For a long time Branislav Ivanovic (pictured) was in the shadows at Chelsea. He never played under Avraam Grant, while Luis Felipe Scolari used him in just a few matches, mainly as a substitute… Ivanovic has long been biding his time, and now it has arrived – the Serb scored his first two goals for Chelsea in their 3-1 win at Liverpool, and gained around 30 points as a result. His rating is now 97.46 points, which is a fair reflection – Ivanovic has long been considered one of the best Serbian players.
But it might never have happened if Bosingwa had not picked up an injury. It turned out that manager Guus Hiddink had a joker up his sleeve, and the Dutch specialist was quick to acknowledge his contribution after the match. Ivanovic has had to prove himself at Chelsea, and his two goals were the best statement he could have made.
Another player to show persistence in this match was Didier Drogba. He had three excellent chances to score, but was unable to hit the target. In the end, however, Drogba got his way – he scored a goal and improved his rating! He now has 149.34 points, and he will need to be no less persistent in the next match against Bolton in order to reach his target of 21.66 points.
© FTBL