Blues drop Drogba for FA Cup tie

redout

Didier Drogba's Chelsea future may be hanging in the balance after he was dropped from the squad for Wednesday's FA Cup third-round replay at Southend.

The 30-year-old striker is the first major casualty following the 3-0 defeat by Manchester United on Sunday.

"All the players have had their chance. I have given every player at least five or six games to impress," said Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.
"I will give them their chance and I need answers."

This season, Ivory Coast forward Drogba, who has been linked with a move to Inter Milan, has looked a shadow of the player he once was.
Drogba has scored 83 goals in all competitions for Chelsea since joining the Blues in 2004 but has found the net only three times in 17 games during the current campaign and is not even a member of the travelling squad to Roots Hall.

Scolari will recall current Premier League top scorer Nicolas Anelka, who has not started the past three games, against Southend.


"I have looked at many games with Anelka and at the last few with Didier," stated Scolari.

"I have my opinion and I will put my opinion on the pitch every game.

"Now we will start with one team against Southend United and maybe I will start with the same team against Stoke.

"If I have given players only one chance then maybe some of the players will complain that they have only had one opportunity.

"But when I have given four or five chances then there is no room for questions, it is my decision to play this or that player, and finish."
Scolari has also given a damning verdict on his side's ability to win silverwear this season.

"If you ask me if this team are ready to win things, then no," conceded the former Brazil coach.
I am a good man but I am not a fool

Luiz Felipe Scolari


"They are not ready to win a trophy and they know this. They might not say things publicly but they know we are not ready.

"In the last five games we played at 50% of our potential, no more than this. Some players have been at 75 to 80%, while others have been at 35-40% but the balance for our team in the last five games has been 50%.

"Sometimes they make mistakes because they are not in a good condition but not because they do not want to play.
"If this happened then they would be finished. I am a good man but I am not a fool."

Scolari took the blame squarely on his own shoulders for Chelsea's loss at Manchester United on Sunday but said everyone at the club must now pull together if they are to bounce back.
"We need more to work together and when it is wrong we need more togetherness," he said.



The damaging defeat left Chelsea four points adrift of league leaders Liverpool and only a point ahead of United, who have two games in hand over their title rivals.

"I understand people now don't have a very good opinion about me because we lost a game 3-0 against Manchester United. I know this but in my opinion, I am doing a good job," insisted Scolari.
The defeat extended the Blues' current run of only three victories in their past 11 games in all competitions.

It has also raised questions in the press about Scolari's position in west London.

However, BBC sports editor Mihir Bose believes there is no chance of the Brazilian being sacked. "Scolari's position, the Chelsea hierarchy insists, is not in jeopardy," said Bose.


"But it is recognised that Scolari cannot carry on as he has so far.
"What Scolari needs to do, say insiders, is be tough with the players. Show them who is boss.

"One well-placed source told me: 'He has allowed his players to get on top of him. He needs to show he runs the team not the players, however well paid they may be or however high profile'."

Scolari knows how important it is to turn around all of the negative publicity over the past few days and is confident his side will progress in the FA Cup.
"It's the FA Cup. If our spirit is not the same as Southend's, then it's difficult, but if our spirit is the same then we have good chance because we have better players than Southend," he commented.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7827831.stm


I reckon its deserved. He had several good oppotunities against United and made a complete bollox of some of them ie: the header and the miskick.

PiE

I think it's much ado about nothing.

Personally, I would not mind my team's star striker, who has been out quite a bit with injuries this season, being rested for an FA Cup tie at Southend.

monkey9

PiE wrote: »

I think it's much ado about nothing.

Personally, I would not mind my team's star striker, who has been out quite a bit with injuries this season, being rested for an FA Cup tie at Southend.

But would this not be the perfect tie in which to play the star striker who has missed a lot of games through injury??

PiE

Maybe - but maybe not 3 days after a game vs Man Utd?

Sizzler

Drogba being dropped, does this warrant its own thread, seriously?

ShooterSF

I think the media just need a manager to go at and considering Chelsea are stuttering at the minute and Rafa's rotation policy is not "ruining" Liverpool's title chances Scolari is the one getting it. After all it's only yesterday he was in trouble over dropping Anelka. They only play one front man so he can't really win no matter what he does.

Barr

Drogba has been a great asset for Chelsea , I dont think thay can afford to be without him .

eagle eye

LMFAO

Drogba dropped for a game against Southend.:pac::pac::pac:

Wow big news there.:pac::pac::pac:

redout

eagle eye wrote: »

LMFAO

Drogba dropped for a game against Southend.:pac::pac::pac:

Wow big news there.:pac::pac::pac:

Lampard tells Drogba to fight for his place

Thursday, 15 January 2009 15:52

Frank Lampard wants Didier Drogba to stay and fight for his place at Chelsea.


The Ivory Coast striker was axed by boss Luiz Felipe Scolari for the FA Cup replay against Southend amid suggestions that his career with the Blues is effectively over.


He was not included in the squad for the game which Chelsea won 4-1, however assistant first-team coach Ray Wilkins insisted the player remains a 'valuable member' of the set-up.



Drogba was made to train with the reserves yesterday, on the back of his poor performance in the 3-0 mauling by Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday.


But Chelsea will not consider selling Drogba until he starts to shine for them and there is little chance of him leaving during the current transfer window.


England midfielder Lampard now wants Drogba to use the snub as a catalyst to regain his place in Scolari's affections and stay at the club.

'It's the manager's prerogative to leave players out,' said Lampard.

'Every manager I've played under, and I've played under some top managers, has the right to drop someone, put them on the bench, rest them, whatever.


'Didier is a very big personality and player at this club and he will take it in the right way, I'm sure.


'Hopefully he will remain a massive part of this club because he's definitely one of (the best), if not the best, strikers in the world. You always want those sort of people around.'


Drogba is the first victim of Scolari's get-tough policy but the Brazilian coach also unleashed a scathing assessment of his under-performing stars prior to their visit to Roots Hall.


Yet Lampard maintains that Scolari has every right to voice his opinion about their poor performances.

'Any time at any club there will be some players at the top of their game and some that aren't,' said Lampard.


'The manager didn't pick on anyone individually. The manager was just explaining how it's been. We're not here to pick out certain individuals, we've all had our patches where we've not played at our best.


'It's important the team stays strong and against Southend we showed a good spirit and team ethic. This is what we need to show from now on.

'I don't think it's a problem - we're all men. When you're a professional at a team like Chelsea and play below par or make a mistake, you have to accept it yourself.


'If the manager criticises you, you have to understand that. There is not a problem with it at all. If you want to cry about the manager saying you're playing below par - you have to look at yourself first. That is what every player has to do and is doing. The response was fantastic and we need to carry on from that.'


http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0115/drogbad.html


Good man. Its looks really stupid now doesn't it. Big news NO ! Being dropped and then made to train with the reserves is big news on this planet anyway. Not sure about yours brother.

jaykay74

Isn't this type of discussion what the Chelsea superthread is for? God knows its quiet enough in there as it is

redout

jaykay74 wrote: »

Isn't this type of discussion what the Chelsea superthread is for? God knows its quiet enough in there as it is

Well if its that quiet then can you not see why I posted it here as opposed to there. I actually want people to read it !