OK, that's total hyperbole. Of course Chelsea need Drogba, but you wouldn't have guessed it from their 7-2 drubbing of Sunderland at the Bridge today. How they would perform without Didier's scoring prowess up front was the biggest question facing them and the Blues answered ina big way.

                                                                  

It was Nicolas Anelka who answered the call and became the focal point of the Chelsea attack, scoring two himself and assisting another. But even his stat line really doesn't show just how influential he was today. Every build up seemed to come straight through him and his mere presence seemed to open things up for the likes of Frank Lampard, Florent Malouda and Joe Cole. The win was so textbook, so effortless, it was like watching a friendly against League One talent. Chelsea attempted 29 shots to Sunderland's 6, and though they pulled two back the visitors never really seemed to be part of the game. The way the West Londoners have been dropping points lately, they needed a game like this one. Not just a win, but a complete landslide;a return to early season form. If Chelsea can take their new found confidence and apply it to their schedule they have every chance in the world to hold off Manchester United.

I'm going to say this until it happens: Zhirkov needs to start. Period. He has yet to score in England and maybe he doesn't catch everyone's eye when he's on the pitch, but I can completely see why Chelsea battled Barcelona for his services. Give him a full run out on the left and he will cause all kinds of problems for any defense. He handles the ball like Joe Cole and he's as strong as anyone on the pitch, no doubt from playing in the very physical Russian top flight. On a team that has a tendency to lack pace in the midfield (depending on the starting 11), he's a breath of fresh air.

And is it a mere coincidence that his enormous head is shaped like Pavel Datsyuk's? I think not.

Written by Nick Degel, The Official Chelsea Blogger of the Goalmouth Scramble