Mata: Torres is struggling to live up to ‘warrior’ Drogba

NO SUBSTITUTE ... Torres comes on for Drogba but has failed to adequately replace the Ivorian

FERNANDO TORRES is struggling to fill the boots of ‘warrior’ Didier Drogba.

That’s the honest verdict of Torres’ Chelsea and Spain team-mate Juan Mata.

The Blues playmaker said: “Drogba’s departure was like an electric shock for us. He was a warrior.

“We’ve had to learn to cope without him because for many long years he was Chelsea’s lightning conductor.

“With Drogba we were conditioned to play in a certain way.

“You gave him the ball and you knew that he would at least force the opponent into a foul.

“In a way we had a tendency to rely on him too much but it was a natural mechanism.

“All the great players like getting the ball, Didier even more so.

“With Fernando it’s different. His runs aren’t the same. He’s not a funnel for our play like Drogba could be.

“He doesn’t like the holding-it-up role. He prefers finding space and facing the goal.”

Drogba, an all-time Chelsea hero with 157 goals in 342 games, moved to China in the summer leaving £50million Torres as the club’s sole striker.

Mata, talking to French magazine So Foot, added: “When someone pays that much for you and you become the most expensive player in the Premier League, you are eager to please. Too eager, maybe.

“Especially Fernando, because he’s a very humble guy who knows where he comes from and understands the value of money.

“For me, he is still one of the best strikers in the world.”