Torres love or hate?

[teignman 441]

I don't love or hate him. I do desperately want him to regain some semblance of his former glory and be a reliable finisher/goal scorer. Unfortunately, I believe that his price tag has put him under the microscope. There really wasn't anyway we could truly win after paying that much for him. If he performed/performs like his vintage self, then he might justify his the king's ransom we paid and thus alleviate some of the pressure. Anything less, and he'll be an albatross hanging round the neck of our club.

[francozola 2,040]

It's sickening to watch videos like the one Artinho posted above. Just sickening.

[ulsterchelsea 3,221]

Just a quick note, do you all think it's essential that we offload Drogba and let Torres take the main role as the starting striker? Maybe he's been under Didier's shadow for too long and needs to emerge as the worldclass player that he is.

I think its the end of the road for Drogs but not to make room for Fernando. The place should be given to the man who deserves it the most and at the minute thats Danny

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Torres was a beast for liverpool, sadly he can't recreate the form he was under for us..Drogba will still be one of the best (imo our best) strikers of all time for us. Whether Drogba haters like it or not, he has accomplished far more for our club. I honestly think the 50 m pricetag has hurt Fernando and the atmosphere and expectations of CFC is overwheliming him atm.

However it would be foolish for ANY Chelsea fan to not want him to succeed for us...the question is, when and how are we able to get consistent performances from Nando again? His touch has gotten a lot worse since his injury and he does not look motivated at all when he steps on the pitch. Besides focusing our attention to Torres we should get him to feed off of Mata and Sturridge to relieve the pressure off FT9.

Well Drogba has been with us for 7 years, Torres has been with us for 10 months. Of course he would have done more for the club.

And despite what Drogba has done for us. Let us not forget that in his first two seasons for us at most he was an average player that scored about 10 league goals a season, and was most of the time clumsy and play acted a lot despite being the previous club transfer record holder (£24 million). So if Drogba can go from an over priced average player to one of the clubs most loved striker there is a little bit of hope for Torres. At least he hasn't slapped anyone and got sent off in a champions league final yet.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Still think he's not over the hedge yet, as in, he's not finished. Like Henrique said, we've seen good glimpses of him this season already, got a few goals to add to his name. I don't really blame AVB for playing Drogba though, he looked good v. Liverpool so he did a warrant a place against Bayer.

Would like Torres get another run of game though, now. Today would be nice and if he does fail to make an impression, I'd like Lukaku to come on. Just sayin'

[Clevemayer 764]

I'm sick of watch'n him fail, I desperatly want him to perform and score a fuck'n hattrick against liverscum and Manure... this would be a dream

[Jusek 2,031]

I'm not loving or hating him. Just hoping everything good for him, like for every Chelsea player.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

I like Torres, I really do. He was always one of my absolute favourite non Chelsea players, when we signed him I was ecstatic and I still think its pretty cool that Fernando Torres plays for our club. But my love of Torres doesn't cloud my judgement, he isn't doing it for us, he hasn't really done it for us yet, yes there is still time but what we have seen on the whole hasn't been very encouraging. No we can't rely on Didier Drogba forever, realistically last season should have been Didier's last as the main striker at Chelsea but Fernando's awful form has meant that we have had to look to Drogba again to produce and luckily in the last few games he has. I really do hope that Torres does become the main man at Chelsea, we really could do with a younger lead striker but right now the man in form is Drogba and right now, for the sake of results and performance, the first choice striker is rightly Didier Drogba.

[themightyblue 443]

I like Torres, I really do. He was always one of my absolute favourite non Chelsea players, when we signed him I was ecstatic and I still think its pretty cool that Fernando Torres plays for our club. But my love of Torres doesn't cloud my judgement, he isn't doing it for us, he hasn't really done it for us yet, yes there is still time but what we have seen on the whole hasn't been very encouraging. No we can't rely on Didier Drogba forever, realistically last season should have been Didier's last as the main striker at Chelsea but Fernando's awful form has meant that we have had to look to Drogba again to produce and luckily in the last few games he has. I really do hope that Torres does become the main man at Chelsea, we really could do with a younger lead striker but right now the man in form is Drogba and right now, for the sake of results and performance, the first choice striker is rightly Didier Drogba.

Are you serious? It isn't right at all that Drogba is first choice, torres came on for 10 minutes and was more of a threat in that space of time than Drogba. I think this is a way making Torres fight for his place so that he shows hunger on the pitch and i think from this he'll decide whether or not to offer Drogba the extension. He's been a great servant to the club, but i for one hope he leaves in January and we bring in a younger, quality striker/right winger for competition

[The Big Drog 1,110]

It's the strangest thing and I wont have a go at anyone for having it because up until recently I suffered from exactly the same thing. Since Torres joined I've desperately wanted to see him succeed, I've wanted him to play every minute possible in the hope that he might spark into life and I'll even admit that when Drogba or Anelka were on the teamsheet ahead of him I was actually disappointed and it did take some of the wind out of my sails, infact it was at the point where I didn;t appreciate Drogba or Anelka's contributions half as much as I usually would because I wanted to see Torres play, not Drogba or Anelka.

But I've gotten over that now. My Torres goggles are gone but clearly some people still have them firmly on. How anyone could claim that Torres was more threatening in 10 minutes than Drogba was is perplexing to say the least, even with the previously mentioned Torres goggles on. I would go as far as to say Drogba's performance against Leverkusen (which wouldn't even rank in his top 10 Chelsea performances) was better than any game that Torres has played in a Chelsea jersey. Should Drogba be the main striker? No. Should Drogba be the first choice striker of the ones currently available to us? Absolutely he should, his form has justified AVB's decision and he remains one of the finest all round centre forwards you will find. I would say rather than wishing to sell him in January, you be grateful that Didier has remained loyal to our club and that even when our 50 million pound striker continuously fails to reach the required standard, that Drogba is still able to step up to the plate and deliver.

Honestly with some people on here it's either the Torres goggles or some people just don't appreciate the unique big man centre forward work (combined with incredible technical ability) that Drogba offers.

[Thor 2,392]

New poster here; feels good to be among fellow Chelsea fans.

I feel sorry for Torres' current situation, and to add to that, all of our current strikers/forwards. It seems as though our current system does a terrible job of involving the front men outside of long balls and through balls on goal. Our forwards are hardly getting any time on the ball, and I believe it's the reason for the struggles both Torres, and even Drogba are having in putting the ball in the net.

Our two strikers this season have 3 goals among themselves. 2 for Torres and 1 for Drogba. Our captain who plays fullback has scored as many goals as them combined. Then we have our midfield and wingers who have all trumped our forward men as well. Ramires with 3, Mata with 2, Sturridge with 5, Lampard with 6, etc.

There is something fundamentally wrong in our build up and play. This shouldn't be happening, and in all honesty I don't think Dzeko, Van Persie or even Ronaldo would have many more goals playing forward for us in a system like it currently is.

I don't believe Torres is as out of form as some suggest. I did believe it last season when he didn't look like he could put it together, though this season when he does get the ball he does in fact look promising. Even in the Wolves game, he was slightly selfish, and understandably so, he wants to prove he should be in the starting squad and he figures its the way to get back in there. The point is, he looked great making runs and getting into good areas.

As long as we keep getting the ball to the forwards on a regular basis like we did last game, the goals will come for both Torres and Drogba. And remember he's only 27, he's got a lot of good years ahead of him.

[tmessy 139]

theres so many people who can say they hate torres because he doesnt score, but if i dont recall, our record when torres starts is alot better than another striker up front this season in retrospect...

drogba is still world class and a chelsea legend, but i KNOW im not the only one who jumps to the edge of my seat when he (torres) gets the ball in the box... he is out of "perfect" form but still exciting to watch...

and have you seen his passing lately??? another reason why he is the most complete foward on our team (aside from the "winger", danny)

make arguments about how a forward needs to score but he has been REALLY impressive in setting up goals... its just a matter of time now, hes doing so much better this season..

he just need confidence from AVB...

i still have loads of faith in him because the excitement hasnt left him...

go blues

[Sheva. 5,373]

My Torres goggles are gone

So you have Drogba goggles now?

How anyone could claim that Torres was more threatening in 10 minutes than Drogba was is perplexing to say the least, even with the previously mentioned Torres goggles on.

Drogba didn't have a single shot on target in the game. While Torres immediately he came on, the only thing on his mind was trying to score.

And his movement was good, just wish he'd been less selfish... he could have probably had an assist

I would go as far as to say Drogba's performance against Leverkusen (which wouldn't even rank in his top 10 Chelsea performances) was better than any game that Torres has played in a Chelsea jersey.

I have already replied to this on another thread, so not going to bother repeating myself lol.

[Madmax 9,219]

Drogba didn't have a single shot on target in the game.

Drogba exhibited great centre forward play though. Occupying their CBs, jockeying, holding up the play, turning the marker etc.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Drogba exhibited great centre forward play though. Occupying their CBs, jockeying, holding up the play, turning the marker etc.

He did, i thought he played well - his best game since last season for sure - but Torres did look more threatening/likely to score imo

[Blue Armour 4,289]

It's the strangest thing and I wont have a go at anyone for having it because up until recently I suffered from exactly the same thing. Since Torres joined I've desperately wanted to see him succeed, I've wanted him to play every minute possible in the hope that he might spark into life and I'll even admit that when Drogba or Anelka were on the teamsheet ahead of him I was actually disappointed and it did take some of the wind out of my sails, infact it was at the point where I didn;t appreciate Drogba or Anelka's contributions half as much as I usually would because I wanted to see Torres play, not Drogba or Anelka.

But I've gotten over that now. My Torres goggles are gone but clearly some people still have them firmly on. How anyone could claim that Torres was more threatening in 10 minutes than Drogba was is perplexing to say the least, even with the previously mentioned Torres goggles on. I would go as far as to say Drogba's performance against Leverkusen (which wouldn't even rank in his top 10 Chelsea performances) was better than any game that Torres has played in a Chelsea jersey. Should Drogba be the main striker? No. Should Drogba be the first choice striker of the ones currently available to us? Absolutely he should, his form has justified AVB's decision and he remains one of the finest all round centre forwards you will find. I would say rather than wishing to sell him in January, you be grateful that Didier has remained loyal to our club and that even when our 50 million pound striker continuously fails to reach the required standard, that Drogba is still able to step up to the plate and deliver.

Honestly with some people on here it's either the Torres goggles or some people just don't appreciate the unique big man centre forward work (combined with incredible technical ability) that Drogba offers.

Exactly what I've been trying to point out. Torres should fight for his position and prove that he can consistently do a better job than the one Didier is doing right now...Tossing him back into a regular starting role now will only upset the rhythm Didier seems to have regained and will be detrimental to the team..This scenario where one striker plays two games and the one plays the next two will not benefit either of them...

[Madmax 9,219]

Torres should fight for his position and prove that he can consistently do a better job than the one Didier is doing right now.

And fight how? During the 7 and 13 mins he is given?

[Kojo 4,676]

Tbh, never liked him, I didn't rate him like most others, I much prefared Dzeko and Suarez, before they came to the prem to be our new striker.