Source: Telegraph
The Debate: Should Chelsea sell Didier Drogba?
While he made it clear he was not agitating for a move it is clearly more than the winter sunshine on the Cote d'Azur that has prompted this outpouring of affection for the club he used to play for. The big Ivorian has been left out of Chelsea's last two squads by Luiz Felipe Scolari, immediately after the Chelsea manager had called the commitment of some of his players into question.[LNB]Is his time up at Stamford Bridge? There would be no shortage of interest in Drogba if Chelsea put him up for sale. Is he still good enough to lead the Chelsea attack? Is his fluid interpretation of loyalty worth putting up with? Or is it time to cash in on a player who has failed to produce under Scolari, and use the money to buy a much-needed winger? Should Chelsea sell Drogba?[LNB]YES[LNB]Drogba hit his peak in the 2006-07 season. He had initially struggled to settle in English football but in that season he was unstoppable – often literally so as his power and pace humiliated a succession of opposing central defenders. He scored 33 goals that season and was surely the best target man in the world.[LNB]Last season his productivity decreased significantly, culminating in his red card in the Champions League final in Moscow. Scoring 15 goals is a long way from disaster but there was a clear dip in the quality of his performances. This season he has managed just three goals.[LNB]He is 31 in March and showing signs that his powers are on the wane. When you couple that with the fact that Scolari evidently prefers Nicolas Anelka, and will not play both together without the presence of an orthodox left-winger, it seems sensible to offload him and reshuffle the squad to suit the Brazilian coach's needs.[LNB]Drogba is prone to making ill-judged public statements and his on-pitch theatrics are distasteful. But it is his dwindling contribution in front of goal that makes him surplus to requirements.[LNB]NO[LNB]Drogba can be as difficult to manage as he can to defend. He once told Jose Mourinho that he was seeing his dentist in Paris and wound up in Milan at a time when Italy's finest were courting the striker. But there is a reason Mourinho stuck with him: Drogba is irreplaceable.[LNB]His negligible contribution this season invites swift judgement. However, it is easy to forget that he missed the beginning of the season with a knee injury and has not really had a decent run in the team to get his match sharpness back.[LNB]He might be 30, but he was a late developer and should have at least four more seasons at the top level. Chelsea are struggling to convince as title contenders, especially at Stamford Bridge, and if they sold Drogba that is one fewer option up front.[LNB]Anelka's form has faded, while the likes of Salomon Kalou and the promising Franco di Santo lack the presence to lead the line. He might be hard to bring into line but a fully fit, confident Drogba would be devastating weapon in the second half of the season. [LNB]
