Didier Drogba insists he needs time to find his feet once again after an uncertain display in Chelsea's 1-1 Champions League draw against Schalke on Wednesday.
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Drogba, 36, was handed a chance to start against Schalke as boss Jose Mourinho was reluctant to risk in-form striker Diego Costa as he nurses a hamstring injury, but the Ivorian admits he is taking time to get up to top speed after rejoining the Blues this summer.
"For a first game it was kind of OK," Drogba told Sky Sports after the draw. "The good thing is no pain in the ankle, so now I can start working and training and improve the condition. I was feeling much better in the second half. I'm like a diesel, I need time.
"I had chances, especially the one in the second half. It was a clear chance and I think it's unlucky. If I score there there's no more game. The fact that you don't score, they still believe in the equaliser and that's what happened afterwards."
The striker posted a message on Instagram on Thursday morning with the accompanying message: "Despite the result it was good to be back,first game without pain,thanks God, now we can start working."
Meanwhile, Chelsea captain John Terry suggested his side were "sloppy"' as they allowed Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to score on the counter after Mourinho warned his side against a second-half revival from their German opponents.
"We were pretty comfortable in the first half," Terry told the club's official website. "The manager stressed [at half-time] that we looked a little bit sloppy late on in the first half and not to throw it away. We did exactly what he predicted, so it's disappointing to drop points in the first game at home."
#INSERT type:image caption:Klass-Jan Huntelaar's second-half equaliser earned a depleted Schalke side a valuable point at Stamford Bridge.END#
Terry believes his side have to become more ruthless to match the performances that saw them lift the trophy in 2012, saying: "The first four league games we've been killing teams off. Tonight we didn't do it, but it was disappointing to concede the way we did, from a counter-attack from our own corner.
"It was our corner, we were attacking and we got caught on the break. It shouldn't happen. It's the second time already this season it's happened.
"We lost our first Champions League game last season and we came back to win the group and go through. We've got some tough games coming up but that's our aim again."