Fernando Torres

[BlueLyon 9,359]

For 20mio or what? While those 30 will just dissapear? Get a proper creative midfielder and he is back.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Our biggest problem is the tempo. You can't expect anyone, let alone Torres to score against an organized 8 man Premier League defence. Just won't happen. I don't care who they bring in, unless the players and the new manager manage to up the tempo and start playing actual football only then will you see Torres thrive and Chelsea thrive. I truly believed AVB was that man, but alas. Just hope the next appointment will be bold and make drastic changes.

[Kieran. 6,317]

I think Torres will get the nod; hope he plays well.

[tmessy 139]

i know im a huge torres fan, but i truly believe torres is the future for our club...

we need a manager playing up tempo football and a midfielder or winger like gerrard who will give him the service he needs... check his goals, all of them are from a similar service of that he got at pool.... i know he isnt in the same form, but i dont think ANYONE could score with the service we are giving our forwards hahaha

sorry if any mistypes, been drinking since 1pm and know its 9pm hahaha

[kechek11 0]

Name: Fernando Torres

Position: Striker

Number: 9

Joined From: Liverpool

Fee: £50 million

Signed by: King Carlo Ancelotti

Age: 26

:cfc:

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Fernando Torres on a five-and-a-half year contract.

The move to bring the Spanish World Cup and European Championship winner to London from Liverpool for an undisclosed fee was completed on Monday evening. He will be available to play against Liverpool on Sunday.

Speaking at Stamford Bridge after finalising the move, Torres said: 'I am very happy with my transfer to Chelsea and I am looking forward very much to helping my new team-mates this season and for many years to come.

'Having played against Chelsea many times since coming to England, and in some very big games I will never forget, I know there are many great players here and I will work hard to win a place in the team. I hope I can score some important goals for the supporters to enjoy this season.'

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said: 'This is a very significant day for Chelsea, capturing one of the best players in the world with his peak years ahead of him. We have long admired the talents of a player who is a proven goalscorer in English football and Fernando's arrival is a sign of our continuing high ambitions. I hope every Chelsea fan is as excited as I am with this news.'

Chief executive Ron Gourlay added: 'Signing a player of the stature of Fernando Torres benefits the club on many levels. Carlo Ancelotti was keen to add his talents to the squad as we continue our quest for three trophies this season, we are delighted we have succeeded with that wish, and this signing will undoubtedly aid the club in realising our worldwide potential - on and off the pitch.'

Torres's scoring pedigree in English football is without doubt. The 26-year-old netted 65 goals in 102 league appearances for Liverpool and 81 in 142 games in all competitions.

He moved to the Premier League aged 23 having spent the previous 12 years at Atletico Madrid, a club based a few miles from the town of his birth on the outskirts of the capital city.

In his time at Atletico, 'El Nino' (The Kid - his nickname in Spain) was the club's youngest player and youngest captain. His debut came aged 17 and he took the armband two years later.

His first full season was a quiet start with just six goals from 36 league appearances but that became 13 from 29 games the next year and the 20-goal mark was reached in 2003/04, Torres's most prolific season in Spain and the year of his debut for the national side.

The player's subsequent emergence on the international stage and 75 goals in 174 Spanish top-flight games meant many clubs across Europe were after his signature but he chose to work under compatriot Rafael Benitez at Liverpool.

The transfer in July 2007 was valued at approximately £20 million, Luis Garcia going the other way, and Torres's first goal for the Merseysiders was against Chelsea at Anfield, opening the scoring in a 1-1 draw after getting the better of Tal Ben-Haim. It was the first of seven goals in seven games against Chelsea. It is his best return against any English club.

He scored three hat-tricks on the way to 33 goals in his first season in England, becoming the first Liverpool player since a previous wearer of the number 9 shirt, Robbie Fowler, to break the 30-goal mark in one season.

His second season returned 17 goals (injury reducing his number of appearances) as his side finished second, three points and one place above Chelsea in the league table. Last season, despite Liverpool dropping down the table to seventh, Torres accumulated a very healthy 22 goals in 32 games.

He headed to the World Cup in South Africa already a winner of the European Championships at senior international level.

In his teenage years, Torres had achieved top-scorer status for his country in both the Under 16 and Under 19 European Championships and he scored his first goal for the senior side against Italy aged 20, seven months after his first cap.

In the 2006 World Cup in Germany he scored three times in the group stage but Spain were beaten by France in the first knockout round. However there was no stopping his nation two years later at Euro 2008, Torres scoring once on the way to the final and the only goal in that match in Vienna as Germany were defeated. It was Spain's first major piece of silverware since 1964.

Last summer in South Africa, Torres struggled for full fitness and form during the World Cup having undergone surgery in April. As a result, Barcelona's Pedro took his place for a semi-final triumph over Germany.

Coach Vicente Del Bosque also left Torres out of the starting line-up for the final. Instead he came on in extra-time in the 1-0 win over Holland although he tore a muscle before the end.

Back in England this season and before joining the Blues, Torres made 26 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 11 times including both goals in Chelsea's November defeat at Anfield.

WWW.CHELSEAFC.COM

[kechek11 0]

torres play had now become and the more poisonous ... the opponents areintimidated by the rise torres ...

[Las7 951]

For 20mio or what? While those 30 will just dissapear? Get a proper creative midfielder and he is back.

You do realize we are paying him around 8 million pounds per season in wages. If he doesn't find form next season he would be virtually unsaleable - right now we can blame lack of balance; tempo; lack of creative players; lack of accommodation; players not passing to him - but lets say he fails even if we change the whole system just for this one guy. What exactly happens than - he collects his check for another 3 years or we let him go on a free just to free ourselves from his wages.

The only way I'd be happy to see Torres in the squad next season is if his wages match his contribution to the squad - from his current season I don't think he should be anywhere near the top earners in the club, same can be said about Lamps and Drogba but most people expect Drogba to be on his way out at the end of the season.

To me a lot that has been said are excuses, he played with Spain with virtually the best midfield in the World of the last decade and he wasn't exactly setting the World on fire. His stature in World Football is still enough for us to reclaim half of his transfer fee but if he continues on with his inability to regularly score goals and we buy another striker in the summer we could end up with the most expensive substitute player in the World.

[Amblève. 4,995]

For 20mio or what? While those 30 will just dissapear? Get a proper creative midfielder and he is back.

I'd be happy if Chelsea got 20m for selling him... as for the rest of the money Chelsea paid, Torres fucked it up too, not just the lack of creativity. Look at all the misses he had since joining Chelsea. If he had converted those chances into goals he would not have scored just 4 PL goals for Chelsea. Somebody posted an article on Torres' off-ball movement here a few weeks or months ago, where his abysmal movement is being described very well.

[ulsterchelsea 3,102]

I still believe he will come good in the goals department. Especially if we get pace into this side next season as well as a bit more creativity

[tmessy 139]

all the liverpool fans are just scum and running a muck with the whole armband thing! hahahaha! subs didnt wear one!

what scum... hahaha makes me laugh, and i love how they care so much about that someone that they have "forgotten".. HA!

[Spike 12,049]

He should stop trying to score goals and just score goals. It's so simple, gosh.

[Nando 106]

He should try to score goals instead of always play for the team. Being selfish to a certain degree is essential for the success of any striker. Fernando is no exception. I say encourage him to take long shots and to finish with one touch in the box. Also, his teammates in attack should not make desperate faces when he goes for goal individually, but should follow his attitude: when someone tries, encourage him and make some sign of approval.

[MGuerreiro 252]

An interesting read. Outsold Carroll's shirts 250 to 1.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Chelsea-find-that-selling-Torres-shirts-is-like-?urn=sow-316727

[Las7 951]

Liverpool fans would point out that Carroll has outscored Torres thus far and scored the winner in the derby both are a bit shite obviously the biggest flops in World Football in recent years.

[susu 41]

Liverpool fans would point out that Carroll has outscored Torres thus far and scored the winner in the derby both are a bit shite obviously the biggest flops in World Football in recent years.

Who need Liverpool fans, when there are fans like you, las7?

[Madmax 9,219]

That's pretty simple to explain -

Torres - EURO winner, a WC winner, was one of the deadliest strikers in world football till 2 years ago and a blonde bombshell to boot.

Carroll - Er .. ponytailed beer drinker famous for being er ... a £35m flop.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Really should be sold in the summer, but I know the club will keep him.

[zolayes 14,489]

Liverpool fans would point out that Carroll has outscored Torres thus far and scored the winner in the derby both are a bit shite obviously the biggest flops in World Football in recent years.

they also think the world is flat and Stevie G is the centre of the universe... just waiting for Shankly

to return to win the PL again

[Kojo 4,676]

Andy Caroll Vs Torres?, no comparisson, sorry but Caroll is the most one dimensional forward in the world, he might of gotten 30 goals a season about 50 years ago but not now in this tactical game. At Newcastle all he scored was sweaty goals, he cannot even contribute to the team, he's below average when it comes to technical abillity, at least Torres gets a hand full of assists and takes on players and contains flair. Carroll can only score headers and what have ya, oh yeah and who can forget his great flick ons. Such a brilliant player.

[Ollie 4,400]

Performances like today aren't gonna help him or us, he was disastrous today, only did well nicking the ball back but attacking wise was cringe worthy.