Drogba or Torres

[Tomo 21,733]

Boas is a smart guy. He wont say even before the first league game that Torres and Drogba wont play together.

Im pretty sure he wont use both together, and for his first two games its pretty clear that he doesn't intend to do so.

Im thiking that we are going down the line of Drogba/Crespo one or the other like 05/06 assuming Aguero or Falcoa (if we meet his realease clause he could still come) don't arrive.

[Henrique 9,133]

Im thiking that we are going down the line of Drogba/Crespo one or the other like 05/06 assuming Aguero or Falcoa (if we meet his realease clause he could still come) don't arrive.

Actually I believe that Drogba is now a squad player. I think he will be happy with that, because he probably had some discussions with the Board and the guys said that if he wanted to stay, he should accept that Torres is the real deal right now.

Torres + Aguero would be the best for us in next season.

[Tortilla9 390]

I watched both and neither wowed me today. That said not too many players out there today wowed me tbh with the exception of Yossi. I'm not going to panic yet. Let's see what they look like in a game or two.

[dodojojo 510]

Actually I believe that Drogba is now a squad player. I think he will be happy with that, because he probably had some discussions with the Board and the guys said that if he wanted to stay, he should accept that Torres is the real deal right now.

Torres + Aguero would be the best for us in next season.

Modric and Aguero in would be a dream. I won't hold my breath...If you're going to pair Torres up with someone, it has to be a second/creative striker or a very forward CM which was how Gerrard played with Fernando. Aguero makes more sense than Falcao. A lineup of Torres, Aguero, Yossi and Modric and everyone else will have to defend. Or Chelsea can forget about defending and It'll just be basketball scores.

I don't see the point of pairing Torres up with another out and out striker.

I agree AVB is being very diplomatic right now. I can't see him trying to square holes this season. He'll probably rotate the two.

[Blue Armour 4,289]

Boas is a smart guy. He wont say even before the first league game that Torres and Drogba wont play together.

True...and if I remember correctly he also said making the combination of Torres and Drogba work is a headache best saved for later..

His current objective is to get the entire team ticking...once he does that, then he'll worry about keeping his strikers happy....

[Guest justin_3d]

Mark Lawrenson believes Liverpool may have pulled off "the sale of the century" by persuading Chelsea to pay £50m for Fernando Torres.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14217232.stm

So far he is right!

[Madmax 9,219]

Mark Lawrenson believes Liverpool may have pulled off "the sale of the century" by persuading Chelsea to pay £50m for Fernando Torres.

http://news.bbc.co.u...ll/14217232.stm

So far he is right!

Think Newcastle would fancy themselves for that title too.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I think AC Milan forcing Real to pay £61 million for Kaka beats the lot in honesty.

Torres will come good, you'll see. And I'll laugh in the face of those who doubted him.

[Domino- 116]

Whatever you talk about Torres is far from over football in front of him and expected the choice should fall on him.

Drogba gave a lot but just time for a change.

I know there are many people who prefer it to Drogba, but everything is transient as in football and in life.

[Swoopz 183]

Didier has been wiping shame off our faces for a very while now. Thank you for that.

[Henrique 9,133]

I think AC Milan forcing Real to pay £61 million for Kaka beats the lot in honesty.

Torres will come good, you'll see. And I'll laugh in the face of those who doubted him.

I dont think so. Kaka was the best player in the world in 2007, and he also was at good form when he left to Real.

Torres is a good player, but he never was even close of being the best in the world, and besides his goal in 2008 Euro Final, he did not do anything special in his career to justify his price.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Chelsea's André Villas-Boas unfazed by struggles of Fernando Torres

New manager says his obsession is with winning trophies – not the laboured form of his Spanish superstar.

http://www.guardian....sea-villas-boas

http://www.telegraph...es-support.html

[Styles 9,790]

Drogba set for new deal

Didier Drogba has revealed that he has begun talks with Chelsea over a new contract.

The 33-year-old has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, with Tottenham and former club Marseille strongly linked.

But the Ivorian superstar has made it clear he wants to stay in West London and he is ready to extend his current deal which has one-year remaining.

The new two-year deal would tie him to the club until 2013 and Drogba is hopeful that talks will soon be concluded.

"We've started talking and it's very interesting. Everybody knows what I feel about Chelsea and what I want," he said.

"I will definitely be here next season. I said a few years ago that I will be here until the end of my contract, and I am here.

"Now I need to keep playing well here and giving my best, like I always try to do.

"This will be my eighth season at this club and it means a lot for any striker to stay that long at Chelsea."

No guarantee

For the first time in his Chelsea career Drogba admits he will not be assured of a first-team place this season.

The 33-year-old is set to compete with 50million striker Fernando Torres for the starter's role with new boss Andre Villas-Boas seemingly set to employ a single striker in a 4-3-3 formation.

With the likes of Nicolas Anelka and Daniel Sturridge, who impressed on loan at Bolton last term, also in the squad Drogba knows competition for the striker's role will be fierce.

"Yes, I think we are [contending for one place]," added Drogba, who has been the Blues' most effective player in the lone-striker's role during his seven years in West London.

"That's the manager's choice, but it's been like this for me for all my years at this club.

"It was the same when Eidur Gudjohnsen was here, when [Andriy] Shevchenko was here, and all of the other times.

"I'm 33, I'm the oldest player and, even if that feels strange, I'm not worried.

"If I deserve to play then I will play. If I'm not good then I won't. It's good for the team to have some competition."

Well done Chelsea for realising Drogba still has a lot more to offer.

"If I deserve to play then I will play. If I'm not good then I won't. It's good for the team to have some competition."

Exactly! Some people don't get this at all.

[Kostas 1,468]

Very surprising. Not due to his age or his performances but mostly because of what he costs the club. I guess if he is less involved in the first XI than what he was the club could avoid paying his huge bonuses.

[magicrico 175]

I watched The game on Wednesday, Drogba looks good to me still. Age is a number. If he's got more than Torres still then so be it. I agree with need someone else in there if we are playing with Torres. But as far as I can remember, Torres has missed sitters for fun for us so I don't think we don't create chances for him, but I do think we need a playmaker. If AVB thinks our current crop is good enough, then we are in for a long season.

[BomTrett 50]

Whoever is playing the best should be the team, and thats probably the end of it. The only problem with that is if Drogba would accept it, but i can see by the story a couple of posts above that this also seems to be his mentality. I think people are deluded if they think Torres is not going to have a good season with Chelsea, he's had his bad spell and naturally and gradually will start to score goals. Hopefully more than the pitifiul 11 Drogba came up with last season. Thats not particularly a criticism, its just that we had a rotation of Anelka, Drogba and Kalou who all had fairly poor seasons. Anelka and Kalou will probably be deployed on the wings from time to time if AVB plays a 4-3-3 and Drogba and Torres will battle to be the main striker.

I'd personally like to see us start the season with Sturridge Torres and Malouda up top.

[Jose M 140]

in my opinion I would rather start sturridge ahead of both Fernando and Drogba.

[lionsden 4,689]

in my opinion I would rather start sturridge ahead of both Fernando and Drogba.

This