Drogba “an option” for Impact against Fire; scored four times against Chicago last season

MONTREAL – There aren’t many Chicago Fire players left from the team that gave up four goals to Didier Drogba in two games last September.

That could be to Chicago’s benefit as it tries to extend a three-game shutout run on Saturday against the visiting Montreal Impact (3-2-0), who hold top spot in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Drogba, limited to one brief appearance in Montreal’s first five games of the season due to his aversion to artificial surfaces, is ready to roll again with a string of grass field matches up next on the schedule.

Coach Mauro Biello would not say if Drogba will start or come on in relief, but the 38-year-old striker practised on grass all week and will be an option in Chicago.

“Not only does he bring his presence, he brings the quality along with it,” said Biello.

No one knows that more than the Fire fans.

After joining the Impact last summer, Drogba made his first MLS start against the Fire on Sept. 5 and scored three times in a 4-3 win at Saputo Stadium. He added another in a 2-1 home win over Chicago on Sept. 23 as part of a run that saw him score 11 times in 11 regular-season matches. The Chelsea legend added another in a playoff win over Toronto FC.

But the Fire (1-1-3), who have missed the playoffs three years in a row, are in makeover mode. Fifteen players are gone from last year’s squad and there is a new coach in Veljko Paunovic and a new general manager in Nelson Rodriguez.

The sixth-place Fire have points from their last four matches and goalie Matt Lampson has not conceded a goal in his last 356 minutes, 40 short of the team record.

Biello likened Chicago’s defence-first approach to warfare.

“Going to war means matching the intensity,” he said. “They’re a team that’s willing to fight and we have to match that.

“It goes without saying, every time you play you have to be intense. If we’re able to do that, then the quality of our players can take over. But if you don’t have it, it’s going to be a difficult game.”

One of the players the Fire jettisoned was midfielder Harry Shipp, a Chicago native who was devastated by the Feb. 13 trade. Shipp has adapted nicely in Montreal, starting all five games and contributing two assists.

This will be his chance to get even.

“Hopefully, they won’t boo me even if I score,” said Shipp. “But if we play well and come out with a convincing win, no matter what I do on the field in terms of goals and assists, I’ll be happy.”

What he can’t contribute is much insider knowledge.

“Personnel-wise they’re totally different,” the 24-year-old said. “I don’t really know too many guys that are playing for them.

“I only got to work with the new coaching staff for a few weeks. It’s different, the way they’re playing now. They’re blue collar in the midfield and they’ll make life difficult for us.”

The Impact are coming off a 2-0 win at home over Columbus. They hope to pick up a second away win of the season to go with their 3-2 season-opening victory in Vancouver on March 7.

Drogba had a busy week, both with his return to daily training with the team and dealing with controversy in London over an investigation by the Charity Commission into his foundation, which reportedly has been slow to spend the millions it has raised on good works in Africa.

The Impact should also have holding midfielder Marco Donadel back after missing four games with a leg injury.