'Didier Drogba Was The Master Of 'Playing With Your Back Towards Goal'

When you're talking about players being a focal point in attack, Didier Drogba was the absolute master of the role.

During his sensational stint with Chelsea, the Ivorian striker was the perfect target man in the way that he dominated defenders and brought teammates into play.

His physicality was unmatched but Drogba combined it with intelligent link up play. In terms of strikers playing with their backs towards goal, there was surely nobody better than the former Marseille man.

And this two-minute compilation from @WolfgangFonso shows just how unplayable he was in his pomp.

How to play with your back towards goal, a masterclass by Didier Drogba

[@didierdrogba] pic.twitter.com/OI7N6Ig03l

— Wolf (@WolfgangFonso) March 23, 2021

I absolutely think Drogbas hold-up play should be studied at Harvard or something... How can someones hold-up play be so incredible and yet decisive. It is mental!!!! G&A everywhere!!

— Sunkanmi ⚪ (@Leosuky) March 24, 2021

Remember a rival fan one told me that he'd rather have Drogba facing the goal than backing it.

— Muslim Pulisic 😷 (@Blueremmmy) March 24, 2021

As a kid I made myself believe once Drogba chests the ball and shoots it was surely a goal🤦‍♂️, believing that was a given or his super power.

— Bangs (@IbangaGuevara1) March 24, 2021

Centre-backs simply couldn't knock him off the ball when it was fed into his path and his control, whether with his head or chest, was expert.

He was genuinely at his most dangerous facing the wrong way. It was like some sort of cheat code.

Drogba scored the same type of goal on so many occasions, finishing emphatically after a sharp turn. But he was also superb serving as foil for the likes of Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka to name just a few of the teammates he assisted.

In two spells at Chelsea, Drogba scored 164 goals and lifted Premier League titles, the Champions League, four FA Cups and three League Cups.

Image: PA

He also proved to be the ultimate big game player. In nine finals he played in for the Blues, Drogba scored nine times and was a winner in every single game - including coming up clutch in THAT Champions League final in 2012.

source https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-didier-drogba-was-the-master-of-playing-with-your-back-towards-goal-20210326