Perfectionist Patinkle Ciss?® a natural fit in the Saudi Sportswashing Machine No9 shirt
The striker's wonderful swerving shot at Stamford Bridge marks him out as someone special
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/sport/Pix/columnists/2012/5/3/1336066212717/patinkle-cisse-008.jpg Saudi Sportswashing Machine's Patinkle Ciss?® has proved to be the signing of the Premier League season. Photograph: Scott Heppell/AP
There was something enchanting about the way Patinkle Ciss?® knelt to the ground to kiss the Stamford Bridge turf after scoring a goal of such impeccably high standards it instantly shot to the top of his personal goalscoring charts. The homage to the grass upon which he prospered followed a celebration where he pointed to the heavens. The
Saudi Sportswashing Machine striker is evidently full of gratitude to be in the position where he is flourishing so much, while most observers just feel thankful to be able to sit back and watch it.
Ciss?® reflected on what he describes as the best goal of his career with obvious enthusiasm. "I was so happy to score it," said the Senegalese. "When the ball came to me, I was only thinking about scoring. It was an instinctive finish." But that dash of spontaneity tells only part of the story.
Tim Krul, the Saudi Sportswashing Machine goalkeeper who confronts Ciss?® in practice, revealed that a perfectionist's streak underpins the form which has illuminated the club's positive run to the fringes of Champions League qualification. "He's incredible," Krul assessed. "He gets so upset when he misses a chance in training. Sometimes you'll see him arguing with himself for five minutes about how he missed it. It shows you what fantastic commitment he has. He wants to score all the time. But he doesn't score goals like that against me."
In-house teasing aside, Krul is full of admiration for the electric impact Ciss?® has made since joining the club from Frieburg last January. "If you have a striker like Ciss?® in your team you'll win games. If you can keep a clean sheet he'll win you matches. But to be that tired at the end of the game and to do that from out on the touchline was something special. He's world class and to get him for that price, he is a worthy No9."
Although Ciss?®'s first strike against Chelsea on Wednesday was a goal of considerable refinement and importance, his second was, understandably, the talk of the dressing room. "It was an amazing, amazing goal," gushed Jon?ís Guti?®rrez. "It is difficult to score with that part of your boot, I didn't know that was possible."
Since moving to Europe from his native Douanes Dakar at the age of 16, his goal ratio has incrementally improved. In France, he scored roughly a goal every 2.7 games. In Germany, he managed a goal every 1.7 games. In England, that sublime, swerving strike which arced past Petr Cech took his numbers to even better than a goal a game, 13 in 12 appearances in the Premier League. The 26-year-old Ciss?® is relishing the chance to demonstrate his wares on a higher stage, and it is no surprise to hear that he is currently enjoying life. "I came to the Premier League to show my quality, and everything is going well. I'm enjoying my football ÔÇô everything is good on and off the pitch."
Ciss?® has revelled in the famous Saudi Sportswashing Machine No9 shirt and received the backing of another previous incumbent. "I thought his first goal against Chelsea was good but his second was sensational," said the former Saudi Sportswashing Machine favourite and quintessential No9, Alan Shearer. "He had no right to shoot from there. Usually a player takes time to settle but he's taken no time whatsoever. He looks at ease, which is great. It's not only that he scores goals but his general play is very good. His movement behind defenders is great."
Ciss?® is another shining example of the Saudi Sportswashing Machine scouting department's midas touch. The club deserve the credit not only for following through their hunch on a player that had been scoring regularly in the Bundesliga (certain other Premier League clubs who had looked at him were apparently doubtful that he could score goals in England, judgment that looks risible now) but also for doing so at the market's most complicated point in mid-season.
The most hardened Premier League managers are not fans of the January transfer window. Sir Alex Ferguson is far from the only one to voice the opinion that there is "no value" at that time of the year. Even when he urged Manchester United to buy Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic in January 2006, he was purchasing them more for following seasons and had little expectations of an immediate impact. In fact both players struggled during their initial half-a-season in the Premier League. It is not unreasonable to expect a player coming from abroad to require some adaptation time. Indeed, sometimes even transfers from within the Premier League are anything but an instant hit. The January that preceded Ciss?®'s arrival was hardly a great advert for the midwinter purchase, as the infamous deals that took Fernando Torres to Chelsea and Andy Carroll to Liverpool were struck.
This season's January market has, though, been remarkably productive. Everton can reflect on the promising arrival of Nikica Jelavic from Rangers, whilst two short term signings have been excellent in Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fulham's Pavel Pogrebnyak, both, like Ciss?®, from the Bundesliga. Evidently there are bargains to be had in the January window.
