Reviews

Drogba Carried Chelsea

4/24/2012

Barcelona looked tired, and John Terry once again showed his amoral side, but the key to the Champions League semifinal Tuesday was Didier Drogba's playing the entire field.
Once Chelsea was down a player because of Terry's stupid unprovoked foul from behimd, Drogba played his own form of sweeper, roving wherever he was needed against the crisp Barcelona passes.
Chelsea's defense has been vastly upgraded under interim coach Roberto DiMatteo's version of the old Italian defense, the catenaccio (chain or bolt.) But it took an inspired star to make it work while a man down.
The ball would be slotted into a bit of open space, and Drogba, 34, would appear from nowhere. One Barca shot went wide by a few inches when Drogba materialized and made the shooter alter his rhythm.
He was like Derek Jeter, showing up in odd places to make a play, or giving confidence by standing on second base and clapping his hands after hitting a double. He raised the entire team after the Chelsea captain, Terry, proved, once again, that he is unfit for leadership, or trust.
Eventually, Drogba had to leave because of discomfort high in one leg. Fernando Torres came in and supplied the crushing goal as Chelsea moved on the final on May 19 in Munich. My guess is that Drogba will be there. After Tuesday, he should be wearing the captain's armband.

Tom Schwarz link

4/24/2012 12:33:40 pm

I watched the game with a majority of Barca fans, who could not believe what they were seeing. One was a former SLU coach who bemoaned the lesson being learned by American coaches on tactics. I'm no Chelsea fan but I do love di Matteo and how the players have responded to him.

Now I can't wait for tomorrow and Manchester Monday even more.
Man, I love it when you write about soccer!

joe mcginniss link

4/24/2012 01:17:15 pm

How sad to see Barça's noble men lose their Triple Crown: Chelsea/Real Madrid/Chelsea. Physically worn down after four years on the summit and, as the Italians say, "senza idea."
All deviations from the mean eventually return to it.
I agree completely about Drogba. Over the two legs, he was the man. Long after the UK press had written him off and consigned him to China with Anelka, he stepped up. And Terry, who insulted America at the time of 9/11, showed his consummate lack of brains and class.

George Vecsey

4/25/2012 12:39:09 am

Joe, nice to hear from you. Yeah, he has a whole rap sheet, doesn't he. Imagine putting an armband on a lowlife like him. GV

www.feminineshopping.com link

10/1/2012 07:15:52 pm

nice post…..

wren

4/24/2012 02:59:53 pm

Well said Mr. Vecsey, very well said. It's nice to see Didier Drogba finally draw the attention he deserves that he rarely, if ever, receives in the Brit press. While still shedding his diver reputation and outdated criticisms of theatrical baggage, you've touched on the one thing that we Chelsea fans have known for years and that is that Didier Drogba is hands down, the best two-way striker in the world, and has been for some time.

His unmatched defensive skills are no more evident than in Chelsea's biggest games against Barcelona, United, and Liverpool in years past. One of today's commentators even acknowledged in the first half that with his size and defensive skills, Didi would have made a fine center back had that been his lot. How many times has Drogba cleared a ball off the line or tracked back deep inside his own box? Too numerous to count in an age where million dollar strikers often have little time or inclination to set foot in their own half. While the English and European media concentrate more on his transfer rumors, injuries and age, or past wage demands, he keeps on truckin', drawing from the same gifted well that delivers time and time again for the Blues on the biggest stage.

George Vecsey

4/25/2012 12:36:33 am

Thanks for the comments. In basketball terms, when the Chicago Bulls were great, Jordan and Pippen both could decide to take over the game defensively and just browbeat somebody into coughing up the ball. In a soccer way, Drogba does that...he is physical, and has a strong will. Also, the best female soccer player I ever saw, Michelle Akers, would do that. She would decide she wanted the ball and make a direct line and just beat it out of her opponent. Not easy to do on a big field -- but Drogba is at the top of his game, and effort, right now. GV

Hansen Alexander

4/25/2012 09:00:44 am

Nice summary, George, in so few words.

Alan Rubin

4/26/2012 02:14:53 pm

George--Once again you have posted a timely topic. I just added a new category, “Anatomy of a Game”, to my soccer course. Video clips from each game will be used to demonstrate the games’ ebb and flow and indicate how various plays, etc. influenced the outcome. As you know, I edit professional soccer games to produce illustrative video clips .

Since my daily retirement schedule prevents me from watching most of the games live, I often edit days, weeks or even months later. I already know the outcome and highlights of the games. Surprisingly, I have developed a different appreciation of the game of soccer. I am watching the plays rather than the individual players. If I see a remarkable goal, it does not matter if it was scored by Didier Drogba or Joe Blow. As I edit the video clips, including slow motion to illustrate a point, I am viewing soccer at its most elemental level.

The analysis of the Barcelona-Chelsea game would emphasize how Drogba took over the game even though his team was one man down. He helped them regroup and win. This blog, and the accompanying replies, will be helpful in developing the analysis of this game for my course.

Is that the Joe McGinniss of “The Miracle of Castel di Sangro” fame? Your book is on the recommended reading list for my course as it captures the feel of soccer in one of the lower level leagues in Italy as well as the craziness of the game.

Your example of Derek Jeter was a good one. Many players can influence a game in subtle ways. Although it is great sport, and entertaining, to compare the relative merits of players, each is great in their own way. Pele is my all-time favorite player, and this is coming from a former goalie. I first saw him play with Santos at Yankee Stadium in about 1960 and I followed his career until he retired. He was eighteen at the time when I first saw him and he was already creating plays for his teammates. The last games I saw him play was with the Cosmos, at both Downing Stadium and Giant Stadium. From everything that I’ve read, he was considered the gold standard by his contemporaries.

There are so many great players today, including Drogba, Rooney and Messi for example, who should be enjoyed for their skills and not compared with others.

I enjoy your soccer blogs, and the accompanying replies. They are a welcome relief from all the unnecessary media hype, which is often off the mark.

John McDermott

4/26/2012 03:26:16 pm

The wise men who run UEFA have just ruled that Terry can still act as captain and collect the trophy should Chelsea win a game in which Terry has been banned from playing in the Final. This is a ludicrous decision. Terry should be told to stay away.I'm with you on Drogba who is a real stud of a player, and also a really good guy. If Di Matteo is the man I think he is he will give the armband to Drogba and tell Terry to watch the match at home on TV. Drogba is a far better leader anyway. Terry put himself first time and again, above team and teammates. He could, for example, have offered to step down as England captain while his legal proceedings for racially abusing a black opponent played out, avoiding the embarrassing chain events which eventually led to Fabio Capello's resignation. He did not. The biggest mystery is why Capello ever chose a guy like Terry in the first place.

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Drogba Carried Chelsea

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