Didier Drogba the Difference As Chelsea Nudge Above the Rest

It must be fun to be a Chelsea supporter at the moment. After four years of what John Terry called "suffering," with only two FA Cup and a league cup to console them, the Blues clinched the Premier League  in fine style last week and topped things off with a win over Portsmouth to claim their first league and cup double.

The press have since been gushing with praise for boss Carlo Ancelotti's work at the Bridge and the style by which they claimed their fourth league title.

But although credit is due to the Chelsea boss and his players, their victory margin was a lot narrower than many people are suggesting.

After all, their 7-1 wins and 103 goals could have been for nothing had Kevin Prince Boateng taken a half decent penalty and Man United had forced an equaliser in their match with Chelsea last month. Avram Grant knows the fine margins of football better than anyone, having been the width of a post away from winning the Champions League with Chelsea back in 2008.

Also, it shouldn't be forgotten that many people doubted Ancelotti's credentials after the Londoners toppled out of the Champions League against Internazionale and followed it up with an away draw at Blackburn. Inter's Champions League final odds might make them favourites for the competition, but that doesn't disguise Chelsea's failings that night. The players weren't immune to criticism either, with many claiming the squad was too old, past its best and in need of a significant overhaul if they were to be successful once more. Have all those doubts now disappeared?

I don't want to belittle Chelsea's achievements—they deserve credit for their efforts this season—but I feel it needs to be pointed out that they could have just as easily ended up with nothing and their victories were not as convincing and rampaging as some make out.

What won them the double was the immense resilience and quality that drags them through the big matches. This is epitomised by Didier Drogba, who is the ultimate man for the big occasion. His winning strikes at Old Trafford and Wembley made the difference between two trophies and nothing for Chelsea and symbolises what the chasing pack lack.

They need to find need to find someone of similar influence and stature of they are to topple Chelsea next season. The trouble is they are very hard to find.

Meanwhile, Drogba will be hoping to turn on the style in South Africa this summer.
Ivory Coast's World Cup 2010 betting odds suggest they could spring an upset, but they will need the Chelsea man to be in top form.