He’s ready. Ready to step up, ready to fill Diego Costa’s size nines and ready to turn Chelsea’s season around.
Not quite direct quotes from Antonio Conte of course, but the Italian reckons we are now about to see the very best of Michy Batshuayi.
“He is working very well and understanding what I want from him,” said Conte after the 2-1 Carabao Cup success over Everton last night.
“He’s improving a lot. I am very happy. He didn’t score but he played very well. I don’t judge a striker if he scores or not scores, I judge my players on the performance and Michy is improving a lot.
“Last season was difficult for him but it was also difficult for me. Now he’s ready to start and come out and during the game and have a good impact. Sometimes if I decide to play with two strikers, maybe I don’t know, but it’s important to know I can count on him.”
It sounds like Batshuayi has finally won over his manager, a year and a half after the Blues wrote a £33m cheque to Marseille.
Chelsea fans idolise their strikers, and you don’t even need to be Didier Drogba to get them onside. Gianluca Vialli, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Gianfranco Zola, Mark Hughes – cult heroes of the Premier League era. They’re quick to fall for their forwards at Stamford Bridge.
But what has the Belgian got to do to win a place in their hearts?
For starters, win a place in their team every week. Make the most of the next few games is critical, because it won’t be long before Alvaro Morata is back and scoring. He’s now got to prove he can play with the top scorer, and not as back-up to him.
The second thing? Maybe it’s just a case of growing up a little bit more.
We live buried deep in the social media world, but the last thing most people wants to see is the 24-year-old ‘bantering’ EA Sports on twitter about his rating half an hour after a game.
The internet’s new favourite footballer doesn’t make him one of the best. Think the glaringly overrated Mario Balotelli and learn from his mistakes.
The accusation stands that Batshuayi’s performances online are somewhat more impressive that the average fare served up on the pitch.
While players having character in a time where tight controls seem to strangle charisma at first sight must be welcomed, his smart phone following, some suggest, distracts.
While posting a harmless enough snap of himself in SpongeBob Square Pants underwear and pyjama sets, there were less people smiling when he was pictured laughing following Morata’s terrible penalty miss in the Community Shield raised eyebrows.
He’s certainly not the bad boy that Balotelli is, but more focus and less FIFA could see ‘Bat Man’ Batshuayi saving the day for Chelsea.
Source: yahoo