Thailand All Stars 0-4 Chelsea

[nullabletype 987]

I always try to be more positive, and I'm going to once more. This image above says it all about today's game. We all know he isn't on his best form, but he was marked out of the game today. There were times he had 6 players surrounding him. He generally never had less than 3 chasing him. I can't understand people saying that, "he tried to take on 3 players to prove himself instead of passing". He couldn't pass, because as soon as the ball left his foot, one of his many pursuers was able to get on the end of it. When

I mean for example, when he got brought down in the box he had 2 defenders clambering over him.

[dodojojo 510]

Luis Aragones said before the EU Final in 2008 that Torres was a world class player, like David Villa....when he has space. Just gotta keep working on team play to get the ball quicker to Torres and spot his runs. This will aid in his admittedly poor form in front of goal as he gets into his rhythm. In today's game it was either 3 or 4 players swarming him or Torres running off my little screen and most of time, the ball would go elsewhere. I agree he needs to pass when he's got a herd of players on him but the coaching staff surely should also address why Torres has multiple players on his back once he gets the ball.

It was interesting to see Torres and Anelka switch positions for a few minutes in the first half. Torres went wide and deeper and I remember a great pass he made to Anelka. Very, very quick and right onto the path for Anelka and into the box. Would love to see the reverse happening to Torres a lot more often. There was a great ball to him that he did well to control and in any serious game would have been a penalty.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Torres will never be worth 50m. Get over it.

I hope he contributes a good bit, but he's never, ever going to live up to the price tag, sadly.

[SeB 1,281]

The problem is since we signed him, he's never given us even a single game that is reminiscent of the "old Torres". when other world class player lose form temporarily, they still show glimpses of their true quality (Rooney, David Villa, Eto'o as references) which gives the fans a reason to believe and Torres has yet shown anything to suggest he might/could/will return to top form. 17 games of abysmal performances is simply unacceptable at any level

Before seeing what Torres made individually, I noticed that he had, by his numerical presence, help the team a lot in the second half of the season allowing to change the shape.

He calls constently the ball even if he is not served every time

After that, his seasons at Liverpool has formated him to a certain type of game, purely on the pitch where he was a lone striker, he made a lot of long runs and often on the wings, a lot of his goals came from long balls and long runs. One consequence in spite of himself of his status of THE only striker of his team changed also considerably his game for the last season and a half, I noticed he became more static and less present in the game because he hadn't enough fitness to play as before and cover the entire width of the pitch with his movements.

He was fed up to carry all the weight of the success of Liverpool on his shoulders alone so that's why he decided to join a club where he wouldn't be the only striker in an average team but one of the strikers of a team which has one of the best European XI.

He has to adapt to a completely different style of play, he isn't the only striker upfront anymore and he has to found complementarity with another partner (Anelka was the best), he doesn't receive the same kind of balls from his midfield. Above all he arrived in such an horrible physical form, it's impossible to regain by miracle a decent rythm of play in only 6 months, it's not as much a question of 17 games or not... 17 games are a consequence, not a real piece of evidence that he is over

He took real holidays, he needed also to do a good preparation (so Chelsea brough him in a phisical preparator early July).

He is going to find a decent rythm as the season comes, but allow him tim, he can't become the Torres 2008 again in only 3 weeks...

[didierforever 7,349]

just saw the match... i think we really need to get over torres if we have to win the leagues (cl and epl)... malouda , anelka, drogba should our front 3 wid lamp mikel yossi as mid and jt cole alex and iva makin the rear... torres should be kept for fa and carling cups...

[Kez 2,727]

Awful cross from Bosingwa but a great goal

[eldo 868]

Torres needs someone who will combine with him, exchange passes...

[Guest justin_3d]

Torres will never be worth 50m. Get over it.

I hope he contributes a good bit, but he's never, ever going to live up to the price tag, sadly.

:goodpost:

[HRiver 1,512]

Finally some goals, nice.

[eldo 868]

Wasn't our dear Fernando in offside for that third goal?

[magic weeds 446]

Wasn't our dear Fernando in offside for that third goal?

Nope

[eldo 868]

Nope

I meant when Josh passed...

[Blue Armour 4,165]

Yes, he was marginally offside...

Its not the first time I've seen Josh pick out Fernando with a near perfect pass though...

[termninja 5,290]

Glad to see us score finally...I expect want 5 more in Hong Kong.

Bane has shown Fernando how to score in 1on1 XD