Stamford Bridge strikers both great in their own right, claims Chelsea coach.

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Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti was wrong to suggest that Fernando Torres would not be able to play to his potential unless Didier Drogba left the club.

Ancelotti indicated that the only way to revive the Spaniard’s form would be to sell his Ivorian rival, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

“I respect Carlo’s opinion but, for me, it is not the case,” said Villas-Boas in his press conference today.

“It has not even crossed my mind to sell Didier in this transfer window. I still rely on him for what he represents as a player and icon.

“We are speaking about two of the best players in the world and it would be unfair to conclude that Didier is inflicting his personality on Fernando. If that was the case it would be a mental weakness or a mental block.

“That is not the situation here. In a club our size you always have to compete against the best.

“It’s the same with Barcelona and Real Madrid. The people you compete with are as good or better than you and you have to show you should be in the starting XI.”

Torres was unlucky not to score a sensational volley against Sunderland at the weekend, but fortunately Frank Lampard was there to slot in after the Spanish striker hit the bar.

In the broader context though, as the proverbial confidence player, it seems reasonable to suggest Torres might not have tried the volley in the first place had he not been returning to some good form.

With Drogba at the Africa Cup Of Nations now though, it will be interesting to see how Torres performs.

The pressure is on him as the team’s undisputed main central striker in this period, and now is the time for him to step up.

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