"The Liverpool of 2005 and 2007 defended better. But the team is still very strong."

Weren't both those teams managed by Benitez as well? And if this team can't defend, how comes Drogba was anonymous in the first leg, and Chelsea had to rely on the opposition to score for them?

MJ, Essex, UK

Perhaps if Benitez spent more time managing Liverpool and less time compiling a 4 year dossier about one opposing player, his club might actually have a chance of winning the Premiership.

Roy Pinney, Weston Super Mare,

"a top manager would never go so low as to attack a player"
I believe that Mr Drogba is good friends with Mr Mourinho and he respects and admires him.
So was it different when certain premierhsip players were attacked by Mr Mourinho. Reportedly these were Cristiano Ronaldo and Stephen Hunt.

James, London,

I doubt Benitez is going to lose any sleep over Drogba's attempt to defend the indefensible. His transformation from vertical to horizontal is nothing short of astonishing, beaten only by his Phoenician ascent after treatment for the non-injury 'suffered'.

Dame Margot Fonteyn would be ashamed.

Marc Melander, Liverpool, Merseyside

How can anyone defend Drogba? He is pathetic. Not just because he falls down so much (plenty of players do that), but he whinges, argues, belittles and sulks non-stop.

He complains that he has wanted to leave Chelsea since he arrived, well go then, the Premiership won't miss you, you Mary.

Simon, Macclesfield,

"I wonder if "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is available in the Ivory Coast."
Hamshank I was thinking the same thing last week. God forbid it but if Drogba went down with a brain bleed or a heart attack the paras might hang about a bit waiting for him to get up.

Ian, Manchester,

Drogba has been catching a lot of gripe these days, and he is definitely gone in the summer, but he is a player who Chelsea needs. I'm glad he's starting to act better, I was worried that he had given up. Now he has something to prove.

Alex Young, Glassboro, USA

If Chelsea were an English club, Drogba wouldn't be playing in it. I suggest we get 10 judges in the stands with very large scoring cards from 1 to 10. Every time Drogba goes down they will raise their cards with their rating, i.e., 9.5, 8, 8.9, 9.2, etc. At the end we present him with his Gold Med

Eduardo, Atlanta, USA

What a weed! Put him on a rugby field and show him what a real physical challenge is all about. He's typical of these pseudo-macho footballers who take home more money than they know what to do with, yet cry and wimper at the slightest bump or barge ... I wouldn't pay to watch these jessies!

Steve, Warwick,

Didier Drogba 6ft 2. Built like a tank. Made of jelly!!!!

Phil Gwilliam, St Helens,

Henry,

That would be the same guy who equalised against a dour Chelsea - the one and only Emily Heskey...!

Marc Melander, Liverpool, Merseyside

come on liverpool we are behind u .......from mauritius

vishal, cpe, mauritius

Thanks for winding Drogba up for the game Rafa. Tactical genius!

Nick , Brisbane, Australia

Football has now turned into a game of character defamation. Droda has responded to a public attack on his performances. The club should have addressed this issue for him behind closed doors. I watched the Liverpool v Arsenal match and Drogda gave the best response by scoring 2 goals. A backfire!

Jim Wills, Brisbane, Australia

I just find it amazing that:-

1. We have all of these schoolboys earning vast amounts of money

2. Not a single manager can see that his own players are no different to those in the other teams that he is criticising.

Great fun, isn't it!

Bryan, Deal, England

Benitez is playing a psychological game here with his attach on Drogba and the referee. I only hope it does not backfire on liverpool

patrick, kingston, Canada

Didier is a great diver
No doubt about it

Hans , zurich, Switzerland

All this is very amusing. Drogba doesn't make any attempt to stay on his feet...that is true. Steven Gerrard is the biggest diver in the premier league though. Rafa doesn't mind that. In fact Joe cole dives more than Drogba does. Or are we only allowed to say when foreigners do it? hmmm.

Stuart, London, England

Banitez should let his defenders know that soccer can be a nice game for Drogba to remind on his feet. Drogba has been time and time again the target of all the deficient defenders in the England soccer.

Achille, Fullerton, California

I was watching the game on saturday when the cat jumped on the telly....and Drogba fell over.

Glenn, Maidstone, Kent

Drogba is fantastic , except when he's being pathetic. Last week it was his pathetic alter ego, the same one speaking here. Hopefully the other one will turn up soon and start smashing up defences and knocking the goals in from all angles again.

RD, Almeria, Spain

I'm a Chelsea fan and even I have to admit I get fed up with the number of times Drogba hits the floor. However, he definitely does get picked on (not just by Liverpool). If you watch him closely players continuously niggle at him and hit him, so he has reason to bring it to the ref's attention!

Jake Roberts, Bucks, UK

Drogba seems to have forgotten he admited to diving on MOTD a year or two afo. Followed by a quick: "Oh dear, should admit that, erm, translation problem.

Paul, Colchester,

Drogba is a joke, last week his constant throwing himself to the floor became laughable, i think even chelsea fans cant defend this guy. Most of the Anfield crowd were not jeering him, just laughing at him- he makes Ronaldo look like Norman Hunter

Paul, Liverpool, England

Good to hear he is backing down from the Ballack battle. He is right to do so, Ballack is playing very well at the moment and we need him for this game, he could be the difference. Drogba will also be important. Come on Chelsea!

AT, Sydney, Australia

As many pointed out last week, Drogba can't stay on his feet long enough to get the ball, let alone do anything with it. He must have the lowest pain threshold in the northern hemisphere for the amount of time he falls over and writhes around on the ground moaning.
Liverpool will win tonight!!

Lucy, Hertfordshire, UK

Powerfully built centre-forward; falls over a lot... Must remind the Kop of one of their former players currently plying his trade in Wigan...

Henry, London,

Yes, well Rafa lost respect for Dive-ier Drogba a long time ago with good reason

Andrew J Iddon, London, UK

I'm sure Benitez can't sleep at night knowing this.

BTW I gave Drogba 9.9 for artistic merit but only 9.0 for technical merit for his latest attempt at the I Can Dive Best Award.

John, Reading, uk

Gee, for a guy that big he not only falls over a lot, he cries a fair bit as well !

Steven, Sydney,

The thing is if you throw yourself down as if you've been shot in the most dispicable cheating fashion anytime anyone comes within 6 foot of you, when someone does actually hurt or foul you nobody will believe you. I wonder if "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is available in the Ivory Coast.

Hamshanks, London,