Been noticing a lot of Drogba slamming in recent threads, though probably out of general frustration of current form and the fact that our great striker is finally in noticeable decline. But lets not forget who we're talking about here and try not to be so fickle. The most feared striker in the league, leading our line and terrorising defences for seven years.

The man who put his reputation on the line and spoke out when we were screwed over by Ovrebo, the man who slapped Vidic in the face, the man who stormed through world class defences in the league, the cups and in europe - playing a major role in our success since Abramovich. He's given us countless moments of astonishing football and pride. He's celebrated and cried with us, always representing the feelings of the fans in his own actions.

He's adapted his game to suit 7 managers, he's been ever present in our front three from the days of Robben and Duff, Malouda and Kalou through to Mata and Sturridge. He's adapted to partnerships with Gudjohnsen, Anelka and Torres even when it didn't suite him. Now his time with us might be coming to an end. One of the original "untouchables." The end of an era, a legend to our club and he deserves our undying respect. We'd be lucky to ever get a striker half as good, or as devoted as he was ever again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLa3iS74QII

Edited November 11, 201114 yr by Castiel

Unfortunately it seems to be the way of things, respect for the things he (and other players) have done on the past seems to be forgotten as soon as they hit a bad patch of form and they get all kinds of daft things said about them, you just have to go through the Lampard thread. He was easily in the top 5 forwards we have ever had at Chelsea and at times single handedly dragged us through games. The one that stands out for me is away to Everton when and Lampard had a "who cans score the most stunning goal" competition. This goal was unbelievable and had me running round my local.

Great post Castiel.

He has truly been our greatest striker in my time of watching Chelsea (I'll always love Kerry more though)

It's just a shame that time waits for no man, I would probably put his current attitude problems down to the fact that he can't do the things he used to be able to anymore!

He is and always will be a Chelsea Legend!

Definitely a few ups and downs along the way, but I've absolutely loved having DD at the club, and hope he carries on for a season or two more. He's a player with a unique combination of talents - there's noone like him in world football - and you just have to put up with the downsides and enjoy the good bits.

Goal-scoring, power, work-rate, defending, freakishly good touches (like this one:

)

plus whinging, histrionics, indiscipline, costly stupidity (CL final, QPR), a sh*te autobiography....

I actually think he's underappreciated - you have to look at the big picture with Drogs.

You cant have a Drogba thread without mentioning the fact that the bloke has stopped civil wars and buit hospitals. LEGEND!

Civil war and defence-busting hero who any club would be proud to have leading their line. Has won us cup finals and league titles and captained his country through the World Cup with a broken arm.

Not just a footballing icon, but a national hero who has received international acclaim for his heroics:

Time magazine article recognizing Didier Drogba as one of the 100 most influential people in the world:

http://www.time.com/...1985240,00.html

Time magazine interview with Didier on his heroes and influences:

http://www.time.com/...1987896,00.html

Edited November 12, 201114 yr by PloKoon13

Will never forget Wham at home where that fat Portuguese midfielder (name escapes me) we had on loan got sent off, from that point Drogba took charge & we batter them with 10 men, he was everywhere.

Civil war and defence-busting hero whom* any club would be proud to have leading their line.

Sorry moi

Most footballers name "Roy Keane" or "Terry Butcher" as their heroes. Dider Drogba names fellow liberator Nelson Mandela.

Maniche?

As for Drogba, he's one of my all time favorite players. I was shocked by some of the abuse in the QPR thread but didn't really respond. Glad to see this thread here. Doubt I'll get to watch a better striker play for us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ5BoVLbSKc

Sorry moi

Most footballers name "Roy Keane" or "Terry Butcher" as their heroes. Dider Drogba names fellow liberator Nelson Mandela.

Nae worries, Joe! I was too busy wondering what George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were doing in Ben's post to notice that there was a relative pronoun in the wrong case in yours. I'm impressed that you noticed!

Maniche?

As for Drogba, he's one of my all time favorite players. I was shocked by some of the abuse in the QPR thread but didn't really respond. Glad to see this thread here. Doubt I'll get to watch a better striker play for us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ5BoVLbSKc

That was him.

I always loved Drogba v Arsenal. I think 2 season back he was the best striker in world football, sadly age & illness has put paid to that.

A fantastic striker. Still thinking about his goal v Spurs last season. I'm sad to see his decline. I agree, one of the best I'll ever see.

The most complete striker in the premier league, possibly in the world. Like all the other great players, age and injury caught up with him, but damn the man left me with a lot of great memories.

Respect!

Agree with everything already written. Drogba will surely go down as a Chelsea Legend and Hall of Famer. In his prime he was the most complete, powerful and imposing striker who struck fear into many a defender who came up against him.

I do feel though that the histrionics, drama, temperament and diving issues which have been evident throughout his career have stopped him winning a world player of the year award.

On another note, i had the fortune to meet Didz and have a chat with him when he came through the airport to have his chelsea medical (i was an immigration officer back then) - thoroughly nice chap, despite the fact that another officer refused entry to one of his entourage and sent him back to France!

On another note, i had the fortune to meet Didz and have a chat with him when he came through the airport to have his chelsea medical (i was an immigration officer back then) - thoroughly nice chap, despite the fact that another officer refused entry to one of his entourage and sent him back to France!

I mentioned his crap autobiography earlier. The problem I had with it was he was very negative throughout about his early years at Chelsea, but I suppose he should be admired for his total honesty. He tells the story of the day he went for the medical, and he said he literally prayed that they'd find something that would lead to the move falling through. He was desperate to stay at Marseille and just didn't want to join us, and felt forced into signing for us. It was José's personality that got him to sign and kept him from walking out on us during his first two seasons.

It must have been tempting for him to demand a move when José eventually left, but if anything I think he's shown greater commitment in the years since then. At heart he really wanted to be at Marseille, but I think he's come to appreciate what Chelsea have done for him on and off the field.

It's a real sickener that he's been so badly affected by injury and malaria these past two seasons. He was at his absolute best the year we won the double, with an astonishing scoring record (but you also have to remember his hissy fit over the penalty against Wigan, which was embarrassing). I still think he can get back to somewhere near that level - it was only 17 months ago - but I can see why a lot of people think he never will.

Because some people are short sighted idiots, who read the Mail too often Backbiter. The Lampard doubters who were nearly in the majority a month ago have been shown to be morons and I've no doubt Didier can show a whole new group of haters that he still has value. That said I still expect him to return to Marseille at the end of this season.

Just on his contribution can anyone find the hit and spin goal from the edge of the box against Liverpool? That is probably my favourite Didier moment, apart of course from trotting out to get in the face of Ovrebo and then the TV cameras with his flipflops on.

Edited November 13, 201114 yr by Spiller86

That is one of my 4 favorites, along with the ManU, Barca and Everton ones.

This ones special because of the way Reina just stands there, and I rate him up there with the best.

Speaking of fondly-remembered goals, this is hardly a classic 'Didier moment' per se, but it's a fantastic team goal that Drogba caps off with a great finish.

[...] Just on his contribution can anyone find the hit and spin goal from the edge of the box against Liverpool? [...]

Thanks for finding it footballoholic. That goal was something special. Even Carragher, Reina and supporting defence stood there jaw dropped. Mourinho's face says it all.

Thanks for finding it footballoholic. That goal was something special. Even Carragher, Reina and supporting defence stood there jaw dropped. Mourinho's face says it all.

I'd say it's his best ever goal. Incredible technique.

I'd say it's his best ever goal. Incredible technique.

Agreed. And Jose's reaction was priceless.

My fondest Drogba goal...

That is one of my 4 favorites, along with the ManU, Barca and Everton ones.

This ones special because of the way Reina just stands there, and I rate him up there with the best.

I'm sure it was Reina that also said Drogba was the best Centre Forward he had ever come up against, I know Carragher said it as well.

Its been a privilege to watch him over the years, one of my all time favourites. I really hope he knows how much the majority of Chelsea fans love him...

From the official site:

WORDS WITH: DIDIER DROGBA

Posted on: Wed 16 Nov 2011

London may have been his home for over seven years now but Africa continues to play a big part in his life as he discusses with the official Chelsea website…

Ivory Coast had their game against Senegal, scheduled for last night in France, called off due to travel difficulties from their previous game in South Africa. For once the most famous footballer in their history wasn't involved as the country of his birth missed out on a visit to the country where he built his reputation as a top-class striker.

Didier Drogba's recent surgery on his arm was a necessary prelude to the complete removal of a metal plate. That had been inserted when he was touch-and-go to play in the 2010 World Cup having broken a bone in a warm-up game. Currently serving a three-game suspension from Chelsea domestic matches, his time recovering from the operation is not having a big impact on his club football and if he were to miss international games, then this was the time to do it.

Ivory Coast stormed to qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations which will take Drogba and Salomon Kalou away from Chelsea for a month or so. The qualification campaign that produced six wins from six games ended in October and the Cup of Nations does not begin until January.

Africa continues to make headlines for Drogba however. Last week his status as a perennial nomination for the African Player of the Year was confirmed. It's an accolade he was handed in 2004 and 2009 and he has been in the top three on five other occasions.

Before that, at the end of September, the Ivory Coast swore in a truth, reconciliation and dialogue commission in the wake of the civil unrest in the west African state earlier in the year. Drogba is one of the members of the commission.

Unrest might be considered too mild a term to describe the violence that followed a disputed presidential election.A figure of approximately 3,000 was reported as the death toll with half-a-million others displaced from their homes. The place where Drogba was born suffered and Kalou spoke about events and how his father was caught up back in April.

Modelled on South Africa's post-apartheid truth and reconciliation commission, the Ivorian version is to be part of the healing process. Coincidentally Chelsea's number 11 will once again be working as part of an 11-man team.

'It is very important knowing what the country has been through and knowing that this is something that we do not want to see again, so all Ivorians have to be involved in this process,' Drogba tells chelseafc.com as he considers his role.

'There are politicians on the commission and there are people who are like the chiefs from different parts of the country, and there is me as an ambassador of all the Ivorians who now live abroad.

'They chose me and I am doing it for my country, and all of us have to understand that it was the worst moment of our history and we have to make everything right for it not to happen again. I am coming into this commission trying to use the fact that I am famous to send some peace messages.

'The president of the commission thought that he couldn't see somebody better than me to be involved, I don't know how they decided that, but I am in this commission so I will do everything to help. That is all I can say.

'It is not going to be easy but we'll try. It costs you nothing to try.'

Drogba goes into the process hoping he can help make a difference, but will the process change him? By its very definition the commission is likely to learn much about what took place in a very troubled few months.

'I am ready for it because I want to know the history of my country,' he says. 'I want to know how people feel because I know how I felt at that time because I lost some people, so I want to share some feelings and try to forgive and go forward.

'There is no timetable at the moment but the sooner the better. You have to try everything for it to happen as soon as possible. It is going to take time because there are some unhappy people. You know when people have lost some close family members and friends it is going to take time to heal the pain.'

Drogba

Ivory Coast's impressive form at international level raises plenty of hope they can put smiles on the faces of their nation when they take on the other top countries from their continent when the Africa Cup of Nations starts on 21 January.

For once it looks like Chelsea interest in the tournament could be reduced to one country's games with Michael Essien's participation for Ghana in doubt due to injury and John Mikel Obi's Nigeria failing to qualify.

Ivory Coast's only Cup of Nations triumph was back in 1992 and given the array of talent performing in top European leagues available to them, it could be said a follow-up win is overdue. Drogba and co. came close in 2006 when they lost in the final to Egypt who have won the last three Cup of Nations.

'We could have won it because our squad was really good but it is not only about the quality of the squad,' Drogba points out, 'and when you play teams like Egypt they had a lot of understanding because they had played together for nine years.

'When we lost to Egypt it was in Egypt and we lost on penalties. We had a great tournament but I hope this season is going to be better than the last African Cup when we went out in the quarter-finals.'

Drogba

The imminent tournament is to be hosted jointly by west African nations Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

'We are going to have a lot of fans from Ivory Coast there but it doesn't really matter where you play because whenever you go to a competition you go to win,' says Drogba.

'We had a good qualification and this competition is the one all the African countries want to win so this one is going to be tough again.

'There is Senegal, there is Morocco, there is Tunisia, there is Gabon who are playing at home so they are going to be a good team, and there will always be some surprises. Only one will win the cup, I hope we are going to be the country.'

LINK