26 replies to this topic

[BLUENUT]

It's been debated in other threads weither Mr Drogba has earned the tag of 'legend' while at Chelsea. I must admit after his first few performances in a Chelsea shirt I was wondering why we were willing to pay so much for this type of player. His theatrics and lack of first touch were debated on the forums and he has either proved us wrong or won us over with his change of attitude and commitment to the cause.  Weither you think he plays soley for the money or the previous manager, let's not forget Didier has given nothing but 100% effort since Jose's departure and has done so for the most sucessful period in the clubs history.

He contributed goals, alot of deciding goal in big games in his first 2 seasons, seasons where Chelsea were back to back Champions and last year he was the first player to score over 30 goals in a season since Kerry Dixon, a feat in itself.

In his and Jose's first final in Cardiff, he scored against Liverpool, Chelsea went onto win and lift their first trophy under the new manager.
In his second appearance in Cardiff, his first Charity shield, he scored both goals as we beat Arsenal 2-1
In his 3rd trip to Cardiff he scored his 27th and 28th goals of the season as we beat Arsenal 2-1 again - memorable for his goal celebration where he ran to the crowd and made a motion in the air. Asked what he was doing when interviewed after he said he drew 'JT No26' for the captain who had just been carried off with a horrific head injury.
He then popped up scoring the first FA cup final goal at the new Wembley against Manchester United in a 1-0 victory. Legendary?

These were all big games - FINALS - very tight and his goals were the deciding factors in all of them, against all our biggest rivals might I add.

He has been a BIG BIG player for us over the past 3-4 years and will be sorely missed when he leaves. He has his own reasons for that, which to some extent I can understand, weither ambitious or in the light of what has happend at the club recently.

3 cup final winning goals ONLY LAST SEASON and some people still slag him off - how short some memories are!

Chelsea stats:
Didier Drogba 66 goals (115+30 games)

Top all-time international appearances
Caps won while with Chelsea Desailly (France) 74, Lampard (England) 58, Gallas (France) 48, Petrescu (Romania) 44, Terry (England) 42, Makelele (France) 41, Flo (Norway) 38, Gudjohnsen (Iceland) 36, J Cole (England) 37, Grønkjær (Denmark) 35, Cech (Czech Republic) 33, Forssell (Finland) 33, Lebœuf (France) 32, Carvalho (Portugal) 31, Drogba (Ivory Coast) 33, Ferreira (Portugal) 30, Gérémi (Cameroon) 28, Crespo (Argentina) 26, Wilkins (England) 24, Kharine (Russia) 23, McCreadie (Scotland) 23, Zenden (Holland) 23, Duff (Ireland) 22, Townsend (Ireland) 22, K Wilson (N Ireland) 22, Babayaro (Nigeria) 21, Wise (England) 21, Burley (Scotland) 20, Smertin (Russia) 20.

Top all-time international scorers
Goals scored while with Chelsea: Drogba (Ivory Coast) 20, Crespo (Argentina) 16, Greaves (England) 16, Flo (Norway) 15, Gudjohnsen (Iceland) 15, Hilsdon (England) 14, Lampard (England) 14, Lawton (England) 14, Forssell (Finland) 12, Bentley (England) 9, Mutu (Romania) 9, Shevchenko (Ukraine) 8, Hasselbaink (Holland) 7, Petrescu (Romania) 7, Windridge (England) 7.

I know stats can be presented in such a way that they can prove any point, we never lost to Arsenal with Drogba in the side etc..... and his defending ability has not even been mentioned, but when you see what he has contributed to our club over our most sucessful period, love him or hate him, the fella will go down as a legend like it or not. Even if it's just for that goal at the new Wembley!

Thanks Didier!

[Barn]

He will be known as a legend by the majority of people, but imo only because legend is a tag that gets banded about to easily.  He's not a legend for me, he'd have to see out his top class career with us and continue the same as he played last year to reach legend status.  A very big important player without a doubt, but legend?  Not for me.

[e!!iot]

He may well turn out to become a football legend. But not a Chelsea legend unless he commits to the club for a long long time.

[ethicalstrategy]

I'm with Bluenut on this one.

We hear about big name players that don't step up to the plate when it really matters - that's not Drogba.

Big goals in big games - not just cup finals, but think about Barca last year too.

In 20 years time he will be remembered for what he achieved at Chelsea and what Chelsea achieved whilst he was here.

Personally I think it was scandalous he wasn't voted player of the year by the Chelsea fans last year - I'd have felt very unloved if I were him.

[midlandblue]

not for me, at least not yet.

[Nibs]

He should have been player of the year last season - no question about it. But if he leaves us this season, no way can he be labelled a "Chelsea Legend" as he just won't have been with us for long enough - simple as that.

[Gem]

"Barn":25aq3v4a said:

He will be known as a legend by the majority of people, but imo only because legend is a tag that gets banded about to easily.  He's not a legend for me, he'd have to see out his top class career with us and continue the same as he played last year to reach legend status.  A very big important player without a doubt, but legend?  Not for me.

Seconded.

[barak81]

Dont quite a few on here class grievsie as a legend? and he was with us bugger all time?
bit young my self but im familure with the facts..

[Barn]

my dad would say that Grievesie is a football legend but not a Chelsea legend because he never really gave himself to the club.

[Nibs]

"barak81":rixi4kt9 said:

Dont quite a few on here class grievsie as a legend? and he was with us bugger all time?
bit young my self but im familure with the facts..

Greavesie (before my time too by the way) was with us from 1957-1961.


Total appearances 169. Total Goals - 132  {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_eek.gif

He might have only been with us 4 years but that goals to game ratio will never be bettered and I think they are pretty legendary stats in anyones book!!!

[BLUENUT]

I'd agree with that Barn and would put Drogba in the same mould. To be a legend for one particular club you really have to make over 200-300 appearances, giving a bit chunk of your career to that club.

Think of - Ron Harris, Ian Rush, Paulo Maldini, Tony Adams and the like, you can associate them to their clubs just by name.

Then think Lineker, Waddle, Gascoigne all legends in their own right, but not all with one club.


For those of you who didn't know, he (Drogba) had a huge influence in stopping a cival war in his own country after appealing to the nation as Ivory Coast captain when they qualified for a tournament. The side was made up of different tribal backgrounds and he said that if the football team could pull together then the rest of the country could do the same, he got on his knees in the dressing room, encouraged the rest of the team to do the same and pleaded to the country live on TV. The fighting stopped and peace ensued.

He was appointed 'global goodwill ambasador' to the United Nations Development Programme in 2007 - although Phillipe Senderos may disagree {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif

He may not qualify in some quarters as a Chelsea legend, but he's a legend all the same.

edit:
Found an article on the story I mentioned above:
http://www.sundaymir...co.uk/sport/foo ... -19573424/

[loz]

I have pretty much said it all elsewhere so won't go into the detail again other than to say that for me the tag of 'legend' (albeit open to interpretation) is not just about ability and performances, there has to be something a little extra.  That 'something' is going to be different for everyone so one man's legend is another man's player (biblical sense of 'man' before Gem hits me hard) however for me Didier falls down here and so he is not a legend for me.

[BlueBeard]

I'd regard very few players from recent years as Chelsea 'legends'. I think one of the main reasons a lot of players from years ago are given legendary status by so many fans is down to the length of time the players spent at Chelsea, and the amount of appearances they made for the club.

From the late 60's/early 70's period alone, I'd regard Peter Osgood, Charlie Cooke, Peter Bonetti, Ron Harris, Johnny Hollins, Eddie McCreadie and Bobby Tambling as Chelsea legends. And I found it difficult to leave out the likes of Alan Hudson, Dave Webb, John Dempsey, Johnny Boyle, Tommy Baldwin and Peter Houseman from that list! {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif

Later in the 70's we had Ray Wilkins & Micky Droy, then in the early 80's, Kerry Dixon, David Speedie, Eddie Niedzwiecki, Pat Nevin & Johnny Bumstead. Late 80's onwards gave us Steve Clarke, Dennis Wise & Erland Johnsen.
I'm not sure about players from the last ten years, as the game has changed so much in regard to wages and transfer fees that most players rarely show any loyalty to their club, they're happy to go to the highest bidder.

However, sometimes a player doesn't have to spent years at the club to become a legend, or at least a semi-legend - ie - Ian Hutchinson, Kenny Swain, Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones & Paul Elliott.

And of course, a lot of it's down to personal choice. Some people might regard a certain player a legend because he scored a very important goal for the club - on the other hand, some people may deem a player undeserving of legendary status merely because of the club he came from or went to. Or because he once threw his Chelsea shirt on the floor in a temper tantrum (step up Graeme Le Saux!)

No doubt everyone will disagree with at least one of my choices for Chelsea Legend, and also possibly point out players that I omitted. That's what makes this topic so interesting - no two people will agree on a list of legends!

.......oh, and although Jimmy Greaves was before even my time, he was unquestionably a Chelsea legend. He spent six years at the club after signing as a youth player in 1955 and his goal scoring record is there for all to see. What happened when he left was more down to the directors of the club than down to Greaves.

[ethicalstrategy]

I'd just like to say that the players and manager that brought us successive Premier League titles after 50 odd years are all legends to me!

[Gem]

"ethicalstrategy":7mcctoqu said:

I'd just like to say that the players and manager that brought us successive Premier League titles after 50 odd years are all legends to me!

Very good point  {SMILIES_PATH}/happy0034.gif

[evissy]

If he leaves this summer the only way he will be a Chelsea legend is that he is the essential part of our success in winning the EPL and CL. If he scores an hat-trick in the CL final against, lets say ManU he will become a Chelsea legend in time.

[midlandblue]

"evissy":wp78x2q2 said:

If he leaves this summer the only way he will be a Chelsea legend is that he is the essential part of our success in winning the EPL and CL. If he scores an hat-trick in the CL final against, lets say ManU he will become a Chelsea legend in time.

if he does that he will become a legend there and then.

[ethicalstrategy]

Surely Bridgey is a legend for "that" goal at Highbury?

[BLUENUT]

"ethicalstrategy":1pfrn9va said:

Surely Bridgey is a legend for "that" goal at Highbury?

That was a legendary goal, there is a thin a difference between a legendary goal and a legendary player/goalscorer.


Can a non legendary player score a legendary goal???
Goldbaek at the lane

now I'm jut nit-picking {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif  {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif  {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif

[Alan]

"ethicalstrategy":j34v4pj8 said:

Surely Bridgey is a legend for "that" goal at Highbury?

In my mind he is {SMILIES_PATH}/ChElSea2.gif