When Andriy Shevchenko joined Chelsea, Jose Mourinho described
it as "a day when the dream became reality". Six months later the
words dream and Shevchenko appear in the same sentence the
Ukrainian hopes the episode will turn out to be a bad dream and he
will find himself back in Milan.
The reality is that Shevchenko is determined to succeed at Chelsea
but doubts are growing about whether he will be able. Tonight's
game at Bolton is unlikely to have him salivating, Regardless, it
remains too early to write him off, given the scale of his past
achievements.
"You think each week that goes by, 'Is he going to get a bit
sharper and fitter and stronger?' and at the moment it doesn't
quite seem to be happening," says the former Chelsea midfielder
Gavin Peacock.
"I don't think he's as quick as he used to be. He's lost half a
yard and Shevchenko was quick but never Henry quick. Having lost
half a yard it is stopping him getting there but I think he has got
enough clever movement, if used in the right way, to be
effective.
"With the fact that Chelsea have played a [midfield] diamond a lot
they are not getting so many crosses in."
Peacock feels Shevchenko would benefit from at least one of Arjen
Robben and Joe Cole being in the team. "I think he needs the ball
to be carried and worked to that final third and then his quick
brain can get him into positions and I think we would see more from
him," he says. "I wouldn't write him off in November. I know
Chelsea were looking at him a lot last season, and his record is
huge."
Shevchenko received strong support from Chris Coleman, "It's only a
matter of time," Coleman said. "Look at [Didier] Drogba when he
came over - he couldn't get to grips with it. He just couldn't get
with the pace of the game and was having a bad time, getting bad
press, and opposition supporters were giving him stick for
diving.
"I know they are two different players but once he finds his feet
he'll be just as good."
