Pizarro makes his point
It is a fact he is acutely aware of, but his crucial intervention at St Andrews could prove a turning point for the Peruvian international.
The free-transfer from Bayern Munich in the summer has perplexed many with his total lack of impact, raising serious doubts about his presence at the club beyond this season, especially following the €22.5million signing of Nicolas Anelka from Bolton Wanderers, to supplement the obvious threat of Didier Drogba.
With Drogba participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, Anelka is the striker Avram Grant believes will supply the goals to ensure Chelsea remain within striking distance of Manchester United and Arsenal, until they are back up to full complement again. But Pizarro’s eclipse of the Frenchman could prove crucial to his own future as well as Chelsea’s attempts to wrest the title back from Old Trafford.
His first goal for 23 games and only his second in the Premier League was sufficient to secure Chelsea’s fourth straight victory, but it will have gone some considerable distance to easing Pizarro’s lack of confidence as he strives to come to terms with the hectic pace of the English game.
Birmingham have every right to have a persecution complex. Pizarro’s only other goal was against them in the 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the season. “Maybe they think that. I am happy to score the goal and it has given me a lot of confidence,” said Pizarro.
Pizarro has made only four starts in the Premier League and his 14th appearance as a substitute was only because of an ankle injury to Shaun Wright Phillips that is likely to sideline the England international for Wednesday’s Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Everton at Goodison Park. But Pizarro hopes that will give him a chance to build on the momentum he has created. “It’s not easy. You always need time to settle in when you come to a new team. It is more complicated for me, because I didn’t do pre-season with the team so I’m trying to get into good shape. But things are going well now,” he added.
“It gives you confidence and then you play better and you train better. It is a big challenge at Chelsea. There are a lot of players so it will be difficult for the trainer to choose the right players. What I am trying to do is make it difficult for the trainer. I like to play and I am trying to train well.
“And with the players away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, it’s better because it means I have more chances to play. I like to show what I can do. Now I want to be on the pitch in the next game as well.”
With the continued absence of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Andrei Shevchenko and Drogba, Chelsea’s efforts of late to close the gap have to be admired and Avram Grant believes there is a momentum with them that can be increased when the key players are available again.
Few clubs would be able to cope with such devastation to their resources and Grant knows it, saying: “It gives everyone at the club satisfaction to see these players getting results. It’s not easy. It’s big satisfaction. We are still in the race. When we were six points we said we wouldn’t give up and now it’s four points we won’t give up.”
That was certainly evident here. At no stage were Chelsea ever at their fluent best. They could easily have lost, with Sebastian Larsson shooting over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box and Petr Cech’s poor clearance bouncing off Cameron Jerome’s head and the post to safety.
Yet again, Birmingham worked tirelessly without reward and they still have not recorded a victory over a side in the top half of the table and remain out of the relegation places merely on goal difference. The 20 -minute cameo of €7.5million signing James McFadden will have inspired fresh hope, although manager Alex McLeish knows he still has work to do before the transfer window closes in two weeks time, before he will be truly satisfied with his squad.
“We have brought in strikers and addressed that issue, but we need a couple more players,” said McLeish. “We need someone in midfield and we need a central defender. We are very short in that area and we have to sort that out.”
McLeish is planning to hold further talks this week with Aston Villa and their central defender Gary Cahill over a possible loan move until the end of the season. Villa manager Martin O’Neill has granted permission for the discussions and McLeish remains hopeful, but he faces stern competition from Bolton Wanderers and Roy Keane at Sunderland. The loss of Cahill to either of his relegation rivals would be a bitter blow.
Maik Taylor 6, Kelly 5, Schmitz 6, Ridgewell 7, Queudrue 7, Larsson 6, Muamba 6, Johnson 7, Kapo 6, O’Connor 6 (Forssell 72, 6), Jerome 7 (McFadden 72, 6).
Subs Not Used: Doyle, McSheffrey, Parnaby.
Cech 6, Belletti 7, Alex 6, Carvalho 6, A Cole 6, Wright-Phillips 5 (Pizarro 29, 7), Makelele 8, Ballack 4, J Cole 5 (Sidwell 85, 5), Anelka 6, Malouda 6 (Bridge 90, 5).
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Ben Haim.
Rob Styles (Hampshire) 5: Few contentious issues to deal with in the game, but still managed to irritate players and managers from both sides with some odd decisions.
** Chelsea will have to consider themselves fortunate at collecting all three points. Few teams will create as many good chances against them as Birmingham and finish empty-handed.
Avram Grant’s heavy-duty weaponry at Stamford Bridge.
Didier Drogba 36million (10 goals)
Andriy Shevchenko 45million (8 goals)
Salomon Kalou 12million (7 goals)
Nicolas Anelka 22.5million (0 goals)
Claudio Pizarro free (2 goals)
Total value:115.5million
Total goals: 27
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