News reports today suggest that Saloman Kalou is about to agree a new deal at Chelsea. It’s easy to see why Chelsea might be marshalling him towards putting pen to paper, but there’s another side to the coin…
When Kalou joined Chelsea back in 2006, he looked a promising player. Perhaps a little inconsistent – especially in the final third – Kalou was at least dynamic, energetic and positive in possession.
Three years on, Kalou is still all of those things (and he’s chipped in with a fair number of goals in his those years too, scoring at a rate just under one goal in every four games). But, sadly, he’s still no more than that – a player that looks to have potential. At 24 years of age, is that enough?
Compared with Malouda, whose constant refusal to take responsibility on the pitch used to infuriate me before his renaissance under Hiddink, Kalou was a godsend. He has never lacked the will to take a man on, drive towards the byline or take on an ambitious shot at goal, and his work-rate is beyond question. But he looks the same player he did three years ago, scoring the same number of goals (seven in his first two seasons and six last), making the same kinds of runs and mistakes.
Most frustratingly, his three years of experience haven’t improved his decision making in the final third. In two recent appearances against Porto and Wigan his lack of either composure or top class footballing intelligence was clear to see, time and again letting down his own good approach play (and that of his team-mates) by attempting the wrong pass or, more often than not, taking on a shot at goal when it just wasn’t ‘on’.
Can this footballing intelligence be taught? Whilst I suspect that the clichéd ‘good football brain’ comes bundled with the best players, I do think it can be picked up or enhanced (for me Joe Cole’s immeasurable improvement under Mourinho is evidence of that). But after three years at Chelsea I have my concerns for Kalou – he just hasn’t added it to his game. The devil’s advocate might point the finger at Chelsea’s coaching: Arsenal have been rumoured to be interested in the Ivorian, and it isn’t hard to envisage Wenger making more of his talents.
As one of the only players in the Chelsea squad willing to run at defences with the ball at his feet, Kalou does bring value to the side. He also brings youth to a team full of 30+ year olds and, in the face of the FIFA transfer ban, the club can’t afford to haemorrhage players. Bearing all that in mind, Kalou signing a new deal is definitely the right move for the club, and we certainly wouldn’t want to see him move to a rival for free.
But, when he does sign up, both the Chelsea management and fans should demand improvements from Kalou that see him finally deliver on his potential.
What do you think of Kalou? Would you give him a new deal? Post a comment…
You got to keep in mind that Kalou hasn´t been a starting player during these years. If he would be playing in a team where he is consistently playing full games with the same lineup, I bet we would see him develop way better than in Chelsea.
Still, I don´t want Kalou starting on the pitch in important games. And I don´t want to sell him either. He´s got a nice habit of coming in as a sub and scoring important goals.
Pretty sad but I believe what Kalou need is one or two bad injurys in the squad for him to really start advancing.
Posted by: Jonas of Sweden | 09 October 2009 at 13:49
I agree that kalou not improve as we hope in this 3 years....maybe we should get another young promising talent to replace him...
or maybe give kalou place to sinclair or stoch or even borini....
everybody says that sinclair have a lot of potential but if he not get enough playing time it`s useless...isn`t??
Posted by: syd_master | 09 October 2009 at 17:51