Drogba serves up timely reminder

REMEMBER the film Sliding Doors? It starred Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah and told the story, in parallel, of what would have happened to the lead character if she had caught a tube train she was running for in London — or missed it.

Well, Chelsea fans got to see their own version of the movie last night as Carlo Ancelotti’s side gave them a glimpse of what might have happened had they not signed Fernando Torres as they beat Birmingham 3-1 to go second in the Premier League and re-ignite their title challenge.

Two goals from Florent Malouda and one from Salomon Kalou sealed a comfortable victory as Torres sat on the bench and Chelsea recreated the old days.

Considering the Spaniard’s wonderful pedigree, youth and talent it would be hard to say he is a bad long-term signing, even at £50m (€58m); but there is little doubt his arrival has affected Chelsea badly in the short term and seriously affected their championship hopes in a season where even just a few wins in a row would have left them in serious contention.

From the moment he made his fateful debut against Liverpool and was shoe-horned into a three-man attack that looked awkward and uncomfortable from the start, Chelsea have struggled to regain their balance and composure.

In truth they have been living under the combined shadow of a sulking Didier Drogba and a £50m (€58m) flop who cannot score his first goal; and it has only been in the last two games, with Torres left on the bench, that the shadow has been lifted.

At Stamford Bridge last night Chelsea started to look like the team that won the title last season; they played naturally, instinctively, safe in the knowledge that Drogba was at the tip of their team and doing exactly what they knew he would. The system was familiar, the personnel were familiar — and the result was familiar.

In the first half Drogba had two shots saved and two assists, the first for Malouda and the second for Kalou; but more than that he led the team with energy and commitment in a way we have not seen while Torres has been first choice ahead of him.

Bearing in mind that Drogba played in similar fashion last weekend, scoring one and grabbing two assists in a 3-1 victory over West Brom just days after coming off the bench to score, albeit in vain, against Manchester United in the Champions League, and you get a sense of what might had been for Ancelotti’s side.

What if that transfer window had slid shut just before the Torres deal was completed? What if the Spaniard had waited six more months before moving to London and started the 2011-2012 season fresh and fit and without the pressure of arriving as Drogba’s replacement while the great man was still there?

Of course we will never know for certain, but Chelsea’s form last night suggests things could have been very different — and maybe it isn’t too late.

Take a look, for instance, at the form of Malouda, Drogba’s great mate who regards his understanding with the Ivorian striker as almost telepathic having also played alongside him in France.

The Frenchman looks a different player when placed alongside his good friend and was excellent against Birmingham, scoring twice.

The first came after only three minutes when captain John Terry swept a wonderful cross-field pass out to Paulo Ferreira, who was given time to cross — allowing Drogba to flick on and Malouda to finish from close range.

The second, after 26 minutes, saw Drogba’s Ivory Coast team-mate Kalou accept a pass from the big striker before skipping past two defenders and curling home an exquisite shot from 20 yards; and the third, the icing on the cake, saw young left-back Ryan Bertrand cross for Malouda to head home after coming on for injured Ashley Cole.

Interestingly, when Ancelotti eventually brought on his £50m (€58m) man and Nicolas Anelka together after 67 minutes it wasn’t Drogba who was taken off, as has been the case in recent times, it was Malouda and Kalou. So has the Ivorian proved his point and confirmed himself as Chelsea’s number one — at least until the end of the season?

True to form, Torres contributed little and instead of going on to score more goals Chelsea were actually pegged back when David Luiz clearly brought down Matt Derbyshire after 76 minutes and Sebastian Larsson fired home from the penalty spot for 3-1.

When the doors slid closed Chelsea, however, were comfortable winners and with Arsenal only drawing at Tottenham they are now second in the table, six points behind leaders United and with a match at Old Trafford still to play on May 8.

Now it’s Manchester United who may need to mind the gap — as long as Torres remains on the bench.

Subs for Chelsea: Bertrand for Cole 56, Anelka for Malouda 67, Torres for Kalou.

Subs for Birmingham: Derbyshire for Jerome 70, Bentley for Hleb 70, Davies for Parnaby 79.