Drogba versus Benitez

dublinario · 22-05-2008 11:35AM #1

Genuinely, I'm not laying in the boot to Drogba after last night's Champions League final. I tried to start this thread yesterday before the game, but my Broadband went haywire. It annoyed me in the lead-up to last night's match, and ever since the final whistle of the semis, (seemingly) the entire media adopted the angle that Drogba had served comeuppance upon a wanton detractor in Benitez.

I'm not naive, and I appreciate how this was a 'good story' (in the cynical world of football journalism), particularly with the hook of Drogba (allegedly) sticking a picture of Benitez above his locker to motivate himself. But take a step back and ask: how did Drogba come out of this the hero, and Benitez the villain?

All Benitez did was draw attention to the diving antics of arguably the premiership's most inveterate diver, fearful that Drogba's cheating could adversely affect the game's outcome. Drogba is then painted a hero just because the criticism motivates him to a rare simulation-free game? The man who accurately highlights cheating is painted as the villain, and a player is lauded for merely playing fair?

mike65 · 22-05-2008 12:13PM

Drogba used Rafas correct observation as a tool. Drogba is also a tool.

Mike.

gucci · 22-05-2008 12:19PM

Oh this is so convenient, we can have a full dedicated thread Dider Drogba....Now im off to start another on John Terry.

I think Drogba is a tool also for what it is worth.

leninbenjamin · 22-05-2008 12:24PM

Benitez played mindgames that backfired. Drogba used his comments to motivate himself. happens all the time, nothing unusual about it. the media just overblew the story as usual.

dublinario · 22-05-2008 12:26PM

gucci wrote: »

Oh this is so convenient, we can have a full dedicated thread Dider Drogba

Well, I did call the thread Drogba versus Benitez, so I hardly had an ulterior motive!

I'll declare my colours lads, I'm a Liverpool fan. But I think Drogba's antics would disgust me regardless of my team. Diving is my bugbear, and it drives me ballistic to see a 15 stone athlete going down like he's been shot every 5 seconds. Makalele was at it last night too, pretending he needed smelling salts to be revived from a flailing arm that barely scraped him. If a light caress knocks human beings out, how is there such a sport as boxing?

As I said, I'm a Liverpool fan, but there are quite a few players I admire on UTD, and Vidic is one of them. When Drogba gave him a light slap, did he go down like a tonne of bricks? No. He tried to kill Drogba, and might have done so where it not for the restraint of his team mates. Were the roles reversed, Drogba would probably be emerging only now from a fake coma, just as fake doctors were moving to unplug a fake life-support machine.

helimachoptor · 22-05-2008 12:29PM

dublinario wrote: »

As I said, I'm a Liverpool fan, but there are quite a few players I admire on UTD, and Vidic is one of them. When Drogba gave him a light slap, did he go down like a tonne of bricks? No. He tried to kill Drogba, and might have done so where it not for the restraint of his team mates. Were the roles reversed, Drogba would probably be emerging only now from a fake coma, just as fake doctors were moving to unplug a fake life-support machine.

Probably! I for one would not cross Vidic

dublinario · 22-05-2008 12:31PM

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Benitez played mindgames that backfired. Drogba used his comments to motivate himself. happens all the time, nothing unusual about it. the media just overblew the story as usual.

I don't disagree with that Leninbenjamin. That's undoubtedly what happened. Benitez was trying to influence the ref before the game, but I don't necessarily think that makes him sly or conniving in this particular instance, because he was voicing a legitimate concern about a rampant cheat.

Drogba took Benitez comments as a slight, and motivated himself to an awesome, match-winning display, in which he showcased all the brilliant qualities he possess in his arsenal. What p*ssed me off was that not one journalist had the guts to state the bleedin obvious: that he shouldn't need such comments -- and remember, they were truthful and accurate -- from a rival manager to spur him to a fair and brilliant game. Seriously, I didn't read one article that even alluded to this simple, obvious point, and I think that's a sad indictment of sports journalism, and how conditioned the media now are to cheating.

ciaran76 · 22-05-2008 12:36PM

Drogba should look at Gerrard on how to dive.;):p

dublinario · 22-05-2008 12:37PM

ciaran76 wrote: »

Drogba should look at Gerrard on how to dive.;):p

I wouldn't deny that one mate. I have to take that on the chin, Gerrard does dive, much as it disgusts me.

jank · 22-05-2008 12:40PM

Those damm foreigners, ruining our game!

Bubs101 · 22-05-2008 12:40PM

As a Chelsea fan I fully support Drogba when it comes to his feud with Benites. For one, regardless of how apparently lame the way he motivates himself is, every person has different ticks and there is no doubt that his worked

All Benitez did was draw attention to the diving antics of arguably the premiership's most inveterate diver, fearful that Drogba's cheating could adversely affect the game's outcome. Drogba is then painted a hero just because the criticism motivates him to a rare simulation-free game? The man who accurately highlights cheating is painted as the villain, and a player is lauded for merely playing fair?

The second problem I have is easily depicted here. He didn't accurately depict highlights of cheating, he manipulated them to make Drogba look like he dived all the time and to put pressure on referees not to give him free kicks, simple as. If he wanted to highlight some diving before the game from in my opinion, the games worst diver, he could have just turned to his captain and told him there's to be no diving tonight. He didn't. Infact, in that match not one Chelsea player dived but there were some instances of Liverpool play-acting, such as Hyppia in the box. Rafa is a tool because he is a hypocrite, Drogba is a tool because he fights with his teammates

ciaran76 · 22-05-2008 12:40PM

I think also the media wont ask him any tough question nor any footballer in that case is beacuse either the player or his team could end up blanking that reporters newspaper and no lovely interviews for that paper in the future.

Thats the horrible fact in todays world.:(

dublinario · 22-05-2008 12:49PM

Gerrard is a diver Bubs101, I accept that. But I don't think Benitez was necessarily trying to win free kicks in highlighting Drogba's antics before the game. Carragher and others were on yellow-cards, and I think it was a legitimate concern that a Drogba dive could result in a player of ours missing the final (obviously a moot point considering we got thumped!)

Two wrongs don't make a right though Bubs101. Just because Gerrard dives, it doesn't make Drogba's behaviour any less disgusting. I would argue that even among the pantheon of today's worst divers, Drogba is the king. Whereas other divers maybe go down in the box trying to get a peno, Drogba goes miles farther and goes down constantly, anywhere on the pitch, reducing the game to a stuttered affair interspersed with bouts of fake physio for fake injuries.

That's the crux of what elevates Drogba, I feel, above all other divers. Giles touched on it recently on the RTE panel: Drogba regularly goes off the pitch to get fake treatment for fake injuries. Maybe other divers have done this once in a blue moon, perhaps given how dramatically they went down. But Drogba, to my mind, is the only player who does this regularly, to the point that you start to wonder if his brain is wired incorrectly, and he actually convinces himself that he was fouled, and is hurt.

It disgusts me more than I can articulate lads. Essentially, Drogba is happy to leave his team play with 10 men several times a game, and in doing so also takes rests, and exhibits behaviour for which it is pretty impossible to find a motivation. Say he goes down easy from a nothing challenge at the half-way line, and then goes off the pitch for fake treatment, leaving his team at 10 men for about 1 or 2 minutes. What has he achieved? There's no peno involved. Is he obsessed with sympathy? Is he delusional? Does he hate running for 90 minutes?

Pepe LeFrits · 22-05-2008 12:56PM

I like Drogba. He makes a great panto-villain.

Bubs101 · 22-05-2008 01:01PM

dublinario wrote: »

Gerrard is a diver Bubs101, I accept that. But I don't think Benitez was necessarily trying to win free kicks in highlighting Drogba's antics before the game. Carragher and others were on yellow-cards, and I think it was a legitimate concern that a Drogba dive could result in a player of ours missing the final (obviously a moot point considering we got thumped!)

Essien was on a yellow card too and yet you didn't see Grant highlight Gerrards diving before the match, he took the higher road and so should have Benitez

dublinario wrote: »

Two wrongs don't make a right though Bubs101. Just because Gerrard dives, it doesn't make Drogba's behaviour any less disgusting. I would argue that even among the pantheon of today's worst divers, Drogba is the king. Whereas other divers maybe go down in the box trying to get a peno, Drogba goes miles farther and goes down constantly, anywhere on the pitch, reducing the game to a stuttered affair interspersed with bouts of fake physio for fake injuries.

That's just personal opinion. For me, Gerrard is by far the worst diver for the simple fact that at least Ronaldo and Drogba get called out constantly for their diving but Stevie gets left alone. He doesn't have the reputation of the other two which makes him much more dangerous when it comes to his diving. Also, Drogba doesn't go down constantly in all games, like all goos divers, he picks his spots and then goes down. If he did it all the time he'd be sent of sharpish in every match

dublinario wrote: »

That's the crux of what elevates Drogba, I feel, above all other divers. Giles touched on it recently on the RTE panel: Drogba regularly goes off the pitch to get fake treatment for fake injuries. Maybe other divers have done this once in a blue moon, perhaps given how dramatically they went down. But Drogba, to my mind, is the only player who does this regularly, to the point that you start to wonder if his brain is wired incorrectly, and he actually convinces himself that he was fouled, and is hurt.

It's all part of the play acting. For one, it makes it look more legitiamate. Second, he could just need a rast and that's a very very clever way of getting one. As I've already said, I don't like the man, but I'd certainly consider him on a higher plane than Stevie G

DerKaiser · 22-05-2008 01:16PM

Ok, 1. Drogba is not the worst diver in the world, Gerrard and Ronaldo are WAY worse, Drogba maybe 2-3 years ago, but he is playing honestly at this point in his career I'm sick of numpty muppets and their jealousy for the worlds greatest striker

2. Benitez is a clown, not a great tactician who slandered Drogba as a way to psyche him out but it backfired on him and just focus the Ivorian more, Benitez is not only a bumbling cretin of a manager, who ignores all other competitons unsportingly in the hope that he'll get the same lucky wave he had in 2005, he has also shown how thick he is in the mind games arena

3. Drogba was more than entitled to celebrate his goal in front of Benitez as Lampard was in that glorius 4-1 at Anfield to Shhhh! the kop with his finger as Mourihno did, it's banter, and if you're too sensitive for this, I suggest you stop watching football mate, things could get ugly for you

Blackhorse Slim · 22-05-2008 01:29PM

DerKaiser wrote: »

Ok, 1. Drogba is not the worst diver in the world, Gerrard and Ronaldo are WAY worse, Drogba maybe 2-3 years ago, but he is playing honestly at this point in his career I'm sick of numpty muppets and their jealousy for the worlds greatest striker

Are you Drogba's agent?

There's no doubting his ability, but he still dives persistently. Every bump he gets he exaggerates, feigns injury, looks pleadingly at the ref and linesman. Much like Ronaldo. Gerrard dives occasionally, similar to, say Rooney, and it gets highlighted when he does. Drogba and Ronaldo do it every game, that is the difference.

RE*AC*TOR · 22-05-2008 01:40PM

Drogba is a saint. Benitez is quite obviously mentally retarded.

What more needs to be said?

Pepe LeFrits · 22-05-2008 01:43PM

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

What more needs to be said?

The location of the popcorn!

yom 1 · 22-05-2008 01:44PM

DerKaiser wrote: »

2. Benitez is a clown, not a great tactician who slandered Drogba as a way to psyche him out but it backfired on him and just focus the Ivorian more, Benitez is not only a bumbling cretin of a manager, who ignores all other competitons unsportingly in the hope that he'll get the same lucky wave he had in 2005, he has also shown how thick he is in the mind games arena

Thats quite insightful - do you work for The Sun? Cos with that amount of sensationalist bull$hit you should!

IrishMike · 22-05-2008 01:49PM

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

Drogba is a saint. Benitez is quite obviously mentally retarded.

What more needs to be said?

May i also just add that Rafa has spent 2 billion in the last 4 years and thats
sterling and not euro.
Also Liverpool would be 15th in the league without Gerrard and Torres.
Oh and Drogba reads to 78 elderly women in a fulham nursing home every thursday evening.

fullstop · 22-05-2008 01:59PM

dublinario wrote: »

I wouldn't deny that one mate. I have to take that on the chin, Gerrard does dive, much as it disgusts me.

Don't forget Torres...

dublinario · 22-05-2008 02:07PM

DerKaiser wrote: »

Ok, 1. Drogba is not the worst diver in the world, Gerrard and Ronaldo are WAY worse, Drogba maybe 2-3 years ago, but he is playing honestly at this point in his career I'm sick of numpty muppets and their jealousy for the worlds greatest striker

He's a great player. I wouldn't dispute that. I take issue with his diving, not his ability.

DerKaiser wrote: »

2. Benitez is a clown, not a great tactician who slandered Drogba as a way to psyche him out but it backfired on him and just focus the Ivorian more, Benitez is not only a bumbling cretin of a manager, who ignores all other competitons unsportingly in the hope that he'll get the same lucky wave he had in 2005, he has also shown how thick he is in the mind games arena

Nice to see you're circumspect. He's a bumbling cretin who has won major honours in two different countries. He is also quite dignified for the most part (I know Everton fans would disagree). There has to be a little give and take in any intelligent debate, but if you're going to cast Benitez has a "...bumbling cretin", I can see this descending into flamesville pretty quick.

DerKaiser wrote: »

3. Drogba was more than entitled to celebrate his goal in front of Benitez as Lampard was in that glorius 4-1 at Anfield to Shhhh! the kop with his finger as Mourihno did, it's banter, and if you're too sensitive for this, I suggest you stop watching football mate, things could get ugly for you

Too sensitive for what? No one even mentioned the celebration, so get off your high horse.

dublinario · 22-05-2008 02:18PM

Bubs101 wrote: »

Essien was on a yellow card too and yet you didn't see Grant highlight Gerrards diving before the match, he took the higher road and so should have Benitez

If Grant had highlighted Gerrards antics, I think it would have been fair enough. I don't agree that silence was a high road, because it implies that calling a diver a diver is a low road.

Bubs101 wrote: »

That's just personal opinion.

I don't have any impersonal opinions, so I have to make do with the contents of my own brain.

Bubs101 wrote: »

Also, Drogba doesn't go down constantly in all games, like all goos divers, he picks his spots and then goes down. If he did it all the time he'd be sent of sharpish in every match

That's a mental assertion. You're claiming that Drogba's diving is subtle? Well I (and practically every other non-Chelsea fan in the world) must all be mighty astute then to see through his brilliant charade. The reason he doesn't get sent off is because he goes down under minimal contact, rather than no contact. Doesn't make it any less reprehensible.

Bubs101 wrote: »

It's all part of the play acting. For one, it makes it look more legitiamate. Second, he could just need a rest and that's a very very clever way of getting one.

Again, you have a pretty low standard of 'cleverness' if you regard Drogba's antics as being such. It isn't Stephen Hawkings territory to know that faking an injury will give you a rest. It's just disgusting. If all 22 players were all blessed with Drogba's 'cleverness', sure we may as well pack up and start watching baseball.

Bubs101 wrote: »

As I've already said, I don't like the man, but I'd certainly consider him on a higher plane than Stevie G

What a lame argument. Drogba's not so bad, because this guy's worse? Can you address Drogba without reference to Stevie G?

dc69 · 22-05-2008 02:31PM

DerKaiser wrote: »

Ok, 1. Drogba is not the worst diver in the world, Gerrard and Ronaldo are WAY worse, Drogba maybe 2-3 years ago, but he is playing honestly at this point in his career I'm sick of numpty muppets and their jealousy for the worlds greatest striker

Anyone who says Gerrard is a worse diver than Drogba needs to hit specsavers tbh.Drogba doesnt deserve to be allowed on a football pitch and showed his class last night when he faked an injury and got sent off,thus costing his team the CL

Also Torres is the worlds greatest striker.Drogba has at the most in 1 season scored chelski 33 goals in total but most seasons its 15,thats not the greatest striker in the world.

dublinario · 22-05-2008 02:36PM

I'm not surprised that Gerrard and Ronaldo's names are being pulled into this thread. I guess it was inevitable. I haven't tried to defend Gerrard once. I just think that, if your only defence of Drogba is "well...eh, these guys are eh...worse", that isn't really a defence in the first place. It's a comparison, but nothing like a defence.

dc69 · 22-05-2008 02:39PM

dublinario wrote: »

I'm not surprised that Gerrard and Ronaldo's names are being pulled into this thread. I guess it was inevitable. I haven't tried to defend Gerrard once. I just think that, if your only defence of Drogba is "well...eh, these guys are eh...worse", that isn't really a defence in the first place. It's a comparison, but nothing like a defence.

Yeah but gerrards diving is rare enough,mabe once a match,drogba and ronaldo are ridiculous.

gucci · 22-05-2008 02:48PM

DerKaiser wrote: »

Ok, 1. Drogba is not the worst diver in the world, Gerrard and Ronaldo are WAY worse, Drogba maybe 2-3 years ago, but he is playing honestly at this point in his career I'm sick of numpty muppets and their jealousy for the worlds greatest striker

2. Benitez is a clown, not a great tactician who slandered Drogba as a way to psyche him out but it backfired on him and just focus the Ivorian more, Benitez is not only a bumbling cretin of a manager, who ignores all other competitons unsportingly in the hope that he'll get the same lucky wave he had in 2005, he has also shown how thick he is in the mind games arena

3. Drogba was more than entitled to celebrate his goal in front of Benitez as Lampard was in that glorius 4-1 at Anfield to Shhhh! the kop with his finger as Mourihno did, it's banter, and if you're too sensitive for this, I suggest you stop watching football mate, things could get ugly for you

Amazing post.......were you also the author of George W's dossier on Iraqs weapons of mass destruction?

DerKaiser · 22-05-2008 02:50PM

I've never read the sun and I don't have a horse of any height

Drogba is painted with the brush of his actions in seasons past, I admit that, but he has copped on big-time, to suggest he dives in every is totally exaggerational,

And Benitez did well to win honours with Valencia, but I have no respect for him since he came to england, Liverpool are still 4th team in england and the CL in '05 was a fluke, he does nothing for me whatsoever

Clouseau-esque almost

and btw pool fans calling ME sensationalist is a bit rich, stating that your team is good for a start

Jazzy · 22-05-2008 02:55PM

another thread about diving. oh how very interesting.

so im guessing that this will be full of "yeah i know everyone dives but the player on the team i support isnt as bad a diver as the player on the team you support" type comments. smashing.

the olympics is on in the summer boys. plenty of proper diving in that if ya want to get yer jollies

dublinario · 22-05-2008 03:00PM

Jazzy wrote: »

another thread about diving. oh how very interesting.

If you're not interested, why post? I think that makes less sense than adding to the glut of diving-related threads. In my defence, I started this thread specifically on the negative press Benitez had garnered for criticising Drogba's diving, versus the fulsome praise Drogba had garnered for playing a rare, clean game. Also, I haven't once resorted to "your team's diver is worse than mine".

Drogba versus Benitez

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