a good amount back for him or will think its pointless to sell and they may as well loan him out a few more times before deciding, and we wont want to pay a lot up front based on his current goalscoring prowess.

I suppose this is the challenges faced with any player purchase though.

or just send him back and look elsewhere.......right now he would'nt be missed, here's a crazy idea play the guy we spent 6m on not to score goals???????????

[Bing]

It's pointless paying any money for a striker if we're going to just hoof the ball up to him and/or rely on Robbo launching balls into the opposition box from set pieces. We might as well buy Steve Howard and Jon Parkin.

[RevidgeBlue]

Wasn't at the Wigan game but on Radio Lancs Jason Wilcox observed that we lack any sort of attacking threat because none of our strikers give opposition defences anything to think or worry about.

In his view we needed someone who was always on the shoulder of the last defender,a Michael Owen (at his best) type as it were.

[Bing]

If Di Santo played for an Everton or Fulham he'd have 8 goals this season. He has all the attributes to be a top centre forward.

People highlight the 3/4 one-on-one chances he's missed this season. It only highlights our woeful lack of creativity. All strikers miss chances. Crouch missed a glorious chance last week when he was through but Spurs created other chances in the game and he bagged two. Our strikers have probably had as many chances all season that strikers at other clubs have in a single game.

[RevidgeBlue]

If Di Santo played for an Everton or Fulham he'd have 8 goals this season. He has all the attributes to be a top centre forward.

I'm not in the least bit convinced by him. He doesn't have any eye for goal at all imo.

[FourLaneBlue]

In his view we needed someone who was always on the shoulder of the last defender,a Michael Owen (at his best) type as it were.

Could Hoilett perhaps do that?

[thenodrog]

If Di Santo played for an Everton or Fulham he'd have 8 goals this season. He has all the attributes to be a top centre forward.

People highlight the 3/4 one-on-one chances he's missed this season. It only highlights our woeful lack of creativity. All strikers miss chances. Crouch missed a glorious chance last week when he was through but Spurs created other chances in the game and he bagged two. Our strikers have probably had as many chances all season that strikers at other clubs have in a single game.

It's increasingly apparent that Di Santo is only useful with his back to goal. Three typical centre forward strikes from yesterday Rodallega for Wigan, Nugent for Burnley and Bent for Sland are simply not in his locker.