Tortilla9

They still won't be in Europe next season. And they'll still blow it to teams like West Brom.

I think this is key not just for Torres but any forward on Chelsea.

Am I the minority that think Anelka and Torres seem to play together better than Torres and Drogba? TBH I don't see the problem so much with Anelka and Torres.

I'm a huge Torres fan and I kinda see where you're coming from but...... It's one thing not to start him, another to completely bench him. I don't care what the scouse brigade or the red-leaning media think or say. There's not an original thought anywhere in that group. Torres at 27 and a 5.5 year contract IS the Chelsea future whether Drogba, Anelka, and/or Malouda like it or not. It is what it is. Roman has spoken and paid. Torres needs to perform and being benched for the next two months does absolutely nothing for him or the team. Following Torres, this is the longest goalless streak of his career. I watch him and feel like I'm getting my tooth pulled without the anesthesia. Something just isn't clicking right now. If the entire pitch was an open net except a small section, that's where he would hit right now. The only luck he has on the pitch right now is bad luck. I'm still a #9 believer and believe he will score lots of goals for Chelsea. I hope its one or two this season. I'm willing to get a bucket of chicken and sacrifice it (see "Major League") if that will help.

I'm in a media blackout but I've read a view different Chelsea forums and there seems to be a split on the Torres/Drogba issue. This seems to summarize the general tone. Pro-Torres camp: Not being funny, but Drogba had one clear sight of goal and put it straight down the keeper's throat. Other than that he mis-controlled, poorly passed, or otherwise ceded possession all night. In the 10-15 minutes before the substitution he was regressing into his normal selfish, one man army routine that helps nobody. After Drogba went off, we nearly scored several times - including Torres bringing a world class save from VDS. Pro-Drogba camp: If thats how you saw it fair enough, but I disagree . I thought Drogs was far busier and posed far more of a threat than Torres. The Spaniard once again flattered to deceive. I thought Anelka made a difference when he came on and I feel that had Drogs still been on the field we would have created better chances than we did with Torres. The VDS saves were class but did not result from 'great' chances which I think Drogs/Anelka might have manufactured. It was pathetic to see Torres diving. Is he really that desperate ?

I love Fernando but right now it's just not working for him. A combination of factors (him, the team, the tactics, voodoo, the moon and stars not being aligned, who knows what else). His movement is good but nobody seems to understand it except Pat Nevin. His understanding with the other forwards and midfielders is non-existent at times. I'd rather Carlo use him as a supersub. Let Drogba and Anekla/Kalou do their thing out there. Then bring Torres on with the other subs. Yes, Torres is the new flavor of the month. Yes, Torres is expensive. Yes, Torres is not setting the world on fire. But... they're all highly paid professionals and they can't put aside their angst, ego, hurt feelings, to try and play as a team? United may have players older than dirt, Shrek, and that putz Ferdinand, but at least they play as a team.

That's a sad state of affairs. I'm under self-imposed media blackout because I can't stand to read the media spin anymore.

I was watching at the office on a stream that kept freezing and going back and forth on the forum. I thought "Chelsea were shit". Came home, turned down the volume and watched the DVR. Chelsea were dominant at streches of the match - first ten minutes, last five of the first half, last 10-15 minutes of the second half. Unfortunately they weren't the other stretches. I don't think you have to have two creative center mids but can at least one keep the ball, move forward, and be a little creative? Carrick who doesn't impress me easily outplayed both Lampard and Essien. That may be the worst I've seen Lampard play in a while. I think the game was won and lost in the middle. Terry had a very good game IMO. He was calm and composed in the back and looked to be the most attacking at times. That's sad to think. Onto the Torres/Drogba issue. They weren't all over each other as I thought they'd be. They were either dropping deep to get the ball or going wide to carry and try to deliver the ball. To me it was a tossup who you subbed out, both had their moments and both didn't. I thought Anelka on helped because he was actually a link between the middle and the forwards. Is Anelka the missing piece of the puzzle? One note, I actually like Drogba but the theatrics make watching him painful at times. The face clutching, the falling on the ground, the arm waving. Onto the ref. I'm not one to say that's a penalty whenever a player goes down in the box but how that one wasn't for Ramires makes you wonder. And Torres getting a yellow for diving? I rewound that a few times, paused it, and Torres' front foot got caught up with back of Valencia and he fell. If there was any over-reacting it was by United defenders. Disappointing was United getting in Torres face in the first half and second half and not enough Chelsea players support. How do Chelsea players stand by and watch while Ferdinand dragged Torres up off the ground in the first half? Don't quite get that. Last, Chelsea are only down one goal and they didn't play great. For the supposed domination of United, they are only up one goal. The middle can't play as bad as they did today (one would hope not) so that will improve. The defense will be ok. Carlo needs to get the lineup right and break down the United bus. The second leg is there for the taking. I'm drinking the blue koolaid.

I love him and it's painful to watch him play for Chelsea right now. Not that Carlo asked me but either play Drogba or Torres. Don't play both together. I'd rather Torres sit tbh.

Shocking is too mild. Torres had some bright moments and a lot of AWOL moments. Him and Drogba together is a lesson in how not to play two forwards together. It's painful to watch. Play one or the other but not both together. Don't think it was a dive. Torres isn't a diver unlike that United crew. I think he tripped over himself which he's known to do. He got right back up and didn't see him appealing for the penalty like United love to do. The midfield was the worst part of the match with the exception of Mikel when he came on. At least he helped control the middle and offer a semblance of control. Lampard and Essien looked like they were on their last legs. They looked like they'd played 700 games a piece instead of 500 and 200 respectively. The highlight for me was Terry and Ivanovic and Cole. They even offered more going forward which is a sad state of affairs.

Unfortunately not really surprising IMHO.

Rumor is that its 3 games now.

"I think there is a tendency to judge Torres in an outrageously simplictic way and focus on his lack of goals since he came to Chelsea. I just look at what I see and as someone who spent his career trying to create things for these guys, I think I could find Torres time and time again." - Pat Nevin in the buildup before the match (Monday)

Yes official. Echo your sentiments 100%.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Essien, Lampard, Zhirkov, Drogba, Torres; Subs: Turnbull, Benayoun, Mikel, Malouda, Ferreira, Kalou, Anelka Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Park, Carrick, Giggs, Valencia, Rooney, Hernandez ; Subs: Kuszczak, Berbatov, Smalling, Nani, Scholes, Evans, Gibson

Unconfirmed from that schmuck Collymore that Zhirkov and Ramires wide with Torres and Drogba up top.

If that's what it takes....

Trouble w/Torres This may be one of the better stories I've read about Torres without the media flop spin and why he was successful at Liverpool and why he's struggling at Chelsea. Some interesting points: 1. Arguably the biggest factor, however, is the exact shape and philosophy of the team he's trying to fit into. Basically, it's rare enough these days that you see Chelsea execute the kind of counter-attack that Liverpool did back on Torres's debut. 2. Despite Torres's sleekness of touch when in flight, by contrast, he can be conspicuously club-footed when it comes to close-range build-up (so true!!). That's been evident throughout his international career with Spain, where he's often looked slightly out of place. Luis Aragones finally realised the solution to this in the build-up to Euro 2008. He used Torres's acceleration and direct running as decoys, getting him to stretch defences and give the rest of Spain's artists more space to play. 3. It helped, of course, that Liverpool were built to play this way and had numerous key figures capable of providing that kind of pass above all, Xabi Alonso and Gerrard. The latter, for all his faults and frequent occasions that he blazed a ball into the stands, would generally hit one gem a game. 4. Chelsea, by contrast, don't currently have that kind of architect. In that sense, Torres is a season too late. He would have benefitted from playing with Deco who was well capable of threading through-balls or, to a lesser extent, Michael Ballack. At the moment, Frank Lampard always occupies the attacking-midfield position that would offer this type of pass. Although he has many qualities, perception like that isn't one of them. Instead, Lampard will often shoot where a true playmaker would look for the killer ball. Given the Englishman's goal return, this isn't a problem per se... unless you have a striker who is generally wasted if he doesn't have that type of ball. And it's why Ancelotti could be best served by again dropping Torres tonight. Until they buy a necessary playmaker or sufficiently develop a different approach, Chelsea are a more cohesive unit without the Spaniard.

I hope you are right and we're celebrating his goal(s) this time tomorrow.

Please NO!!!!! No guarantee that Torres will be called up but he and the rest of Spain need the rest. Spain to participate in Copa America this summer?

McManaman I can tolerate. For an ex-scouser he's not too hard to listen too. Drake makes me want to mute the tv. I'm listening to TalkSport on the computer at work which is one of the few internet radio sites I can access. Collymore is a tool. He's kissing Harry's butt so much it's a miracle he can talk. "Alonso, formerly of Liverpool Football Club. Arebloa, formerly of Liverpool Football Club." Idiot. Thank God Collymore isn't on US TV.

FSC seems to be the main one with a game a week from ESPN. Ian Darke on ESPN makes the FSC announcers look top-flight.

Boys seem relaxed and in good spirits. Training Pics

I get what you're saying and it's admirable that as a supporter and fan you support the player wearing the Chelsea shirt. It is frustrating to watch a player and wonder "what the hell are you doing?!" repeatedly. I'm going to take off my Malouda is making me drink glasses on Wed and support him no matter what. I'm hoping he proves you right and the rest of us wrong.

And maybe doesn't keep drifting in. And maybe tracks back when he loses the ball. It's April now. When is he going settle down?