Eto'o vs. Drogba: Who will be the more valuable this season?

Two African legends found the net in the Premier League last weekend to help their sides to valuable points.
Ivory Coast icon Didier Drogba rolled back the years to open the scoring against Manchester United in Chelsea 's 1-1 draw with Louis van Gaal's side. At Turf Moor, meanwhile Samuel Eto'o scored Everton 's first and last goal to help the Toffees to a 3-1 victory over beleaguered Burnley.
Over the subsequent days, teammates of the pair have spoken to the media about the veterans' role for their respective teams. Nemanja Matic believes that Drogba will be a key figure for the Pensioners this term, while Romelu Lukaku and Leighton Baines have both spoken about the positive impact Eto'o is having in the Toffees dressing room.
In this feature, two of Sportmasta Nigeria's finest debate whether the ex-Elephant or the former Indomitable Lion will be the most valuable performer for their respective side this season.

Drogba: Class shines through

“Hopefully Drogba will be good for the weekend [against Queens Park Rangers] but we’ll have to see cos right now his character is stronger than his body,” – Jose Mourinho was quoted as saying in a press conference by Sportmasta.
Didier Drogba returned home this summer after spending two years in China and Turkey, and though his status as one of the all-time greats for the London club never waned, there were fears over his relevance at Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho brought in Spanish striker Diego Costa to provide the much-needed goals, which let the Blues down in their title pursuit last season. And as far as the Portuguese manager is concerned, the former Atletico Madrid forward, who has taken to life at the Bridge with relative ease, is the main man at Chelsea.
The Spanish striker is joint top-goal-scorer in the league along with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero on nine goals. In fact, French international Loic Remy, who signed from QPR, is arguably ahead of Drogba in the pecking order.
However, Drogba has shown that he’s not just all about the past. The 36-year-old has showed no signs of ageing with his brilliant performances so far.

Drogba | Three goals in a week - not bad for a 36-year-old
With injuries to the first and second choice strikers in the team, an episode that seemed to have put the Blues in some trouble, there was bit of a panic about Drogba’s durability and level of productivity.
But the former Galatasaray forward has shown outstanding professionalism and an unflinching eye for goal that made him such a fearsome player in years past.
77 minutes against Maribor (one goal), 90 minutes against Manchester United (one goal), and 90 minutes against Shrewsbury Town (one goal): Three games and three goals in just one week; how’s that for a stat from a 36-year-old!?
Drogba’s role for the team this season is clearly defined: step into the fray when needed and maintain the high-standards and goal-scoring form expected of a Chelsea forward. Simple. And Drogba has so far flourished in this new role. You couldn’t really ask for more.
His admirable attitude and professionalism on and off the pitch, which have drawn plaudits from all and sundry, is an inspiration to players even outside the badge he represents.
Value is measured by relevance. And in the case of Drogba, his relevance for Chelsea this season is immeasurable.

Eto'o: The fire burns brighter than ever

So, how do you motivate a 33-year-old who has won league honours and three UEFA Champions League titles in Spain and Italy, and has four times been named African Footballer of the Year?
The answer is you don’t.
Winners are born, not made. There is no bigger winner than Samuel Eto’o. Possessed of a powerful will and strong determination; he is undoubtedly not the player he was four years ago, but the old fire still flickers.
His decision to sign for Everton hinted at this. Having previously insisted on playing Champions League football, he quickly embraced the reality of his situation. Unplayable at his peak, he faces another challenge to prove himself in the twilight of his career. He has taken up the gauntlet like a man possessed.
Everton team mate Leighton Baines said of Eto’o to the Daily Star , “The great thing is that he still looks hungry. He works hard and he seems to really enjoy coming in (to training).”

Eto'o | As hungry as ever
Jose Mourinho’s oblique dig at his age last season lit a fire in Eto’o. It was textbook Mourinho: he baited the Cameroon striker, and he got a reaction. The pace and mobility may be gone, but Eto’o is eager to show that none of the ruthlessness and quick thinking that made him so lethal in his heyday is gone.
Already, he has scored four times for the Toffees, in a short career that has to date featured mainly substitute appearances. His brace at the weekend won the tie for Everton against strugglers Burnley, underlining the difference that extra bit of quality can make in the Premier League.
His arrival has been particularly opportune, as Belgian club record signing Romelu Lukaku has struggled to replicate the sparkling displays of last season. The Belgian endured a difficult summer, and found himself dropped mid-tournament for Belgium at the World Cup in favour of Divock Origi.
His confidence seems to have taken a hit, and he has not asserted himself as he usually does. In this respect, there is no better player to perk him back up than Eto’o. The Belgian international will doubtless improve his all-round game under the keen eye of the Cameroonian.
Everton will reap the rewards beyond this season and the next, when Eto’o is done and gone. In the present though, there is no more decorated and hungry back-up striker to have. That brace against Burnley will not be his last.