Didier Drogba could be a game-changer for Montreal, but it's up to him
Whether or not Didier Drogba has played his last match for the Montreal Impact is something of an open question — and if you're the New York Red Bulls, it's a pretty important question.
The Impact have advanced into the second round of the MLS playoffs, where they will face NY today, but during Impact team training on Saturday — one day before their playoff run continues — Drogba's status was still unclear. Coach Mauro Biello left the door open, but was noncommittal, saying the striker's availability would be a game-day decision.
Drogba's role could end up playing a key factor against a strong NY team that finished the regular season on top of the Eastern Conference. If the former Chelsea star has a role, however, it is likely to be as a late-game "super sub."
The evidence that Montreal didn't need Drogba as a starter was already pretty clear: Their record is better when he doesn't start or doesn't play at all vs. when he starts. But the Impact proved their point even further with a 4-2 thumping over D.C. United that wasn't even close to open the playoffs. Drogba watched from the stands, and the Impact had one of their most convincing victories in weeks.
Part of Drogba's waning influence comes down simply to the fact that he is 38 and doesn't have it in him to defend from the front or go 90 minutes. That tends to allow Montreal to get overrun in the midfield when defending and play too direct in the attack.
The other part of it is what we saw on Thursday: Matteo Mancosu is a darn good striker in his own right, and his connection with wingers Ignacio Piatti and Dominic Oduro is excellent. That's true especially in transition when they quickly move the ball up the field to release pressure and combine to create chances on goal. The prowess of this three-pronged attack was on full display Thursday, running up a 4-0 lead over D.C. United before late goals pulled the score closer.
But the Red Bulls will offer a much tougher challenge and Drogba, if he returns, could be a useful option off the bench. The Red Bulls aren't likely to commit the sort of turnovers that the Impact feasted on against D.C. and this two-legged series should start off as a much tighter affair. NY's Sacha Klejstan is a bit of magician in the midfield and Dax McCarty should do a better job of holding down the defensive end of it than D.C.'s Rob Vincent did. But Drogba for 20 minutes or more at his best, after Mancosu has worn them all down, is a dangerous prospect, particularly if Montreal find themselves chasing the game.
Of course, that's only if Drogba is interested in playing the role he is given, which should be as a substitute. The key part of making it work is Drogba accepting his role, being a supportive team player and not distracting the group with more ego-driven ultimatums.
There has been uncertainty surrounding Drogba's status after he controversially refused to dress once he found out he wouldn't start in the regular season two weeks ago. The Impact later said the issue was resolved. Then, as Montreal's first playoff game approached, coach Biello claimed Drogba had back problems that forced him out — but they seemed to be the exact same back problems Drogba had two weeks ago when he demanded to start. At the time, Biello said Drogba had back discomfort, but it didn't prevent him from playing; Drogba just refused to dress.
On Thursday, however, Drogba went to D.C. to watch the Impact's playoffs opener and celebrated with the team in the locker room afterward. That may mean the star is back on good terms with the team. But now, with Biello calling his eligibility a game-day decision, there's no knowing whether Drogba will dress or not.
If Drogba can be an option off the bench, Montreal will surely take it. After all, Drogba is one of the best big-game players in recent memory, and he still brings world-class finishing and valuable hold-up play to the table. It's clear that Drogba doesn't want to fill the role of a substitute, but if he comes off the bench angry and with something to prove, it may not be so bad for the Impact. If Montreal find themselves down, Drogba may be the perfect man to chase a late equalizer.
The Impact may not need Drogba as much as the former Chelsea striker would like. He isn't a starter and he's not a 90-minute player anymore. Players like Mancosu and Piatti are more than capable of carrying the load for the Impact and they help the Impact execute a much swifter, more dynamic style of play. But, despite all that, the MLS Cup playoffs are only going to get tougher for Montreal, and for all his diminishing capacity, Drogba is still Drogba in substitute-sized doses.
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