'I would have to say Drogba' – Former Premier League defender on what made Chelsea titan so good

Micah Richards has been speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, where he name checked Didier Drogba as the most “annoying” footballer he’s played against, in terms of frustrating him as a defender.

Another Chelsea man from that period, Arjen Robben, got a name check, but in the end Richards had to go for Drogba, and he explained why:

“I have to say Drogba. I have to say Drogba because he was so strong, he was so aggressive. You touch him, and he goes down too easily and I always tell him when I see him. And he’s like, ‘That’s the game. I’m playing the game.’

“He used to buy the fouls, get his big arms up and then he would just like wink at me and say, ‘I got you this time.’ So I would have to say Drogba.”

We can totally see why it would be annoying for a defender. You can’t get too tight, but you can’t leave him any space either.

Drogba was never a consistent player, and he could be quiet for long periods of a game or even parts of a season. But when he needed to be on it, you just knew he would deliver, and one could sense the fear of the defenders in a way that we’ve rarely experienced from a Chelsea player. Robben and Eden Hazard you could at least foul – Drogba, you might just end up bouncing off, and then you’re in real trouble.