We should see a reaction. After a home match where there was not even a single decent shot on goal by Chelsea, the players would certainly be gutted. To play Hull City at their back yard now would be a very interesting match. If there is one in-form team, that is hull City. In their last 6 matches, they’ve won 5 and drawn 1. Currently they’re on a 4 match winning streak. It is Hull City I’m talking about!

I expect Scolari to do certain things. Firstly, he should drop the baggages on the stands or at least on the bench. If there is any justice in this world, Anelka should not start. I would drop Malouda too, if I have any half decent options. I’d play Kalou. He had a bad game against Liverpool but he was trying to do something and failed at it. At least, he was trying. I’m not trying to drop every player who had a bad game against Liverpool. Losing at home after a million years means a lot of players would have had a bad game. For instance, Deco was very poor, but I’m not gonna drop him against Hull City.

I would start with Franco di Santo. I will have Joe Cole on the right and Kalou on the left. To say that our lone striker would be Franco might while Anelka is fully fit in the bench, might sound outrageous but frankly it’s not a knee jerk reaction from me. I can bet all my fortune on Franco being a better choice than Anelka. Even if Felipao starts with Anelka and he scores a hattrick, I won’t change my mind. For the good of Chelsea FC, Franco should start. This move has a two-fold advantage. Anelka, Malouda etc should know that if they don’t play well consistently, their place will be gone. Another is, Franco should get a chance to play as much as possible.

Franco looks like a hybrid striker. He goes for long shoots, he dribbles within the penalty box, he passes to someone in the 6-yard box, he wins headers, he seems to have a bagful of tricks and skills. I feel it is Franco who can be a decent replacement for Drogba, and not Anelka. If you look for similarities, I’d say Franco is more similar to Drogba than Anelka, in terms of ball winning, work rate, jumping and heading, set piece mischief etc. In fact, Franco looks capable to receiving those long passes and make something out of them, like Drogba. He is quite tall and that really helps.

On current form, when Joe Cole is fit, Malouda shouldn’t even look at the team sheet. He can simply find a nice seat on the bench to watch the match. Returning from injury, Joe Cole may not be at his best. It’s been quite a long time since I saw him at his best. Other than bringing in Franco and Joe Cole for Anelka and Malouda, I wouldn’t change anything else. Hull City are supposedly looking forward to this match. Why not? Expect them to play attacking football and play to win. This should certainly help us in our open play.

If I’ve to predict, I’d say 2-1 to Chelsea. I mean I expect Hull City to score against us? May be, yes. Do I expect us to lsoe points tonight? No way. The players know that they have to come back and show that the Liverpool match was just an aberration, in an otherwise brilliant premier league run.

Finally, let me see if I’m all alone in my Anelka-bashing!

Should Anelka start tonight?

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