Drogba to Miss Sunday's FA Cup Tie, Somewhere a Gentle-Giant Puppy Stirs

The Guardian reports tonight/this morning that despite AVB's best hopes, Didier Drogba is set to jet off before Sunday to join up with the Ivory Coast national team's training camp for the Africa Cup of Nations. Erstwhile sidekick Salomon Kalou is joining him in this adventure as well, leaving Chelsea less two probable starters for the FA Cup 3rd Round match v. Portsmouth.

Of course, Pompey sucks (especially away from Fratton Park), so we really should be winning this one regardless who gets put out there at the top...but now there's a good chance that AVB will call on Romelu Lukaku's number to lead the attack. Having already embarrassed ourselves in the League Cup and de facto eliminated ourselves from the Premiership title race, the club may be placing extra emphasis on this competition - a trophy is a trophy after all - so the Gentle Giant should have a good supporting cast around him and should get a very good opportunity to show those flashes of goalscoring form for the Reserves in a match that actually matters.

Here's a nice video (complete with a somewhat puzzling Turkish rap/rock soundtrack) to remind you of what he can do: