Chelsea are back at the top of the table and Arsenal are now nine points adrift from the top, thanks to Didier Drogba’s two goals last night in Chelsea’s 2 - 0 win over the Gunners.
The Ivory Coast forward scored both goals inside 23 minutes, and Chelsea then successfully contained Arsenal at Stamford Bridge despite the Gunners enjoying the majority of possession in the second half.
“Didier is in a good moment, he’s come back from the African Cup with fantastic motivation,” Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
“The game was not easy because Arsenal played fantastic attacking football. We deserved to win because you can’t speak about a match only about the possession. Maybe they did have more possession than us, but football is about attack—and defense.”
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Didier Drogba made a scoring return to European action to help Chelsea through to the last 16 of the Champions League, even though his brace could not help the Blues continue their 100% record against Atletico Madrid.
Drogba had missed Chelsea’s opening three Group D games through suspension, but he was brought straight back into the starting line-up and looked to have earned Carlo Ancelotti’s side the win with two goals in the last eight minutes.
Those strikes cancelled out a stunning volley by Atletico striker Sergio Aguero in the 66th minute, but the young Argentinian had the last say as he curled home a brilliant injury-time free-kick to salvage a 2-2 draw for the hosts.
Drogba was handed the ban following his foul-mouthed confrontation with Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo at the end of May’s Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Barcelona.
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Didier Drogba have declared Chelsea’s 3 - 1 defeat to Wigan the worst game his played in 5 years.
Drogba scored the Blues’ only goal in a 3-1 loss at the DW Stadium in which they were outplayed and outfought.
Captain John Terry said: “The least we expect from every player is that we work hard and fight - and we did not do that.”
And to underline the point, Drogba told the Evening Standard: “We didn’t play very well. We lost all the battles, all the duels. We didn’t win anything. We were poor.
“This is the worst game I have played in since I have been at Chelsea. We need to think about it, correct what was wrong and try to go again.
“We equalised just after half-time and we were trying to improve our game, but then there was the penalty and a red card, which I think was a bit harsh.
“Still with 10 players we had the chance to make it 2-2, but we didn’t do it. There was a lot of space and they used the pitch very well, they deserved to win.”
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Chelsea striker Didier Drogba believes John Terry will turn down a move to rivals Manchester City.
Terry has been linked with a move to Manchester City all summer, despite Chelsea denying that that they are interested in selling their captain.
Terry played the whole match when the Blues won 2-0 over Inter Milan at the Rose Bowl in California this morning.
“He’s our captain and we need him and we know he’s going to stay with us and win more trophies,” Drogba told ESPN.
Drogba added, on facing former boss Jose Mourinho: “It’s always nice to see him, he was a big part of Chelsea’s success and now we’re moving on.
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Chelsea warmed up for their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona next week with a comfortable 3-1 win over Fulham.
Goals from Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba ensured Chelsea also kept the heat on second-placed Liverpool in the Premier League.
Guus Hiddink’s side dented Fulham’s own hopes of European football next season as West Ham and Manchester City both moved above the Cottagers in the race for seventh place.
The contest began in dramatic fashion with three goals inside the first 10 minutes.
The Blues opened the scoring inside 50 seconds.
Malouda and Anelka combined down the left before Malouda’s cross was stabbed into the path of Anelka by Drogba.
The France international finished from the edge of the six-yard box.
But Fulham hit back immediately and were level in the fifth minute.
Norwegian striker Erik Nevland scored his second goal in as many games when he ran to a great pass by Danny Murphy to beat Petr Cech with a fierce angled drive.
Two minutes later Frank Lampard was narrowly wide with a clever chip shot as Chelsea looked to restore their advantage.
But the home side were back in front in the 10th minute when Anelka fed Drogba inside the penalty area and his low cross was lashed into the net by Florent Malouda.
But Fulham were still dangerous on the counter and Nevland smashed an 18-yard volley just over the bar in the 14th minute.
Moments later a cross from Paul Konchesky found the head of Bobby Zamora but the Fulham striker’s effort was just wide of Cech’s right-hand upright.
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