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29 March 2024

Why ‘Drogba Syndrome’ will destroy Chelsea…

Didier Drogba greets fans before the match between Shanghai Shenhua and Beijing Guoan at Hongkou Football Stadium in Shanghai, China. (AP)

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By Staff

Hulk has quit Porto. With the Robin Van Persie potboiler increasingly looking like a Manchester United happy ending, Stamford Bridge might feel like they are undercooked up front.

However, Chelsea needs to quit the Hulk.

Chelsea are in danger of playing themselves in to a ‘Drogba Syndrome’, which, if you look at Arsenal’s ‘Viera Syndrome’, can destroy the club. At least in terms of winning trophies.

Didier Drogba is one of a kind and it makes for an unwise football policy to go in search of a replica… and hinge the club’s future on finding one.

Roberto Di Matteo knows that, which is why his response to Hulk has been rather muted.

In Di Matteo’s mind, his striker is Fernando Torres.

Bring in Hulk and the whole structure of play will change.

Will Hulk be able to hustle and flow like the Drog?

Probably not, but irrespective, Torres never functioned properly with Drogba and the immense presence of the Ivorian may have contributed to Nando’s loss of confidence and goal-scoring drought.

Now, Nando is back. With goals in arguably the two biggest games of football possible – finals of the Champions League and finals of the Euros – surely his confidence is surging; evident from his display in the Community Shield.

Bringing the Hulk in will only disrupt Torres as the focus of attack.

Instead, Chelsea need to worry about the defensive frailties. Is a John Terry, David Luiz partnership viable? Over the entire season?

Suddenly, Gary Cahill looks like Chelsea’s best defender.

The ‘we never found a replacement for Viera’ reason has been trotted out far too long at Arsenal, where it almost became a psyche that seemed to hold the team back.

Chelsea do not need to let Drogba become the same.

It’s time for some Nando’s.

Don’t call in the Hulk… yet.

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