Fernando Torres has been the main striker at Chelsea last six months, but the arrival of the Senegalese striker Demba Ba has provided the manager Rafael Benitez with an additional alternative.

There have been suggestions that Chelsea could try out a new formation that would see both players playing in the same team. Currently, Chelsea are employing a 4-2-3-1 formation that leaves space for only one striker in the team. Benitez, though, have suggested that he does not see a reason why Demba Ba and Fernando Torres could play in the same team.

Torres has been slightly better for Chelsea this season, as he has managed to score 14 goals in all competitions. However, he has not found the back of the net for more than a month now and the arrival of Ba has put added pressure on the Spaniard.

Benitez has said that the presence of Ba will allow him to rest Torres after the 28-year-old has been an ever present for Chelsea this season. Benitez has said that Torres will be able to perform at a much better level when he gets the much needed rest. Since the arrival of Ba, the two players have not played together, but they could be paired against Arsenal for the first time.

“If you play two strikers, you have to change the shape of the team. It depends on the movement of the strikers, the understanding of the game. Ba has played as a winger and a second striker, as has Torres. If Demba Ba is clever enough playing behind Torres, it’s another option. We have these options,” said Benitez. Since his arrival for £ 7 million at the start of the January transfer window, Ba has already scored three goals. However, all of them have come against the Premier league team Southampton.