Anelka better with age
Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka says that he believes he has become a better player as he has got older each year.
Anelka is one of the main strikers at the club and plays regularly alongside the productive Didier Drogba. Anelka has scored 31 goals so far during his time at Chelsea but still believes he has more to offer.
Anelka seems to have settled down at Chelsea after a number of moves to various clubs. He is one of the club's main players and does not look as though he will join another club before the end of his career.
Anelka's game has matured a great deal and there are a number of things that he does during games now that were not evident in his game at a younger age. It's important he can be consistent this season as the club cannot rely on Drogba alone.
Matured with age
Anelka seems to have developed his game as he has got older. At 31 years of age he still has a few playing years left in him. He has gathered a knowledge of football from playing all over the world and he uses this experience to provide something different for Chelsea in the Premier League.
He is much more versatile than he used to be. During his time at Arsenal the club used him very much as a striker at the top of the pitch. However, now he drifts out wide to play on the wings, just off the main striker and he is still good enough to lead the front line by himself.
His touch in front of goal seems to have improved over time and he now scores goals that he may not have been able to convert in his earlier games. It can be very easy for younger players to want to score attractive goals all the time.
He said: "I have changed my role. I used to play as a striker, but at Chelsea I play more behind the striker or on the right of him. And I like to play that way. I am not a striker any more, not a centre-forward, as I want to enjoy the game more, be more involved."
Consistency is vital
There were times last season when Anelka looked a little off the boil in the middle of games for various reasons. Even though Chelsea won the title last season it's important for the club that he maintains concentration throughout a game as it could be the difference between winning and losing.
He will be the first to admit that he'd like to score more goals this season. Once he is in the side, Chelsea will become a very formidable opposition if they can get both Drogba and Anelka scoring on a regular basis.
He added: "In football you need to be versatile sometimes, because the most important thing is to win games and enjoy your football. I like to be part of the game, touch the ball and even to defend, and I can do this now. Some players have to change their game in their careers. I did, and I like it."
Betting advice
The fact that Anelka does not play that much by himself up front any more is reason enough not to back him to win the Premier League's golden boot by the end of the season.
He will score against the weaker teams in the Premier League and these goals will be vital to any end of season success that Chelsea manage to put together. Don't be afraid to have a punt on him from time to time in specific games.
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