He tends to get caught going too far forward which can leave his club susceptible to the counter-attack
He tends to get caught going too far forward, which can leave his club susceptible to the counter-attack. With counter-attacks being one of the trademarks of English football, he is going to have to be a little less selective with the runs he makes. Also, for a guy his size, I think he is a little soft. He will have to prove his toughness, while not committing silly fouls, if he hopes to make regular appearances for Chelsea. Luckily, he will likely get lots of support from notorious “hard men” John Terry and Michael Essien and one of the classiest central defenders in the EPL, countryman Ricardo Carvalho.With capable defenders like Juliano Belletti and Paulo Ferreira (don’t forget Essien can play right back) waiting in the wings, if Bosingwa does not produce early, expect him to be another star who is lost in the shuffle.Performance at Euro 2008: I was highly disappointed with Bosingwa’s performance. In the group stage, he appeared solid, but that was only because he did not have to play a Premier League caliber striker (Nihat and Baros do not count). His first real test came against the Germans, where he was exposed.
To be fair, the whole Portuguese back four was exposed (which is made up of three Chelsea players). He was run ragged by Podolski and Klose, and was definitely at fault for the first goal. When he ventured forward he looked dynamic, but when called into defense he was inadequate. If that performance is any indication of how he does against classy strikers, Chelsea fans may be looking at another expensive disaster.Overall: I just don’t think this will be a good fit They already have Ashley Cole to fly up the left wing They should have pursued a more defensive-minded right back. Chelsea has enjoyed its greatest success when they have played a more defensive minded game, and for that style, Bosingwa looks a square peg. I think you will see more of Essien in the back, and I’d bet on Chelsea being in the market for a true right back come midseason.See Him in Action: http:// Samir NasriAge: 20Country: FranceFormer Club: Olympique de MarseilleCurrent Club: ArsenalPrice Tag: Around £13 millionBackground: Nasri, a Marseille native, was another one of the most sought-after signatures in the EPL this year At just age 20, the attacking midfielder oozes potential.
He beat out French rising star, Karim Benzema, for French young player of the year in Ligue 1. Though he has not technically signed for Arsenal, all sides claim that it is a done deal and has been for weeks. Arsenal was in need of help in the midfield after losing Alexander Hleb (probably to F.C. Barcelona) and Mathieu Flamini (AC Milan).Nasri will be expected to help fill the hole left by the departing stars. Not to worry, though, he will still be aided by the services of Cesc Fabregas, who seems like a perfect mentor for the Frenchman.Positives: Like Modric, Nasri is a wizard with the ball. In France, he constantly showed a deft touch, as well as the desire to make others around him better. He is a well-built kid, who will likely be unfazed by the tough tackles he will likely encounter.He also gives Arsenal another player who can create chances by his own sheer brilliance, as he is adept at taking on defenders. He is almost the prototypical Wenger midfielder, whose selfless attitude and deft touch should turn him into a hit at the Emirates. He also stopped bleaching that horrific, wannabe Beckham Mohawk into his hair, which rivaled David Bentley’s for the worst Mohawk in Europe.Negatives: While he has done well at Marseille, he has yet to make a large impact on the senior French National Team However, that is not necessarily his fault. Many in the French media were shouting for French coach Raymond Domenech to start Nasri over 68 year-old Claude Makelele. However, Nasri only saw the field for 32 minutes, and was unable to make an impact.