While admitting he is not too focused on his forward line-up, Andreas Villas-Boas continues to refuse to pair Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba together in a starting line-up.
The condundrum which dogged Carlo Ancelotti's final months in the hot seat does not look like it's any closer to being resolved.
Drogba starts today's pre-season beano out in Hong Kong against Kitchee.
The full 11 is
22 Ross Turnbull
19 Paulo Ferreira
63 Slobodan Rajkovic
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
8 Frank Lampard
18 Yury Zhirkov
21 Salomon Kalou
10 Yossi Benayoun
15 Florent Malouda
11 Didier Drogba
Subs: 40 Hilario, 17 Jose Bosingwa,2 Branislav Ivanovic, 62 Nathaniel Chalobah, 38 Patrick van Aanholt, 46 Josh McEachran, 12 John Mikel Obi, 23 Daniel Sturridge, 9 Fernando Torres, 39 Nicolas Anelka.
Kitchee: 1 Wang Zhenpang, 2 Fernando Recio, 3 Dani Cancela, 5 Ubay Luzardo (c), 6 Gao Wen, 9 Liang Zicheng, 15 Dani Guerrero, 18 Jordi Tarrés, 19 Huang Yang, 20 Roberto Losada, 21 Tsang Kam To.
Subs 4 Dean Evans, 7 Chu Siu Kei, 8 Ngan Lok Fung, 10 Lam Ka Wai, 11 Tsang Chi Hau, 12 Lo Kwan Yee, 13 Chan Man Fai, 14 Liu Quankun, 16 James Ha, 22 Lo Chi Kwan, 27 Chan Ho Fung, 29 Tsang Kin Fong, 30 Leung Ka Hei Robson Augusto, 28 Su Yang.