Source: Telegraph
Didier Drogba repays Guus Hiddink's faith
Didier Drogba has gone from training with the kids to frightening the living daylights out of the Old Lady of Juventus, from being frozen out under Luiz Felipe Scolari to giving the returning Claudio Ranieri the heat treatment. [LNB]Drogba scored one, but deserved more for his marauding attacking, particularly in the first half largely dominated by Chelsea. Juventus raised their game after the break, and Ranieri's team may believe they can over-turn Chelsea's slender advantage before their passionate support in a fortnight, but there is a resilience to this team reinvigorated by Guus Hiddink. [LNB]The Dutchman's arrival has lifted Drogba in particular, and the Ivory Coast international was terrific here, although Nicolas Anelka was slightly subdued in his left-wing role of Hiddink's attacking trident.[LNB]Hiddink had wanted good movement from his front three, for Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou to lose their markers, smashing holes in Juventus' defence. If Anelka occasionally looked frustrated on the left, Drogba was in his element through the middle. Clearly in the mood, Drogba could have had a hat-trick in the first 15 minutes, rather than his one expertly-taken finish. [LNB]Here was the striker who had been such a barnstorming presence in Chelsea's title sides, who had drawn admiring glances from Europe's leading clubs until losing fitness, form and particularly focus. Rejuvenated by Luiz Felipe Scolari's departure, Drogba exuded heavyweight class against Juventus' middleweight defence. [LNB]Chelsea's No 11 began setting his sights early, meeting Jose Bosingwa's cross with a powerful header that flashed wide. He then appealed for a penalty after a gentle push from Cristian Molinaro. Reward for his persistence arrived after 12 minutes, Drogba capping a quickfire attack that tore Juventus to little golden ribbons. [LNB]The goal came out of Africa, out of the Ivory Coast to be exact. Kalou made it, moving in from his right-station to collect possession in the centre. Turning cleverly, Kalou delivered a superb reverse-pass through the middle, releasing his compatriot. [LNB]These are the situations Drogba loves, the ball slightly in front of him and the keeper left exposed. Drogba's left foot controlled the ball, and his right did the rest, drilling it low past Gianluigi Buffon. It takes something to beat Italy's No 1, a keeper who is considered the main challenger to Spain's Iker Casillas as the world's best, but Drogba managed it with ease. [LNB]As Roma and Inter Milan discovered this week, Juventus struggled against the pace of Premier League opponents. Serie A resembles a chess game compared to the ice hockey of English football. David Beckham certainly picked the right European league to return to. [LNB]Some of the visitors had the energy levels to live with Chelsea. Amauri ran hard in attack, supporting Alessandro del Piero. Hiddink's team had known they would not have it all their own way in midfield when little Mauro Camoranesi began flying into challenges, flattening Ashley Cole and Michael Ballack in quick succession. With a short pony-tail straight out of St Trinian's, Camoranesi needed only a lacrosse stick to complete a bloodthirsty image. [LNB]The Italian international can play as well, making a few busy runs, and soon receiving the compliment of a robust challenge from Frank Lampard which left him smeared across the grass, rubbing his bruised back and hamstring. Camoranesi dragged his battered body back into the fray, although he was to last only a few minutes of the second period. [LNB]Inspired by their right-winger and their boisterous supporters, Juventus responded brightly before the interval, finishing the half strongly. A flick from Tiago, a midfielder who should know his way around Chelsea's pitch, found Del Piero, who chugged forward and unleashed a shot that Petr Cech pushed wide. Del Piero, the darling of Juventus, ended the half with a free-kick into Chelsea's wall after Drogba, tracking back over-enthusiastically, had handled. [LNB]Some full-force tackles kept going in, and when Alex and Giorgio Chiellini contested a loose ball fiercely enough to burst it, a rare occurrence and not a great moment for the manufacturers. Drogba kept charging around, looking like he was ready to rupture Juventus' defence again. Lampard also went close, testing Buffon with a shot after Michael Ballack had done well to work the ball to the England midfielder. Ballack was certainly not holding back in the tackle, taking out Pavel Nedved. [LNB]Chelsea craved a second goal, so Hiddink switched his strikers around, moving Anelka over to the right, removing Kalou and inserting Florent Malouda on the left. Chelsea were still defending stoutly, Nedved bouncing off the rock-like John Obi Mikel and then Alex swatting away Amauri. [LNB]As Juventus pushed on in pursuit of an away goal, a wave of anxiety swept through Chelsea fans who responded by raising the volume, seeking to lift their players. Juventus' players sensed an opportunity, and Molinaro asked permission from Ranieri to push up from his left-back berth but his coach waved hi back. [LNB]Chelsea reacted, Bosingwa raiding down the right, eluding Molinaro and bringing a block from Chiellini. Hiddink again rang the changes, introducing Michael Mancienne into central midfield, bringing the youngster his European debut. [LNB]With seven minutes left, the blue hordes screamed for a penalty when Chiellini appeared to use an arm to knock Drogba off the ball as they ran into the box, stride for stride.[LNB]Deep into stoppage time, Juventus almost equalised when Nedved rolled back the years, accelerating forward, flaxen locks flowing behind him and meeting the ball firmly. His shot squirted just wide, bringing sighs of relief around the Bridge and cheers when the final whistle blew moments later.[LNB]
