Fernando Torres

[Blue Armour 4,436]

Today's goal was the kind of finishing I've associated him with...what a sweet strike.

[Kostas 1,468]

He's actually making runs INTO the box and going for difficult headers.

That's the most important point IMO.

The chance Luiz created for him in the first half was the first purely Torres-que chance I remember him getting at Chelsea, at the time I wasn't sure whether to read more into him getting that chance or failing to score from it.

His second goal was a result of a tidy and calm finish, a pretty shocking fact considering what we're used to.

[Ollie 4,400]

He coulda had a hat trick so the main positive thing is that he is getting into those positions again and if he keeps getting himself in those positions, he will keep scoring. Was glad Danny passed to him because i thought he'd go solo again, and look Danny, look what happens when you pass the ball to someone in a better position. Not rocket science mate.

[nullabletype 987]

3 goals and 6 assists in the EPL :confused:

It's pretty bad, even tonight in one of his best games for us - he missed a lot of clear chances and he still hasn't scored a winner.

I don't think you could call many of today's chances clear. I'm guessing you're referring to to the two from close range, but really, if anything, the defending there has to be commended.

My boy Fernando getting it done today...

I'll defend him to the death so long as he's playing well. And his performances of late have deserved no more criticism, in fact recently, quite often less than any amount of players on the pitch.

I thought this was one of his worse games actually, funny thing is he scored and no one cares

If two assists and a goal is one of his worse games, then I for one think he should be a guaranteed starter.

[Steve 10,227]

3 goals and 6 assists in the EPL :confused:

It's pretty bad, even tonight in one of his best games for us - he missed a lot of clear chances and he still hasn't scored a winner.

No where near one of his best games for us. Why because he scored? To say that you think that was one of his best games shows your lack of knowledge regarding the player or you just believe the nonsense thrown at him by the media.

These clear cut chances you speak of he put his foot out and had a shot and if it was not for two amazing tackles he would of had a hatrick tonight but that cannot be stopped, that is what the defenders are there to do.

He set up a goal and he scored one. He has been playing well as of late and i will stick up for him when its due.

[Sheva. 5,373]

If two assists and a goal is one of his worse games, then I for one think he should be a guaranteed starter.

In terms of overall play, he wasn't as good as he has been recently imo.

But i'm not complaining, he got himself into good positions to score, scored a very good goal to seal the win, and also had a brilliant assist when Villa had all the momentum.

[Las7 951]

These clear cut chances you speak of he put his foot out and had a shot and if it was not for two amazing tackles he would of had a hatrick tonight but that cannot be stopped, that is what the defenders are there to do.

Actually it was 5 chances the entire game and most of them were pretty clear cut:

1) Luiz through ball - Torres tame shot at goal keeper

2) Scuffed shot due to defender jumping into his feet(he was about 1-2m away from the goal) - Sturridge scores on the rebound

3) Scuffed shot at another defender(once again very close to the goal)

4) Ball is passed towards him from flank he doesn't move towards it thinking Lampard is behind him despite being in a good position facing the goal.

5) Goal

If Drogba was on the bench he would never even scored because he would have been bought off as the last substitution.

[Kojo 4,676]

I thought this was one of his worse games actually, funny thing is he scored and no one cares

He was actually pretty poor, but the strange thing is, according to stats he played well. When usually he plays well but according to stats he plays bad lmao, FUCK YOU FOOTBALL STOP BEING SO FUCKING WEIRD.

[bluesman2610 1,417]

Actually it was 5 chances the entire game and most of them were pretty clear cut: 1) Luiz through ball - Torres tame shot at goal keeper 2) Scuffed shot due to defender jumping into his feet(he was about 1-2m away from the goal) - Sturridge scores on the rebound 3) Scuffed shot at another defender(once again very close to the goal) 4) Ball is passed towards him from flank he doesn't move towards it thinking Lampard is behind him despite being in a good position facing the goal. 5) Goal If Drogba was on the bench he would never even scored because he would have been bought off as the last substitution.

were you watching the same game i'll give you 3 out of those 5 the two that were blocked are not the definition of clear cut if anything they are half chances at best..not defending torres cause he was poor today but the slagging of a man who has been working his as* off to get back and pay the club and fans back for what we paid to bring him here is unnecessary...and the fact that hes seems to be finding form we need to back him

[Steve 10,227]

Actually it was 5 chances the entire game and most of them were pretty clear cut:

1) Luiz through ball - Torres tame shot at goal keeper

2) Scuffed shot due to defender jumping into his feet(he was about 1-2m away from the goal) - Sturridge scores on the rebound

3) Scuffed shot at another defender(once again very close to the goal)

4) Ball is passed towards him from flank he doesn't move towards it thinking Lampard is behind him despite being in a good position facing the goal.

5) Goal

If Drogba was on the bench he would never even scored because he would have been bought off as the last substitution.

They are 5 clear cut chances you are right. Have you ever played football because by the sounds of things you havn't and you just make things sound easier then what they are.

1) He shot and the keeper saved it, you make it sound like he didn't even take on the opertunity. He is finding form and his clinicle finishing will hopefully improve.

2 and 3) Were great tackles and again he did everything he could to put the ball in the back of the net. Another clear cut chance, you are having a laugh.

4) Mistakes happen, and yes his awareness should of been better so ill let you have that one. No excuses for that.

5) Would you imagine that.

[Tomo 21,751]

He has been impressing lately. If he carries on like this until the end of the season then he will defiantly stay another term.

Having said that tho that supposed £45m bid Anzhi are going to make, even if Torres does get to back to form we really can't afford to turn that down, we could use that and get 2 playmakers.

[Sheva. 5,373]

I agree, 45m is too much to turn down for any player!

But i doubt they're willing to offer that much, probably just bs from the media.

[Tomo 21,751]

If we do keep him we still need to get someone like Cavani in, it's just too risky making Torres main forward, maybe Torres can take the role of second forward.

[nullabletype 987]

Actually it was 5 chances the entire game and most of them were pretty clear cut:

1) Luiz through ball - Torres tame shot at goal keeper

2) Scuffed shot due to defender jumping into his feet(he was about 1-2m away from the goal) - Sturridge scores on the rebound

3) Scuffed shot at another defender(once again very close to the goal)

4) Ball is passed towards him from flank he doesn't move towards it thinking Lampard is behind him despite being in a good position facing the goal.

5) Goal

If Drogba was on the bench he would never even scored because he would have been bought off as the last substitution.

Huh?

They are 5 clear cut chances you are right. Have you ever played football because by the sounds of things you havn't and you just make things sound easier then what they are.

1) He shot and the keeper saved it, you make it sound like he didn't even take on the opertunity. He is finding form and his clinicle finishing will hopefully improve.

2 and 3) Were great tackles and again he did everything he could to put the ball in the back of the net. Another clear cut chance, you are having a laugh.

4) Mistakes happen, and yes his awareness should of been better so ill let you have that one. No excuses for that.

5) Would you imagine that.

Ah yes, some rationale.

I'll tell you what amazes me. I was just looking in the Torres transfer thread, and the last post I seen was somebody saying that whilst Torres may have a bunch of assists, he only pops up for 5 minutes to give the assist and then becomes anonymous. Between that and Las7's 5 clear cut chances theory, I do wonder if people actually pay any attention to the games at all.

I missed the first 30 minutes of today's match. I popped on to the other forum I use and asked what I missed only for some Newcastle supporter to tell me Torres had "fluffed" multiple chances. So as you can imagine I'm thinking the worst. Then I see replays of Torres hitting shots and defenders sliding in within about a foot of him and making brilliant blocks, and naturally I'm left scratching my head at this guys "fluffed" and Las7's "scuffed shots" assessment. Sometimes I think people get the impression that playing football is like playing FIFA. Hold B and point in the general direction of the net for an instagoal.

I'm all for fair criticism, but what bothers me about Torres's critics which includes many of our own fans, is that virtually each and every shot that doesn't end up as a goal is automatically labelled as "poor". Some of the efforts I've seen the guy called out on wouldn't get a second look if it were anybody else. And what makes it all worse, is when people sit and moan about Torres and then talk about Drogba is if he's on fire, when in fact, it's a toss up between who's had the worse season.

Sometimes I think people forget what exactly we have in Torres. If this guy gets back to his best then we're laughing. And I think the objective supporters among us can see that right now, he's a better option than Drogba.

[francozola 2,040]

I'll tell you what amazes me. I was just looking in the Torres transfer thread, and the last post I seen was somebody saying that whilst Torres may have a bunch of assists, he only pops up for 5 minutes to give the assist and then becomes anonymous. Between that and Las7's 5 clear cut chances theory, I do wonder if people actually pay any attention to the games at all.

TBH that's what he was doing until these last few months imo. His work-rate and contribution has improved this year, but in 2011 his performances were pretty dire.

Anyway I agree, I don't know how on earth he was supposed to score those 2 "clear-cut chances". The defender was right there to make the block. Clear-cut chances that he's missed are the likes of the Utd open goal, against Blackburn in the last minute, away at Wigan (?) where he had an open goal and he scuffed the shot wide in the 2nd half etc etc. The ones yesterday he didn't score because of misfortune, but at least he was in the right place at the right time to affect the outcome.