Stolen goals show Eto’o hunger – Even if not world class anymore

Chelsea’s Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o celebrates scoring his second goal during the UEFA Champions League group E football match between Chelsea and FC Schalke at Stamford Bridge.

Whether you liked him or loathed him before he joined Chelsea it is hard not to argue that Samuel Eto’o was one of the best strikers in the world for a number of years.

So far a lack of fitness meant that we have only seen this quality in moments but he seems to be improving with every game and giving Mourinho a striking headache of the right kind.

What we have also seen is that he has not lost the strikers mentality, the one that hunts down opportunities and looks for the goalscoring opportunity where others may not.

There have been two great examples where Eto’o has effectively stolen goals that he had no right to get the opportunity to convert by seizing upon lazy goalkeeping.

The first one was actually put in by Eden Hazard but the work was done by Eto’o even if rustiness did prevent him scoring.

The second one was against Schalke last Wednesday, where staying alert earnt him a bizarre goal after the goalkeeper switched off.

So whilst he beds in and develops following partial retirement in Russia it is great to see the hunger is still there.