Reports from China indicate Didier Drogba and his former Chelsea team mate, Nicholas Anelka could leave Shanghai Shenhua because the club is unable to meet its wage commitments because of an escalating shareholder row. Both Drogba and Anelka earn a mind boggling £300,000 per week to play for 10th placed Shenhua.
Having watched Arsenal’s final third frustrations against Stoke and Sunderland, it is clear as Arsene Wenger himself suggested, there appears to be something missing. He stated, ” we are not spontaneous enough in some situations.”
Well, one can’t think of a more spontaneous goal scorer than Drogba and before one says he’s too old, he won last season’s Champions League for the Blues. If Fernando Torres has gotten his scoring groove back on it is because he’s finally been freed of Drogba’s shadow and it might be added, he’s getting some pretty good service at his doorstep from Juan Mata and Eden Hazard.
As many more astute have suggested, goals will come when all the new parts mesh together and the old parts shake off their long injury absences. It will take time. But you cannot leave too big a gap in an unforgivable league. There has to be a brand of individuality and also tested goods in the Premiership to keep the opposition honest while Arsenal find their feet. Drogba might relish a league return to a club that he used to virtually destroy single handed. He’s a player who can break a stalemate. Manufacture a goal out of nowhere. Intimidate defenses into making mistakes.
That late minute scoring chance that Oliver Giroud missed in front of goal against Sunderland? That would have been at the back of the net in a trice with Drogba. The two Sunderland defenders who snuffed out Podolski’s half chance bundling him off the ball would have been sitting on their behinds. Drogba is not half bad when it comes to set pieces. Some of those free kicks are keepers and there is every chance he would have done more damage from the 18 corners Arsenal poured in those two matches.
Be bold. Take a chance. If Drogba is available, offer him a return to the Premiership to a club where he can make a difference. He’s risen to every other challenge. This is one more.