Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand were poised to do big things at this summer's World Cup. Ferdinand as the new captain of England and Drogba as the face of this African World Cup.
A pair of major injuries have scrapped those plans, with Ferdinand already ruled out of the World Cup and Drogba considering emergency surgery on his broken arm to have him back in time for the latter part of the group stages.
Assuming Drogba can't return, today's injuries will put major hitches in the grand plans of both England and the Ivory Coast. England is still favored to advance to the knockout round, but talk of a potential World Cup title will diminish, while Ivory Coast looks like an even less likely candidate to emerge from a brutal group that incldues Brazil and Portugal.
What do you think England and Ivory Coast can do this World Cup without their leading men? Think England can reach the final? See Ivory Coast advancing, or have today's injuries dashed those hopes?
Share your thoughts below.
F England….stop arguing about England’s backline trouble. We will see what happens soon….its seriously the dumbest argument ever and unnesecary to talk about because its not going to be that different for US in the opening game
England is “supposed” to have “so much talent” that one injury shouldn’t matter, so I don’t want to hear any belly aching when they LOSE to the US.
But if they replace him with King (as most experts seem to think they will) are they really replacing him with a “healthy” player?
I think replacing Ferdinand will help England. He hasn’t been the same player all year, and especially when paired with Terry (another formerly great, half broken down player) I thought they were vulnerable. Playing a healthy CB will help England.
Definitely hope Drogba plays, head case but a top 5 forward. And I’d love to see C Ronaldo cry as Portugal flop out of the group stages.
Anyone who is happy when good players are out injured disgusts me. Let the best play and decide it on the field.
What does Onyewu have to do with this discussion??? Absolutely nothing.
Surely any comparison between England’s loss of Ferdinand and the Ivory Coast’s loss of Didier Drogba being on any where near an equivalent level is a joke?
I think if Onyewu is given serious playing time for the U.S. it will cost them dearly. I’m not so sure Ferdinand, given the current circumstances, would be that much more helpful to England. Drogba’s loss is HUGE. It wipes out any dark horse chances for the Ivory Coast, and is devastating to Africans. Who is a bigger icon for soccer in Africa than Drogba?
He’s faking it…
If we take it to England, and I doubt we could anyway, we will have our doors blown off.
You seem to be missing quite a bit.
Normally, I’d be right there with you in the: “England? So what?” camp. It seems like almost every world cup, and even outside of the world cup, that we are expected to believe that England is so good simply because they’re England even when they are playing dull, unimaginative, and most importantly, ineffective, soccer.
This situation is considerably different, however. When was the last time you saw England blitz through world cup qualifying the way they did this time? Yes, they had some easy teams in their group, but so did almost everyone else. They were overpowering. They lost one game in all of qualifying, and outside of qualifying in 2009-10, they only lost two games. They were against the top two teams in the world, Brazil and Spain, and neither game was at home. I can’t figure out why they are ranked at only #8 in the world.
I would like to share some facts. Fact: Ledley King has played more games this season than Ferdinand. Fact: Portugal will not progress. Drogba wil recover after the group stages.
I would also like to say to all you karma believers: If anyone was going to be injured, Ledley king did not deserve it. Johnson already go it. So between Cole, JT, an Ferdinand, it was only just for Ferdinand to go so JT or Cole wouldn’t be able to keep their teammates’ WAG’s company.
But the EPL juice is soooooo good!
And, Yes, Ligue 1 did produce those players…. before they were at their prime. Where are they all playing now….
I hope you’re right that we’re gonna be alright. Again, I’m not a hater…just cautiously pessimistic 🙂
You want Drogba back so you can see him flopping all game long? NO thanks! His constant flopping is a disgrace to the game and I don’t feel bad for a second that he might not be able to play.
JP f**k Brazil, go Argie, lol, kidding man, go USA, I just hope USA wins this damn thing
There was no deflection. I watched the match on ESPN2 in HD and it was replayed multiple times and discussed thoroughly during the broadcast.
And, there was a close up of the ball as it moved and it did not spin at all, not even a full turn.
and I will take England’s back line over ours any day…Terry “struggles” would be Onyweu’s excellent performances….
I hope Drogba makes it back. He needs to be part of the games.
lol someone had to say it :]
you’re assuming that some semblance of logic was used in making that argument- too much benefit of the doubt…
clearly, if Germany trotted out Bornstein, Eddie Johnson, Logan Pause they would still be one of the favorites. Why? well because Germany won so many titles already, duh….
I am from Brazil and would be VERY disappointed if Drogba is not able to play. the World Cup is a place where top talent needs to be present and Drogba fits the category.
I think Drogba’s loss is a bigger blow.
Ferdinand is world class but I’m not buying that suddenly England isn’t still a threat to contend for the World Cup or their chances have diminished.
Captain or not, Ferdinand isn’t the MVP of that squad where as Drogba certainly was. Now, if Rooney were to have gone down instead of Rio, then I would be first in line saying ” England’s chances to contend have diminished, if not disappeared “.
Holland missed 2002.
How is this a blessing in disguise? Yes, Ferdinand has struggled with injuries and did not play his best this season even when healthy, but his injury means that England will now have to depend more on Ledley King, another player who has chronic injury issues. And if King can’t play consistently (which is very possible), England then must look to Upson and Carragher… I don’t know how many WHU or L’pool matches you watched this season, but both these players had their fair share of struggles. Now, this won’t likely matter much in the group stage, but it sure could cause England problems when playing some of the best teams in the world in the knock out round…
You’re referring to the same Ligue 1 that produced players like Drogba, Anelka, Malouda, Evra, etc…
Tell ya what, I like my chances with the US against England’s back line any day. Stop drinking the EPL juice.
Remember we’re using essentially the same backline that got us to a second place finish last summer against Brazil in the Cup of Confederaions. You know the team that hasd to throw the kitchen sink at us a few times before they beat us?
We’re, i.e. USA, is gonna be alright.
GO U-S-A!!!!
At least the diving rates will drop.
I hate to see the list of injuries growing, and the World Cup hasn’t even started. I really thought Ivory Coast would do well in this tournament, but it now seems doubtful they will make it out of the first round. Same for Ghana.
Dutch didn’t make Spain ’82… or ’02 for that matter.
But the idea of ‘England as favorite’ comes from England. You can always expect Italy, Germany and Brazil to be right there. Nobody else is as consistent in WC’s as those three.
I hope Drogba plays. I really want to see him, as does all of Africa I would think.
Yes, previous World Cups are barely relevant. The reason why you never count out those teams is that they consistently have good players. By your logic, France had no business winning in ’98, while Uruguay should be considered perennial contenders.
Count me as one who actually thinks that central defense is an area that could cause the English a lot of problems. Not necessarily in the group stage, but as they attempt to progress in the knock out round. Terry had some struggles in the second half of the season, King has chronic knee issues. Upson and Carragher are both coming off relatively poor seasons in the EPL.
That doesn’t have anything to do with whether or not their defense is worse without Ferdinand. Unless you assume we are only going to attack with our defenders in which case your strategy could use some work.
Don’t think you were looking close enough at the video. It did not touch the wall… it knuckled on it’s own. There was very little spin either and that didn’t alter as it passed the wall.
Regardless of what you think, they always seem to make it pretty far in every World Cup I’ve watched since my first one in 1982.
England’s missed a WC during that time–USA 1994. Fact is that they have a solid World Cup performance and if I were picking favorites they’d be chosen well before England. Teams that have done it before seem to have a firm grasp on how to continue doing it.
I think this could be a pleasing in disguise for England. Ferdinand is a great player who was not at his best this season and coming off injury.
It is too bad that with an African nation hosting the cup Drogba and Essien aren’t leading their teams. That combined with Egypt not making the cup really hurts the chances of an African team excelling.
the best way to bunker is by keeping the ball and downgrading from Ferdinand to King/Dawson really isn’t that big a drop off considering the ok season Ferdinand just had compared to King/Dawson
I can’t stop him, but a broken elbow just might.
And that weakness would be another Prem league starter on a top 4 team – King or Dawson….?
Umm, I hardly see this as a weakness.
If it is, what does that mean for our center backs –
1. Demerit (on and off for a Championship team)
2. Gooch (hasn’t played in a competitve club match this year)
3. Goodson (starter in Sweden, period)
4. Boca (on and off LEFT back for a Ligue 1 team).
Umm, where is our strength?
I’m not a hater. I love the US. Just saying.
You can’t stop Drogba in this World Cup. Here’s to making sure Portugal doesn’t make it out of their group.
The MLS has been playing with the Jabroni all season.
It takes a deflection off of the French wall. Everyone needs to stop freaking out about the ball. It’s round; you kick it; keepers will figure it out.
The Dutch are always overrated. They won’t do it this year.
We had better take it to England now, instead of Bob’s classic bunker ball. We saw how well that did in the first half against Turkey.
Now they have a real weakness to exploit.
Hunh?? What happened in previous World Cups is isn’t exactly relevant? Check the history my friend. There’s a reason why you never count out the Germans, Italians, Brazilians, Argentines and Dutch (yeah they haven’t won it but they continue to perform well in World Cups).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmNw5Hgl9j0
I don’t think England is hurt at all. Even if King only plays two out of every three games, that’s more valuable than three games of Ferdinand.
Ivory Coast, on the other hand, is sunk, given its group.
England is a title favorite on paper for sure. What happened in previous World Cups isn’t exactly relevant. That said, I don’t expect them to win.
Ha! Talk of an England championship diminishes because they don’t have Ferdinand? Whether or not they can make it to the final is certainly a valid question, but I don’t think he was ever a critical part of the debate.
I’m sorry but when in the HELL did England become a title favorite? Lemme see, a team that hasn’t done a damn thing since a controversial win on home soil back in ’66 before many of us were born and yet they’re all of a sudden favorites to win the World Cup? Please tell me what am I missing?
Drogba will be back. Question is who’s next on getting hurt list over the next few days?
U-S-A!!!!!!!
Wayne Bridge to replace Ferdinand and be assigned the captaincy!
Ives, did you see China’s free kick goal vs France today (June 4). It completely changed direction mid shot and fooled Hugo Lloris. I can’t imagine that it was due to the spin on the ball. Take a look. If that is what the Jubilani is capable of, we are in for a wild WC.
Just a heads up Ives i think you meant to say Ivory Coast instead of Portugal in the last paragraph. Also, I’m just hoping we make it through this last friendly unscathed