Drogba and Grant answer their critics - it's another battle of the bridge in Moscow

Filed in archive Champions League on April 30, 2008

Two men answered their critics in the best possible way in the Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Liverpool last night at Stamford Bridge.

Didier Drogba has taken a great deal of criticism over the last few days. He has been heavily criticised by just about everyone from Rafa Benitez through to the likes of me. Last night he did his best to answer those critics. He did this by simply doing what he does best. He put the ball in the back of the net on two occasions and took Chelsea through to their first ever Champions League final.

In doing so, surely we can all now believe in Avram Grant as the manager for this team. He took over from the 'special one' to the dismay of most at Stamford Bridge and the slight amusement of many others. He has always believed he had the ability to succeed. In fact, Avram Grant has now achieved what Jose Mourinho never did. His team fought and scrapped until they had nothing else to give. They have reached the final of the Champions League.

It is hard for many people to acknowledge Grant as being a worthy successor to Mourinho, but his performance of leading Chelsea to be joint leaders of the Premiership with two games left and having a place in the Champions League Final, is surely more than enough to begin to convince the doubters.

So after all the criticism these two men have taken in the recent past, I'm sure the feelings of excitement and joy in the Grant and Drogba households this morning are just that little bit more special.

In the next three weeks Avram Grant may well take Chelsea to an historic double. We should remember that the team he took over earlier in the season were struggling to find any form. Anyone who saw Chelsea's home draw with Rosenborg shortly before Mourinho's departure would never have believed they would find themselves in the final.

So I think Messrs Drogba and Grant deserve all the credit they will get for last night's achievement. It must be a great feeling to prove so many people wrong.