Replacing the Irreplaceable

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Maybe my expectations are too high, with Drogba being the main man at our club for so long it is possible that I expect too much. Some are saying we shouldn't buy another target man and I agree that I don't want an Andy Carroll or Peter Crouch leading the line and while Drogba is a target man, he has always had so much more to his game than just that. Though there aren't many of his kind in the world, I want an all round great player, not simply a finisher, an adequate replacement for Drogba should be a player who can create something from nothing, ala Drogba. That is the kind of player we should be looking at.

[Melanicus 5,208]

I will cry when Drogba leaves. That's it.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Some are saying we shouldn't buy another target man and I agree that I don't want an Andy Carroll or Peter Crouch leading the line and while Drogba is a target man, he has always had so much more to his game than just that. Though there aren't many of his kind in the world, I want an all round great player, not simply a finisher, an adequate replacement for Drogba should be a player who can create something from nothing, ala Drogba. That is the kind of player we should be looking at.

True, and therein lies the problem.

It's a shame Tevez is such a disruption to have.. He would've been a brilliant Drogba type-player. Because his first touch is exquisite & he does create something out of nothing.

[manpe 10,861]

Drogba will go, we can't rely on him forever. And he really is a unique striker.. he has brushed Sheva aside and now Torres at the age of 33. He just simply suits our style of play and our players are already used to relying on him. You can see when Drogba comes off some players still hoof long balls on Torres.. just to find out that he's no DD. And no, I wouldn't bet on Torres to be our saviour... he's too effin' inconsistent and may well be past it already.. or he simply doesn't fit the bill. If he does leave and if Torres doesn't start firing, then we will have to sign a striker in summer... who? I don't know, I won't speculate with names. Mario Gomez or Cavani would be perfect, but I doubt we will get them... they'd cost too much. I have a shitty feeling Torres will take over even if he continues sucking.

[Thor 2,392]

If Drogba does go... it's going to be a whole different brand of football we play. We're going to have to get Pato in my opinion and play him with Sturridge up front, or Torres, and simply use the pace of those three to destroy teams. None of them are great at holding the play up apart from Sturridge who actually does a good job. Add Ramires into that who comes charging in from the midfield and we'll have the quickest team I've ever seen grace a football pitch.

[Joker10 946]

If you want a direct replacement for Drogba, then imo there is no one better then Fernando Llorente.

[DYC. 7,542]

If you want a direct replacement for Drogba, then imo there is no one better then Fernando Llorente.

Good player. I do wonder whether he's a world-class player though.

[Joker10 946]

Good player. I do wonder whether he's a world-class player though.

I don't think his world class atm, i think he has to prove himself outside of Athletic Bilbao. I think he is one of the most underrated strikers in the world. He is a very well rounded strikers; he has a great blend of technicality, speed, and strength. He can score many ways, and equally dangerous in the air and ground.

I think he would be a great signing for us because he is versatile enough to play in possession or counter attacking football. I always worry about signing strikers that might not fit our style, but with Llorente that is definitely not going to be a problem.

shame we are not linked with him, instead we are linked with players like cavani and Higuain who i doubt would be any different then Torres.

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

Yesterday showed why Drogba is by far the most dangerous striker in the world on his day. His strength and touch is just such a unique combination. I stood by it when Torres was at Liverpool, and it hasn't changed today. When both are at their best Drogba wins- Torres has the speed but what Drogba can to a defense instills a greater fear IMO. This isn't hating on Torres, because we all know hes immense on his day, but just showing used convey an opinion.

[termninja 5,290]

Truly one of the best strikers of the 21st century. I will be very sad when he leaves

Torres is yet to earn my faith and respect, Sturridge is yet to convince as a striker and Lukaku is too young, but for me the right move would be to invest more in other positions like midfield and defense and use simply what we have in our attack unless the board decides to get rid of Torres also. It's pointless to spend 18m on a striker who will play in the reserves and then spend another 30m for a new striker that will prevent our 18m man from playing on regular basis and hinder his development.

To bring Gomez from Bayern would cost too much and I personally don't rate him that much. Llorente is nowhere good enough. He's a decent striker but simply not worth keeping Lukaku and Torres on the bench. The only replacement I can see for big D right now is Cavani. There is Doumbia there also with a couple of promising strikers but again, like for Llorente, not worth spending the money and keeping our other strikers from playing.

[Fulham Broadway 16,857]

He is irreplaceable. Totally unplayable against on his day, Total Chelsea superstar.

Thats not to say there arent other hungry forwards out there. Cant see Torres being the main man -more like someone to partner Sturridge ala Gudjohnsen/Hasselbaink

[warnie_666 1,081]

No player on earth can replace Drogba at Chelsea. He is a legend and a unique striker in a league of his own. The man has pace power and is pure brute. But his time at Chelsea is up at the end if this season. Even if he scores 40 goals. We need the new brigade to take over. And the man to take over from Drogba is Torres.

I am surprised Chelsea fans have concluded that Torres will never be the same player. Have they forgotten the first two years of Drogba at the club? The man was booed and taunted at by his own fans. One of the most Hated players but his third season changed it all and the rest is history. In case of Torres it has not even been one year at the club. I am confident he will come good next season. He is only 27 same age as Drogba in his 2nd season at Chelsea.

But there won't be another Drogba. Chelsea is touring US next summer and one player I wanted to meet was Drogba but sadly I don't think he will be with us

[Joker10 946]

Yesterday showed why Drogba is by far the most dangerous striker in the world on his day. His strength and touch is just such a unique combination. I stood by it when Torres was at Liverpool, and it hasn't changed today. When both are at their best Drogba wins- Torres has the speed but what Drogba can to a defense instills a greater fear IMO. This isn't hating on Torres, because we all know hes immense on his day, but just showing used convey an opinion.

Torres is a one trick pony, and to get the best out of him you have to build your team around him and make him the focal point of your attack. Clearly we are not going build our team around him, and him adjusting to our style is clearly not working.

i was pretty much baffled when we signed him, i initially thought he would struggle but never thought he would be this bad and miss so may sitters.

To get the best out of Torres you have to play 4-2-3-1 and play a Trequartista behind him and pass the ball into open space and let him run after it. He also plays much better in counter attacking football, actually scratch that he is only good in that type of style.

Its kinda funny when we are actually playing something more suited for Torres, we are playing Drogba. Drogba should've played earlier in the season, because he can play much better in a possession oriented style.

Truly one of the best strikers of the 21st century. I will be very sad when he leaves

Torres is yet to earn my faith and respect, Sturridge is yet to convince as a striker and Lukaku is too young, but for me the right move would be to invest more in other positions like midfield and defense and use simply what we have in our attack unless the board decides to get rid of Torres also. It's pointless to spend 18m on a striker who will play in the reserves and then spend another 30m for a new striker that will prevent our 18m man from playing on regular basis and hinder his development.

To bring Gomez from Bayern would cost too much and I personally don't rate him that much. Llorente is nowhere good enough. He's a decent striker but simply not worth keeping Lukaku and Torres on the bench. The only replacement I can see for big D right now is Cavani. There is Doumbia there also with a couple of promising strikers but again, like for Llorente, not worth spending the money and keeping our other strikers from playing.

Gomez and Cavani playing style is not that different from Torres, yeah those players are scoring for fun but remember so was Torres. Before Torres joined Chelsea he had the highest goals per game ratio in the premier league, now look where he is at. I am pretty curtain if Torres was still at Liverpool, he would probably be one of the highest goal scorer in the Premier league right about now. Torres only struggled under Hodgson in his entire Liverpool career.

Personally i think you are underestimating Llorente, he can play in almost in any style.

I think through the Torres signing we have learned one thing, its not about signing the best striker or the most inform striker, we should sign the striker that best fits our team and the club philosophy.

Pretty sure AVB will go back to his possession football, so in fact Cavani and Gomez would not be the best option.

Sturridge would be my choice to lead the line, but AVB seems happy with him out wide.

[Blue Armour 4,289]

We might "replace" Drogba eventually, but will that need to be a like-for-like replacement? No. The man is one of a kind, and to think we'll get a carbon copy of him to play in his stead will only tarnish our memories of him playing for the club.

Even Lukaku, who people often use for comparisons, has quite humbly admitted that his game is nothing like (and right now nowhere near) Drogba's...

So., I wouldn't worry about whether we'll have someone like Drogba up front in the future...Any in-form forward will do...The same applies to Lampard and Terry as well...

What I DO hope is that we can get players who have BIG personalities and character like our three stalwarts here..that's what keeps this Chelsea FC team going I feel...

[Badboy 1,526]

@Warnie Drogba contributed to our success in the first 2 seasons and his second season was actually really good. He was the top assist maker and he was a pain in the back side to play against with Lampard behind him, do you remember when he destroyed liverpool at Anfield 4-1 he was involved in all 4 goals. Drogba and Lampard together were unplayable in his second season also Drogba was a young 27 year old, he became a pro at a later date the Torres.

[Badboy 1,526]

To answer the question i think we suffered a fate that many people did not realize when Maka left the club. Drogba will be a huge player to replace, Cavani could probably do it that is why i would sell Torres in January and get Edison Cavani in the club.

[Clevemayer 764]

Gomez is a joke... hes worse than chicharito... Torres is another kind of player...

there is no one like drogba.... I really like him, he is such a wonderfull player... I was having a hard time when he first arrived for defending him, because he dived more than ronaldo could ever 've dreamed of...

But there is no other player that I personally can remember (maybe il Fenomeno, but he was again another Kind of player), that fits better the bill of "Unplayable, Unstopable" like Drogs...

It will be a sad day to see him leave... Hes just a pain in the A** and tremendous if hes on fire...

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I'd take Lavezzi over Cavani. Believe it's better to reinforce our wings first to be honest..