Give the Drog a contract: Didier deserves it after end-of-season heroics for Chelsea
Didier Drogba scored yet another FA Cup final goal for Chelsea on Saturday afternoon and after the game his skipper, John Terry, urged the club to hand him a new contract.
Drogba is a free agent in the summer and a move to China has been rumored, but it is evident from his performances that he can still cut it at the very top.
Despite not being prolific this season, Didier has scored some crucial goals and performed in the big matches. Saturday’s cup final obviously stands out as his finest moment of the current campaign but we must not forget how he bullied Tottenham in the semi-final of the same competition and his powerhouse performance in both legs against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Not only does the Ivorian prove vital in front of the opposition goal, he is crucial in what Chelsea do in defence also. His marking at corners is brilliant for a forward thinking player and his physical presence at these situations basically gives the Blues another centre back.
This was especially noticeable in the two games against Barcelona because Chelsea were playing against a very small, technical side who have a lot of possession and like to control proceedings.
Drogba did everything over the two legs to throw Barca off their game; he defended at set pieces at ease and ruffled some feathers up the other end, something that the Catalan side is not used to. The outcome was a famous Chelsea victory and the Ivorian was central to everything good that they produced over the two matches.
With Chelsea’s old guard surviving the test of time, it would also be in Frank Lampard’s benefit for Drogba to stay.
The two have formed a special relationship on the football field and it was as prominent as ever on Saturday, as the two combined for the winning goal in the FA Cup final.
It was maybe the admission of the senior players as to why Andre Villas-Boas failed in his task to rebrand Chelsea and the way they play. You can’t rebrand a side that has Blue running through its veins.
These senior players love the club. The likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole all love the club and Drogba has grown as a player whilst sharing a dressing room with these characters. You can certainly see this on the pitch now and the way he plays to the crowd and celebrates his goals, you would think he was born and bred in West London.
Chelsea simply must hand Didier Drogba a new contract if the club is to move forward and bring back the success that was seen in the Mourinho years. There’s no doubt that the Blues will have an influx of players in the summer, but there needs to be a fine balance in the dressing room between new blood and tried and trusted performers.
Just like John Terry and Frank Lampard, Drogba is one of the tried and trusted performers and if Chelsea were to buy a new centre-forward during the transfer window, then I’m sure they would feel honoured to work alongside a master of the position.
Alex Smith
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