If you went online and looked up ‘how to go out on top’, you’d see a picture of Didier Drogba. A Chelsea legend through and through, the big Ivorian’s last kick of a ball for the Blues won them the European cup. That dramatic evening in Munich on the nineteenth of May, 2012 summed up Drogba’s entire Chelsea career: he was undoubtedly the man for the big occasion, and the outcome was transcendentally ‘written in the stars’. His electrifying thump of a header in the dying moments of the match sent the two sides into extra time. Later on after Bastian Schweinsteiger’s stutter-stepped penalty ricocheted off the post, Didier stepped up to the spot. The rest, as they say, is history.
After a night that was labelled by renowned commentator Martin Tyler as “the greatest in the history of Chelsea Football Club“, Didier decided that his time with the west Londoners had come to an end. His contract was not renewed, and expired a month later. There couldn’t have possibly been a more fitting way for him to end his Chelsea career, though. While Drogba was definitely at an age where he could comfortably retire, it was clear that he still had much more to offer.
Thus, he went abroad and seeked pastures new. After a strange half-season stint in China with Shanghai Shenhua that resulted in drama over his pay (or lack of it), Didier eventually moved to Istanbul. There he led the line for Turkish giants Galatasaray, where he scored a Champions League goal against the great Real Madrid and won the Turkish league title.
The highlight of his first and only full season with Galatasaray in 2013/2014 was his return to Stamford Bridge in late February of last year, when his adopted club was paired with the club in which he holds legendary status in the Champions League round of sixteen. For Drogba, it was an emotional evening where he received an overwhelmingly warm reception from the Stamford Bridge faithful as they applauded and serenaded their former hero.
It wasn’t long before Didier Drogba realized that Chelsea Football Club was still very much in his future. Last summer his contract with Galatasaray expired, and the Ivorian signed back with the Blues. Upon his arrival, Jose Mourinho announced that Didier, aged 36, was returning to the club as still one of the best strikers in the world.
Although the re-signing of one of our club legends was great news, there were still many questions that needed to be asked. What kind of role would an aging Drogba have in a Chelsea squad intensely competing for titles? Where would he fit in with Diego Costa having been recently signed? Furthermore, would the deadline-day signing of Loic Remy lead Drogba to merely be a glorified mascot?
What Didier Drogba brings to Chelsea at this stage in his career is much, much more than just being the third striker who barely gets any playing time (Demba Ba, for example). It’s Drogba’s presence behind the scenes that ultimately makes the difference. The similarities between him in his prime and summer acquisition Diego Costa are striking: strong, physical, and aggressive, but not the most skillful. Most importantly though, they know how to find the back of the net. Mourinho had Didier in his first spell with Chelsea, and now he has Diego. I’m sure that Jose has looked to use Drogba as a mentor to Costa in order to mould the Spaniard into what Drogba was in Mourinho’s first stint: a cold blooded killer in front of goal. On the training ground, Didier can show Diego how to use his qualities to become a prolific goalscorer. In a game, the two of them can be thrown onto the pitch at once in order to pose an aerial threat and bully defenders together.
The Chelsea squad has changed a lot since Drogba’s departure back in 2012. There are quite a few young talents and many who haven’t experienced success in English football yet. An experienced, winning mentality imposed by Didier in the locker room makes a huge difference in relation to team morale. With players like Lampard and Cole departing, it’s really only Terry, Cech, and Ivanovic who can provide the rest of the team with this type of motivation. Didier Drogba is a man who has been successful on all fronts for the Blues, and is an amazing figure to have in the Chelsea locker room as they try and chase silverware this season.
While I knew that these would all be positive influences to come with Drogba’s return, I still questioned whether his involvement in actual games for Chelsea this season would be of any significance. In the beginning of the season, most of Didier’s appearances were near the end of games where he didn’t make much of an impact; the reason for his involvement usually being to help defend in order to close the game out.
Drogba’s first goal back at Chelsea was in the 6-0 routing of Maribor at Stamford Bridge. The home side were awarded a penalty after a flicked pass from Willian was impeded by the arm of a defender. Eden Hazard, Chelsea’s regular penalty taker since the departure of Lampard, graciously handed it over to Drogba, who stepped up to the spot and smashed it into the bottom left corner at The Shed End. It was a great way to score his first goal back with the Blues in front of the home crowd, but there was more to come.
High-flying Chelsea’s next match at Old Trafford would prove to be a challenging test for them and their unbeaten streak. However with Diego Costa out due to a hamstring injury, Jose Mourinho selected Didier Drogba to lead the line. It was definitely an examination to see if Didier could still cope with the style of the Premier League against a tough opponent. Drogba passed the test when he majestically headed home on 53 minutes.
Drogba continued to feature in Mourinho’s side in Chelsea’s next match, a League Cup fixture at Shrewsbury Town. After a disappointingly scoreless first forty-five, Drogba scored just minutes into the second half and the Blues went on to finish as 2-1 winners. About a month later he netted in the five goal thrashing of Schalke in the Champions League, but the next time he would appear on the Chelsea score sheet it would be much more significant.
In early December after a nervy opening fifteen minutes at The Bridge against Spurs, Drogba assisted an Eden Hazard opener and then just three minutes later scored the second. It was an emphatic finish from close range that flew past a helpless Lloris, and set Chelsea up to go on and win the match comfortably. Later in the month he came on as a late sub in order to pose an aerial threat as Chelsea were losing away to Newcastle. Of course, Drogba scored a header from a set piece delivery, but in the end it wasn’t enough as Chelsea lost their first match of the season.
Drogba has contributed just about as much as I expected this season. He has bagged a decent amount of goals and assists, and has also been a good influence on the squad in training. In a summer transfer window filled with nothing but smart business, the re-signing of Didier Drogba was nothing short of brilliant.
From the moment that Didier departed Chelsea after winning the Champions League, it was obvious that he would end up returning home eventually. He’s come back as a player this season and it has been a great campaign for him given his age, but it’s interesting to ponder what might lie ahead in his future. I personally can’t see him playing another year, and I think that he’ll find it fitting to end his playing career with a Premier League trophy in his hands (we hope!). My prediction is that next summer when the football comes back around, Didier Drogba will be on the bench somewhere close to Jose Mourinho and Steve Holland, joining them in shouting out instructions to the players out on the pitch… Let me know what you think the next step in Didier Drogba’s career is by leaving a comment below!
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