Drogba in-line for Shock Return

<div class="headline">Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is poised to make a surprise return from injury against Fulham at Stamford Bridge. </div>

Drogba, top scorer in the Premier League last season, was not expected to be ready for several weeks.</p>

But he has boosted new Chelsea boss Avram Grant by being declared fit after recovering from a knee injury.</p>

Grant said: "Didier will be back. You want all the players to be available but I am very happy he is the first to return out of our injured players."</p>
<div class="bo">

Drogba is likely to partner Andriy Shevchenko in attack as Chelsea attempt to secure their first league win since the shock departure of Jose Mourinho.</p>

Shevchenko, meanwhile, has urged his team-mates to show some unity following the appointment of new manager Grant.</p>

The Ukrainian's uneasy relationship with Mourinho was said to be a factor in the coach being replaced by Grant.</p>

But the Ukraine striker, 30, said: "It's a difficult moment for the club, the players, the team, because of big changes in the house.</p>

"It's a moment for the players to stick together and do our best for the club."</p>

Shevchenko has struggled for form since joining the club from AC Milan for &pound;31m and was often overlooked by Mourinho.</p>

That is said to have been partly behind the breakdown in the relationship between Mourinho and the Blues' billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, who is a close friend of Shevchenko.</p>

Grant was initially brought in as director of football with a special role to work with the misfiring Shevchenko.</p>

But Shevchenko, who will be looking to celebrate his 31st birthday with a win over Fulham on Saturday, insists he is not expecting any special treatment from the new man in charge.</p>

He added: "I know him as director of football with the team, like every player. He tries now as a manager and every player has the same relationship."</p>

Shevchenko was part of the Chelsea side that lost 2-0 at Manchester United in Grant's first game at the helm, before being rested agianst Hull in midweek.</p>

<u><font color="#800080" size="3"><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7017657.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...sea/7017657.stm</font></u></a></p>

</p>

Good news for Chelsea. Net some more goals.</p>
</div>

 

Chelsea needs him. If they are to compete for the top spot in the EPL.</p>

 

I agree with Petey.</p>

 

<font face="Arial" size="2">i also agree with petey but hopefully he will not be as good at the start</font></p>

 

woo i knew this already but woo anyway.</p>

We need other players to score... its annoying how we just rely on Drogba and lampard for most of the goals.</p>

 

Where, and how well did Sheva play for his last club?</p>

 

he did score 14 goals last season... not bad its just he go 3 or 4 in the premier league.</p>

 

<font face="Arial" size="2">doesn't have enough pace</font></p>

 

... At all.</p>

 

<font face="Arial" size="2">maybe next season he will need a walking stick</font></p>

 

He was a legent at AC Milan</p>

<table cellspacing="2" cellpadding="4" border="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); background: ivory none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; font-size: 95%; border-collapse: collapse;">
<tbody>
<tr style="background: beige none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">
<th rowspan="2">Club</th>
<th rowspan="2">Season</th>
<th colspan="2">Domestic League</th>
<th colspan="2">Domestic Cups¹</th>
<th colspan="2">Europe²</th>
<th colspan="2">Total</th>
</tr>
<tr style="background: beige none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">
<th>Apps</th>
<th>Goals</th>
<th>Apps</th>
<th>Goals</th>
<th>Apps</th>
<th>Goals</th>
<th>Apps</th>
<th>Goals</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>

<table width="399" height="235" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="4" border="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); background: ivory none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; font-size: 95%; border-collapse: collapse;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="center" align="center" rowspan="8">Milan</td>
<td align="center">1999/00</td>
<td align="center">32</td>
<td align="center">24</td>
<td align="center">5^a</td>
<td align="center">4</td>
<td align="center">6</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
<th>43</th>
<th>29</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">2000/01</td>
<td align="center">34</td>
<td align="center">24</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
<td align="center">14</td>
<td align="center">9</td>
<th>51</th>
<th>34</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">2001/02</td>
<td align="center">29</td>
<td align="center">14</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
<td align="center">0</td>
<td align="center">6</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
<th>38</th>
<th>17</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">2002/03</td>
<td align="center">24</td>
<td align="center">5</td>
<td align="center">4</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
<td align="center">11</td>
<td align="center">4</td>
<th>39</th>
<th>10</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">2003/04</td>
<td align="center">32</td>
<td align="center">24</td>
<td align="center">2^a</td>
<td align="center">0</td>
<td align="center">11^b</td>
<td align="center">5^b</td>
<th>45</th>
<th>29</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">2004/05</td>
<td align="center">29</td>
<td align="center">17</td>
<td align="center">1^c</td>
<td align="center">3^c</td>
<td align="center">10</td>
<td align="center">6</td>
<th>40</th>
<th>26</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">2005/06</td>
<td align="center">28</td>
<td align="center">19</td>
<td align="center">0</td>
<td align="center">0</td>
<td align="center">12</td>
<td align="center">9</td>
<th>40</th>
<th>28</th>
</tr>
<tr style="background: lemonchiffon none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">
<th>Total</th>
<th>208</th>
<th>127</th>
<th>18</th>
<th>9</th>
<th>70</th>
<th>37</th>
<th>296</th>
<th>173</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>

173 goals in 296 games.</p>

 

<font face="Arial" size="2">then he went to chelsea and stopped completly i think someone crippled him</font></p>

 

And didn't score today either.</p>

 

well, he was sent off againts Fulham so he will be banned for about 3 games, lol.</p>

 

<font face="Arial" size="2">He wants to not play odviously lol</font></p>

 

things aren't going well for chelsea....only Ron can save them.... </p>