Fernando Torres

[francozola 2,040]

lol at the music

he made more intelligent runs in this match than the previous 18 months combined

[Superblue 6,331]

There are three key things for me that will benefit Torres:

1. AVB seems to have a lot of confidence in him and see's him as his first choice striker, having started 5 out of 6 games so far this season.

2. The change in formation to 4-2-3-1 is something I talked about using at the beginning of the season. Meireles and Ramires have the energy and drive to play in a 2 man midfield, and although we rode our luck at times. it's ironic that the we didn't concede in the second half when we dropped the holding midfielder. Such a formation allows Mata to play in the perfect position for him, essentially a free role behind Torres to be able to drift around and dictate the play seamlessly. Any two then of Anelka, Sturridge and Malouda gives Torres more support higher up the pitch without crowding him out allowing him the space to keep running in behind defenders. If goals do start to come aswell and teams become more wary of Torres, it will benefit the attacking trio around him who can benefit from Torres pulling defenders away, etc with his clever movement.

3. The style of play is taking shape, as Mata and Meireles seem to have given our midfield and attack an extra edge. If David Luiz plays at the back in most games he also gives something extra to the team's direct style of play. What Torres said in his interview is just what we have all been saying this whole time. It's therefore no real surprise that he has looked at his most dangerous for a long time when we are spotting his runs and playing the ball to him an extra touch or two quicker. Yes Torres snapped at a couple of chances but in all fairness to him he has fed on scraps in a lot of games, as those chances keep coming he will put them away on a more regular and clinical basis GUARANTEED. His willingness and determination to run and work for the team was evident yesterday and the goals will start flowing, I believe starting with Swansea at home.

Finally I agree with everyone about the papers, but I must admit I was actually pleasantly surprised Sky Sports coverage didn't play on it more. Graeme Souness, who has been massively critical of Torres' form, was very complimentary of him and said he has no doubts now that Torres can return to his old form.

[Guest justin_3d]

Another article about Torres:

Torrid Torres elicits only pity

By: ED

Watching Manchester United's 3-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday, as a dramatic weekend of Premier League football reached a fittingly crazy crescendo, one particular moment - you know which one it is - left Early Doors overcome with an unfamiliar feeling: pity.

ED thought that sympathy for professional footballers had been extinguished with the advent of the Premier League, and the huge wages it soon entailed, in 1992. How else to explain the enthusiasm with which players' shortcomings are debated across the media; schadenfreude is as integral to the Premier League as corporate branding, multi-million pound wages, gaudy vehicles and Richard Scudamore.

But this incident left ED cold; sad, even. As one man sunk to the floor in despair, praying for the Old Trafford turf to open up and take him away from the thousands of laughing Mancs and millions of TV viewers, you could not help but be overcome by pity.

Such are the depths to which Fernando Torres plummeted with

that

miss.

It was so incredible that Chelsea must be tempted to open another internal investigation in the wake of Old-and-slowgate, though even the combined forces of the CSI squad, Lieutenant Columbo and The Guardian's Nick Davies would struggle to get to the bottom of just how the Spaniard managed to put the ball wide with six minutes remaining on the clock.

There is a great shot, taken a split-second after Torres has pulled the trigger, that captures a look of resignation and horror on the faces of the United supporters congregated behind the goal. Having rounded David de Gea, the thought that the Chelsea striker might miss was almost literally unbelievable. But miss he did, and how.

They have seen howlers before at Old Trafford - Ryan Giggs had a similar aberration in an FA Cup tie against Arsenal, of course - but in the long history of the Premier League

that

moment from Torres is surely only rivalled by Ronny Rosenthal's seminal effort for Liverpool at Villa Park in 1992.

In fact, given the context of the match, the teams involved and the intense scrutiny that accompanies a player who has so singularly failed to live up to his £50 million price tag, ED suggests it may be the worst of all time.

Unconvinced? Let ED dazzle you with some science. To determine the true awfulness of a glaring miss you have to match it against what is known as the 'Sandra Redknapp scale'. Apparently the guffaws from Sandbanks could be heard as far away as Brighton on Sunday afternoon.

What arguably accentuated the pain for Torres was that at the start of the second half he had scored a lovely goal to claim only his second in Chelsea colours.

His run into the box and flick over De Gea was a moment of brilliance of the kind we came to associate with that dashing figure who so impressed during his first three seasons at Liverpool, and not the lonely figure who has somnambulated his way through games for Chelsea, seemingly with the weight of the world, and Roman Abramovich's Roubles, on his shoulders.

Just when the green shoots of recovery could be spotted, that miss plunged Torres back into his deep and alarming recession. ED only hopes it isn't as long and painful as that afflicting the world economy. In fact, come to think of it, is anyone investigating this alleged rogue trader chap for any involvement in the size of Torres's transfer fee?

After a day that started with one national newspaper declaring that the striker could be loaned to a team in his native Spain in January, Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas was

standing by his man

.

"You have to be fair. We have seen two of the world's best strikers miss crazy opportunities," he said. "Fernando with his miss and Wayne Rooney with his penalty. This is nothing dramatic but sometimes it becomes something."

The difference, of course, is that Rooney merely slipped on his approach to the spot and has scored nine goals already this season.

Meanwhile,

Sir Alex Ferguson

did his best to deepen the striker's misery when placing him in the same bracket as Diego Forlan, referencing a glaring miss on a pre-season tour to America in 2003. The Uruguayan is an excellent player, no doubt about it, but not a great role model for a striker struggling for goals in the Premier League.

It is perhaps unfitting that a brilliant weekend - which witnessed Arsenal's spectacular implosion at Blackburn, more evidence of Sergio Aguero's excellence, Liverpool's reckless indiscipline and a thumping goal from Luka Modric - should be remembered for one awful miss, but such is Torres's lot at present.

It is impossible to divide the man, the talent, from the narrative of spectacular failure, try as he might to break out of its oppressive constraints.

Given how he performed when he first arrived at Anfield,

that

miss was like watching Leonardo Da Vinci struggle to colour in between the lines, or Mozart failing to master 'London's Burning' on a recorder. Pockets of Manchester and Liverpool aside, no one wants to see genius reduced to this.

-----------------------

Have to say, the articles have been very both sided. One taking a jab at Torres, and the other seeing the opposite side, and how well Chelsea played.

It's a start! And only it has been 5 games into the season. So looking good, looking good.

Edited September 19, 2011 by justin_3d

[Milan 17,835]

that miss, pretty boring already and it happened only yesterday

Alright, he missed a sitter I think everyone of us would have scored, but he also scored a goal I think almost none of us would have scored. And what's more important, he put in another brilliant performance. I just felt so sorry for Nando but he's almost there. Against Man United at the Bridge, he will score a winner, maybe a world-class, maybe into the empty net, but he will beat them by scoring his I guess 20th.

[dodojojo 510]

In the past people have been getting wet over average performances, saying he'll come back.

However, yesterday he was genuinely excellent.

The issue is that his confidence will now be at an all-time low.

Dropped by Spain after 88 caps, benched for the Sunderland game; Torres followed up with Bayer Leverkusen and Man United.

He'll be fine. What's important is for Chelsea's game to evolve along with Torres'. They will get better together.

[TomCFC 356]

As I overheard someone today say, "He's almost back. And good for him."

[Guest justin_3d]

As I overheard someone today say, "He's almost back. And good for him."

Yeah and he will perform better once Lampard is no longer in the starting 11!

Chelsea played much better with out him.

It was sad though that Sturridge had a bad day. On days like that, a back up like Anelka or Malouda are good to have.

Also we see how badly we need Mikel in that game. I thought we could wing it with Meireles and Ramires, but i was wrong.

Best let Meireles take over Lampards place.

And i hope now that this game is out of the way AVB can start using more of Josh. Cause Josh is the Lampard replacement, and we need him to get more games then last year.

[Tortilla9 390]

Torres is tougher mentally then most think. Don't let the hairband fool you. You don't get to his level of play without being mentally tough.

He played at Atletico Madrid and the abuse he received from Real fans (and continues to) makes Lipton look like his #1 fan. He left his boyhood club which he loved, still loves, and who love him for CL. He didn't let emotion rule his competitive desire. He left Liverpool where the dirty scousers loved him for CL. Again he didn't let emotion rule his competitive desire. Chelsea so far hasn't been a fantastic run for him (understatement) but he's continued to grind it out, continued to fight. As painful as it's been to watch him some days, as a supporter all I ask from him (and any other player) is to keep fighting.

The goal yesterday was instinctive and class from the movement, the anticipation of Anelka's great pass, and the calm finish. The other thing that happened - Shakespeare would have had a field day with yesterday's events.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Yeah. Over it already..

And in fact, EVEN United fans were saying "Torres is coming back". Now if even they can recognise this, fuck any media-hate campaign. Smh.

[Tortilla9 390]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23988577-villas-boas-reveals-blueprint-for-success-in-failure-at-old-trafford.do

Another decent article without the media hate from others. The picture says a 1000 words but the article is well-balanced.

[Peace. 4,352]

Now that's a bunch of horrible fat and ugly cunts.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

But this incident left ED cold; sad, even. As one man sunk to the floor in despair, praying for the Old Trafford turf to open up and take him away from the thousands of laughing

Mancs

Londoners and millions of TV viewers, you could not help but be overcome by pity.

Fixed.

[Guest justin_3d]

Now that's a bunch of horrible fat and ugly cunts.

Yeah, kinda remind me of this time....

[bluesman2610 1,226]

I wouldn't say he is all the way back but the strides he has made since AVB has taken over a couple of goals in pre-season a few assists and finally the world class movement and finish..we are seeing the Torres that we are all salivating at the potential goals and performances that will fire us right into contention of champions league as well as winning everything domestically...

I think ancelotti was not the right guy to get him ready mentally and we are seeing the benefits of having your coach 100% behind you not saying anything in the media like we had seen after he had signed in jan..

BRAVO Fernando for continuing to work hard..WE the Chelsea faithful support you!!

[Guest justin_3d]

Fernando Torres's miss against United was not the worst ever

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/19/fernando-torres-miss

hehehe, some funny misses. I think the worst one is the one from the MLS. Kansas City player. How awful!

[TomCFC 356]

Now that's a bunch of horrible fat and ugly cunts.

Correct, but wouldn't you have reacted similarly?

[Tortilla9 390]

I reacted more like Fernando tbh. That one hurt a little.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Cech & The Guardian (somewhat) offer Torres backing

I keep saying the same thing; I can see every time the guy is improving..

At Stoke he had a brilliant game. He didn't score but was unlucky. Against [bayer] Leverkusen he didn't score but created both [goals]. At United he created a huge chance for Ramires. Then he scored a great goal, got himself another opportunity. I don't know what happened but he didn't score that. But he created a lot and his movement was there. You can see it.

Torres's performance at Old Trafford was certainly encouraging, with the 27-year-old displaying strength, sharpness and a surge of pace that has generally been lacking since his £50m transfer from Liverpool in January. His goal in the 46th minute was also expertly taken, with the Spaniard lifting the ball over De Gea from an acute angle having perfectly read Nicolas Anelka's through-ball.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/sep/19/fernando-torres-backed-chelsea-miss