Fernando Torres

[Blue Armour 4,164]

What would you consider a good season for Torres? I'd say a minimum of 15 league goals will be ideal. Any more than that is great. Similarly any goals he scores in the cups will be a bonus but I think he will be judged in the league. 15 goals is a good contribution and considering his previous year, I'd say it's a good total. It also means we're not over reliant on him and become a one man team like Robin Va--I mean Arsenal.

IMO, he should be consistent and at the very least help create, if not score, goals. If he has one more "mini"-slump, then we should be looking for a replacement.

[capriccioso 2,545]

You shouldn't dislike Torres because of some racist idiot.

I dislike him because he's shit and gets unfair plaudits for doing things you would expect any striker to do.

I put away that dislike when he plays, because as a Chelsea player he deserves our support no matter how shit he is. It's a shame that for many that attitude didn't go across from Torres to Anelkalouda/Bosingwa/Mikel.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

^ I think very few people discredit Mikel. Those that do are clearly unappreciative of the role he plays.

Torres gets plaudits because he has the play out of his skin to score in the old Chelsea set-up. But now we have more creative players in and around him, he'll do what he's meant to do more frequently, and then the haters will go quiet again.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

^ I think very few people discredit Mikel. Those that do are clearly unappreciative of the role he plays.

Torres gets plaudits because he has the play out of his skin to score in the old Chelsea set-up. But now we have more creative players in and around him, he'll do what he's meant to do more frequently, and then the haters will go quiet again.

Well said C'mon Nando!

[capriccioso 2,545]

Hate(Cap)erz gonna hate.

[1chelsea 864]

no love modafcuker

[jmarlow 458]

I dislike him because he's shit and gets unfair plaudits for doing things you would expect any striker to do.

He also gets way OTT and unfair criticism when he makes the smallest of mistakes or misses a chance that you see many world class strikers miss. Thats the main reason why people try to give him plaudits at every opportunity because many people including myself feel the need to stick up for someone who gets battered for the smallest thing, when others dont get anywhere near the same criticism. And then peoples excuse for giving Torres unfair criticism is because he cost £50 million!!! Really! as if Torres declared he was worth £50 million!!! people need to get real, and stop hating!

The guy works his socks off week in week out! you can see how much he wants to succeed here and do well and if people want to continue hating a guy who gives everything and is desperate to repay the fans who support him week in week out, then thats up to them. I really hope Torres can shut everyone up next season and i think he has a great chance to do that.

[capriccioso 2,545]

He also gets way OTT and unfair criticism when he makes the smallest of mistakes or misses a chance that you see many world class strikers miss. Thats the main reason why people try to give him plaudits at every opportunity because many people including myself feel the need to stick up for someone who gets battered for the smallest thing, when others dont get anywhere near the same criticism. And then peoples excuse for giving Torres unfair criticism is because he cost £50 million!!! Really! as if Torres declared he was worth £50 million!!! people need to get real, and stop hating!

The guy works his socks off week in week out! you can see how much he wants to succeed here and do well and if people want to continue hating a guy who gives everything and is desperate to repay the fans who support him week in week out, then thats up to them. I really hope Torres can shut everyone up next season and i think he has a great chance to do that.

That could so easily have been a post about Salomon Kalou.

As Kez once said, 'work rate doesn't stop him from being an awful footballer'.

[jmarlow 458]

That could so easily have been a post about Salomon Kalou.

As Kez once said, 'work rate doesn't stop him from being an awful footballer'.

Seriously why are you bringing Kalou into this? Kalou doesn't apply to the Torres situation at all! Kalou came to Chelsea at a young age with the hope that he would develop into a top class footballer! That clearly never happened! Kalou never improved much at all!

You can't even compare the criticism that Torres gets compared to what Kalou got! Torres gets battered for the smallest thing! Kalou only gets abuse because he has never progressed at this club so is seen as an easy target!

And then you go on to call Torres an awful footballer which further proves my point about how people go way OTT when criticizing Torres! How on earth can he be an awful footballer??? You don't play in the PL if your an awful footballer! You don't get picked ahead of the likes of Negredo, Llorente, Sturridge and Lukaku if your an awful footballer! You don't get talked up and respected by your teammates (the guys who play and train with you everyday) if your an awful footballer! My mate club foot kyle is an awful footballer Torres isn't!

[capriccioso 2,545]

Torres hasn't improved or even flatlined. He's declined.

He's picked ahead of Sturridge because Di Matteo doesn't like him and he's picked ahead of Lukaku because he's not ready yet. Negredo was horrific in the one showing he gave for Spain so obviously Torres gets picked ahead of him, and tiki-takanaccio doesn't like big men up front so Llorente's out.

From those four he's only better than Negredo and Lukaku. Both are young and will catch him sooner or later.

[jmarlow 458]

Torres hasn't improved or even flatlined. He's declined.

He's picked ahead of Sturridge because Di Matteo doesn't like him and he's picked ahead of Lukaku because he's not ready yet. Negredo was horrific in the one showing he gave for Spain so obviously Torres gets picked ahead of him, and tiki-takanaccio doesn't like big men up front so Llorente's out.

From those four he's only better than Negredo and Lukaku. Both are young and will catch him sooner or later.

Haha! So the Euro 2012 golden boot winner has declined if anything he has got better and better this season! Certainly miles better last season than he was under Aneclotti!

Oh yeah so Torres is picked due to a process of elimination! Seriously! I have no more time for you! Your post is embarrassing! You clearly just hate the guy! So what's the point!

[capriccioso 2,545]

I guarantee you if David Villa had been fit Torres wouldn't have even been on the plane to Poland, and rightfully so.

12 goals in 65 games. 29 years old.

It'll only get worse from here.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

I cant wait to get in your faces when Torres shines in the upcoming season. And the funny part is, when he does, all haters will be cheering for him then instead.

[capriccioso 2,545]

I cant wait to get in your faces when Torres shines in the upcoming season. And the funny part is, when he does, all haters will be cheering for him then instead.

You have quite a record with predictions, so I'm not going to disagree with you.

Except my dislike for him has never stopped me cheering for him. I'll still be a hater every moment he's not on the pitch, no matter if he scores 3 or 70.

[Jype 6,398]

I cant wait to get in your faces when Torres shines in the upcoming season. And the funny part is, when he does, all haters will be cheering for him then instead.

I suppose I could be included among the 'haters' (is there seriously not a better choice of words? ) even though I've defended him a lot recently. I've admitted already that if he indeed does improve sufficiently for next season I'll be the first one to admit I was wrong. Happily waiting to say those words but there's still long way ahead to get to that point.

And as for the cheering part, every time he has put on the Chelsea shirt I've cheered for him and when he scored one of those rare goals I was ridiculously happy even though the goals didn't matter much at all to the scoreline. Still I can see no reason why we should all just blindly support him without any critic when he plays like shit.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

You have quite a record with predictions, so I'm not going to disagree with you.

Except my dislike for him has never stopped me cheering for him. I'll still be a hater every moment he's not on the pitch, no matter if he scores 3 or 70.

I understand what you mean. My point was that Im convinced that if Torres would do a good/great season many people here would completley re-evaluate their opinion regarding Torres.

Still I can see no reason why we should all just blindly support him without any critic when he plays like shit.

Of course we shouldnt. Torres had a shitty start in Chelsea, but to be honest if you compare Torres today and Torres at his initial Chelsea-career there is a huge differance. He has confidence again. Put that together with RDM, the "trust" Torres has gotten not least considering Drogba's gone and the additions to the team (Hazard, Marin, possibly Hulk) and I can see a successful Torres. So perhaps we should wait untill we've seen a few matches in the upcoming season before any bashing on him continues. Lets not dwell in the past.

[Badboy 1,526]

I really don't want us to go into the new season with Torres as our only experienced striker. He could turn it around but I just don't think its worth taking the risk !

[Amblève. 4,995]

What would you consider a good season for Torres? I'd say a minimum of 15 league goals will be ideal. Any more than that is great. Similarly any goals he scores in the cups will be a bonus but I think he will be judged in the league. 15 goals is a good contribution and considering his previous year, I'd say it's a good total. It also means we're not over reliant on him and become a one man team like Robin Va--I mean Arsenal.

To have a good season he should at least score 20 goals overall + be a game changer. Nothing more and nothing less.