Success against ‘big teams’ will deliver title, claims Drogba
The Ivory Coast international was instrumental in their 2-0 victory over Liverpool as he set up goals for strike partner Nicolas Anelka and substitute Florent Malouda.
Chelsea moved top of the Barclays Premier League with a two-point lead over second-placed Manchester United and condemned the Merseysiders to their third defeat of the season.
Last season the Blues picked up just four points from a possible 18 against United, Liverpool and Arsenal, and were beaten at home by the latter two, but after passing their biggest test of the campaign so far, Drogba now believes Chelsea can regain their crown.
“We have learned that a big part of our losing the title last year was our results against the big teams,” said Drogba.
“We drew at home against Manchester United, and we lost here against Liverpool and Arsenal, so we wanted to change that trend this season. We want to be the team who wins these games against the big teams, and be at the top of the league.
“It’s only the first game against a top-four team, but it was important to win it to show that we really want to be champions. We will be there. If the other teams want to win the title this season, they will have to fight us hard.”
Chelsea’s victory banished the memory of their 3-1 defeat at Wigan the previous week and an insipid 1-0 success over Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League in midweek.
But Drogba believes the Wigan defeat could have given them the timely boost they required.
Chelsea began the season with six straight league wins but the Wigan result sparked comparisons with former coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s tenure last season.
The Blues lost their confidence after a fine start and Liverpool’s win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season sent them into freefall that ended with Scolari’s sacking last February.
“Wigan was a disappointment, because if you want to win the league, you can’t afford to lose many games like this,” added Drogba. “The good thing is that we reacted. The main thing was a change in the attitude, which was much better against Liverpool.”
Meanwhile England midfielder Frank Lampard says he is unconcerned by the goal drought that has not seen him hit the net for his club since August.
“I suppose the only slight difference for me this season is that I’ve maybe found myself further forward earlier on in games,” said Lampard.
“But I don’t think the amount of chances I’ve been getting has changed particularly, I just think they haven’t gone in for me so far. But there are always patches like that in any season and you just have to get through that.
“Sometimes it gets frustrating when you get three or four opportunities and still don’t score. But I know there will be games later in the season where I’ll get one opportunity and it will go in.”
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is confident the Reds will be ready for a vital week that could turn their season around.
Rafael Benitez’s side went into the international break on the back of a disappointing 2-0 reverse to Premier League title rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
It was their third defeat of the season and the Reds are now six points adrift of Chelsea.
But Carragher refuses to be downcast and insists Liverpool will bounce back against Sunderland and Manchester United in the league and Lyon in Europe.
“It’s never nice to lose before an international break, particularly a game as big as that, but we have got to put it behind us,” he said.
“It would have been good to send the international lads away with a bit of a buzz but it wasn’t to be and now it’s a case of putting it behind us.
“When we get back to it, we have got a massive week coming up with those games against Sunderland, United and Lyon.
“But every week you have as a Liverpool player is massive and we know we’ll have to be at our best to get going again at Sunderland, as they are in good form.”
Liverpool matched Chelsea in a thrilling opening half at Stamford Bridge but mistakes from Javier Mascherano and some sloppy defending from Carragher allowed Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda to score in the second period.
The defender allowed Didier Drogba to turn and set up Malouda for Chelsea’s second in injury time.
The errors are something Carragher admits must be improved on quickly if the Reds are to remain in the title hunt.
“I thought we played quite well and did all right for most of the game yet we have still come away with a 2-0 defeat,” added Carragher.
“It’s the small details that are so important at this level and we know that there are certain areas we have got to improve. There’s a gap at the top and we’ve got to close it.
“Games against Chelsea are notoriously tight and a bit of quality or a mistake is always going to be the thing that turns it one way or another.
“But we have lost the ball in midfield for their first and I felt myself that I should have done a bit better for their second one.”
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