Malouda ignoring Torres?

[Tortilla9 390]

Oh, they'll lose alright because they're all going to be gone before Torres. Not because Torres is so great right now, but realistically, Chelsea isn't going to dump their 50M striker in 3 months are they?

But there will be losers all around if this continues though. The team will lose because sooner or later good teams will punish Chelsea for not playing as a team and maximizing the best from one of their strikers. Imagine how shit it will be if in the Man City game, Malouda swerves Torres in front of an open goal? That can be the difference of two to three points lost. It didn't matter today 3-1 up on Blackpool but try that against Tottenham when 4th place is on the line. Or against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

And in the long term, how screwed up is Torres' confidence going to be? How long can he put up with the criticism and mockery? I'm not so concerned about his feelings but more about how that screws up a 50M investment!

I'm not blaming Torres' inability to score solely on this issue, really I'm not. But how about not crapping about like this and actually help out a teammate eh? Especially one who's getting shit on from every direction? Watching the last 10 minutes of game had me fuming because it was clear that there are some strange dynamics out on the pitch and it looks to be very petty.

Torres said last week that he needed to adjust to Chelsea and Drogba and Anelka. I think he was trying to defer to the two big dogs and not rock the boat more than it already has been. From all accounts he's pretty quiet and shy off the pitch. Maybe he has deferred a little too much and needs to show a little more arrogance and demand for the ball. Will that work this season during a push for CL qualification and a run through the CL? Maybe not the best time. On the other hand, Roman isn't going to throw 50M down the toilet either. Torres is the future and maybe the adjustment period for all is that they start to realize that. Maybe that begins this summer.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

Bunch of whiners who expect a hat-trick from Torres every game. Face the reality , no service - no goals. Main thing is that the team wins. Even if Torres scores only 1 gole the whole campaign and we finish in the top 4, I'd be happy, because there is always the next season.

[dodojojo 510]

<br /> Maybe he has deferred a little too much and needs to show a little more arrogance and demand for the ball..<br />

<br /><br /><br />

He could and did do that in Liverpool, you could see other players deferring to him. I can see Malouda not giving one damn iota if Nando demanded the ball here.

<br />Torres is the future and maybe the adjustment period for all is that they start to realize that. Maybe that begins this summer.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I'd prefer it to happen over the next few weeks because it will be awful for Nando and the club to hear about what a flop he is from now until August. That's gotta affect a player's morale.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

You have to appreciate it was highly unlikely Torres would hit the ground running. We all saw Anelka only score two goals in his first half-season after we signed him, because it took him time to learn to play with his new team-mates and so on. Let's be a little more realistic and stop playing FIFA for a bit, because a goal a game is just burdening further expectation on him.

[Kajo 176]

I think he's not ignoring Fernando he was just selfish yesterday, he didn't pass to anyone, he was dropped so he try to impress coach that he deserved to be in first XI by scoring a goal.

[Fulham Broadway 17,306]

Stretching it a bit to say hes ignoring him. Malouda would be in for a rocket up the arse or transfer if true

Expectations laying heavily on Torres , and the pressure will build the longer it goes on. Soon as he breaks his duck, there will be some mad celebration, and the positive is the impact he's having on the players around him.

Last night though I have to say hes looking a bit lethargic, and the style is too languid and laid back, similar to how he was playing at the bindippers for the last few months.....

[steve5221 91]

Makes me think of the rumor that was mentioned a few months ago - there is a problem in the dressing room with the clique of french speaking players.

Although Drogba has upped his work rate, Malouda now looks to be a problem.

[spuz 143]

There's not many games this month so a break will be good.

Does kalou deserve a chance up front alongside Torres. Kalou can definately be more lively than Anelka and Drogs,he's alot younger and obviously quicker.

You never know,he could be the one to gel with torres. With new wingers in the summer and the right coaching to put the ball in the box for the strikers,Torres will come good.

[spuz 143]

Makes me think of the rumor that was mentioned a few months ago - there is a problem in the dressing room with the clique of french speaking players.

Although Drogba has upped his work rate, Malouda now looks to be a problem.

I remember years ago saying we should never sign French players as they're just trouble.

This was the time of Lebouef saying he didn't want to be the club cretin and wanted his £16k a week wages doubled to £32k a week (alot at the time).

Desailly saying we had no chance of winning the league before the season had even kicked off. Anelka sulking at the arse,and Viera claiming to be exhausted 4 games into the new season,then the likes of Ginola,Deschamps and Petit going on all the time abot the physical demands of the English league.

Then there's Drogba with some of his ' misquotes' down the years.

[steve5221 91]

I remember years ago saying we should never sign French players as they're just trouble.

This was the time of Lebouef saying he didn't want to be the club cretin and wanted his £16k a week wages doubled to £32k a week (alot at the time).

Desailly saying we had no chance of winning the league before the season had even kicked off. Anelka sulking at the arse,and Viera claiming to be exhausted 4 games into the new season,then the likes of Ginola,Deschamps and Petit going on all the time abot the physical demands of the English league.

Then there's Drogba with some of his ' misquotes' down the years.

Just look at what some of them did at the world cup - disgrace. Plus Desailly is now "Mr Ghana" since he retired and snubbed playing for them in his playing days....

[Term-X 7,891]

Bunch of whiners who expect a hat-trick from Torres every game. Face the reality , no service - no goals. Main thing is that the team wins. Even if Torres scores only 1 gole the whole campaign and we finish in the top 4, I'd be happy, because there is always the next season.

Ah yes, the 'always next season' syndrome. We had a similar thing with sheva.

[zolayes 14,489]

I was watching ESPN3 while trying to work so I got bits and pieces. I came home and watched the match beginning to end on DVR.

Those who know me know I'm a huge Torres homer so I was ready to burn Malouda's shirt (joking) and run him out of town. I tried to be objective and took my Torres colored glasses off. I missed the first ten minutes on DVR because of ESPN or DISH reception.

21 - Drogba played Torres in, Torres held the ball up waiting for the support, then had a poor cross. Supposedly to Lampard but I didn't see anybody in the tv shot.

22 - Torres a decent shot blocked in the 22nd after making good movement off a Ramires/Bosingwa run/pass

31 - on the break with Torres in acres of space to the right, Drogba passes to Zhirkov instead. Not a bad decision at all.

33 - Bosingwa clears, Torres collects, dribbles, then deflects off defender.

34 (I think) - Torres wins the header, flicks to Drogba's area, Drogba doesn't move, Blackpool get the ball

43 - Essien tries to pass to Torres, pass picked off by Blackpool

46 - Essien to Torres, Torres to Zhirkov, buildup leades to Ramires shot attempt

Second half:

46 - Drogba flick to Torres, Torres passes to Cole

52 - good movement by Torres, he receives the pass (from Ramires I think) but he's off

55 - Terry to Torres, Torres to Ramires

57 - Bosingwa to Torres, header to Kalou. Commentator: haven't engineered a single chance for Torres

58 - Terry passes to Torres, Torres passes to Cole

59 - Lampard shoots and gets a corner kick. Could have possibly laid the ball off to Torres.

61 - Zhirkov to Torres who tried to find Cole, Kalou gets the ball instead, gets the penalty

63 - Break, 2 on 2, Kalou finds Torres on the right, Torres tries to cross back to Kalou, intercepted by Blackpool

65 - Essien to Kalou to Lampard. Goal. If Lampard hadn't got to the ball first, Torres might have been in for a tap in. Can't complain about the play or the goal.

67 - Torres won the ball, pass to Cole, pass to Zhirkov. Corner

70 - Kalou looked to layoff to Torres but Zhirkov stepped up instead and shot blocked

75 - Kalou to Torres, Torres dribbled, shot with the outside of his right foot, no power. Fans singing for him (kudos!).

79 - Chelsea passing the ball around, Kalou to Torres, Torres to Bosingwa

79 - Lampard tries to find Torres on a little flick on the box, keeper easily gets it

82 - Kalou receives the ball from a defensive clearance, Torres makes the run to support and pressures the defender. Nothing comes of it.

83 - Malouda shoots at a difficult angle. Could have tried to pass to either Kalou or Torres who were in the box.

84 - Malouda dribbles, dribbles, loses the ball in the box. A wide open Torres moving and waiting for a layoff.

87 - Torres gets the ball on the touchline from a defensive cleaance, off Torres, out of bounds

91 - Luis to Malouda, Malouda shoots at acute angle. Either Kalou or Torres were open.

92 - Malouda good ball to Kalou, Kalou shoots over, Torres also in good position in the box.

First half neither Torres or Drogba received the ball much. Midfield was very narrow and it wasn't pretty. There didn't seem to be a lot of service to either forward. It was a dull first half except for the Terry header.

Second half, Torres received the ball much more. Was it because Kalou came on and the movement and space between the two was better? Chelsea moved the ball much better as a whole except for 5 or 10 minutes when they took their foot off.

I've seen games where Torres is just standing there looking like a poster boy. Today he had good movement and worked for the team. He didn't hang out waiting for the ball but came back looking and moving, trying to get involved. It wasn't until the 80th minute on that he seemed to be a little frustrated (do I really know though?) but he kept making runs. From my calculation he only had 2 decent chances. IMO you need to have a few more than that. I don't know if it was unwillingness to pass to Torres or inability to move the ball well as a team. The ball went sideways or backward a lot and the passing was slow and lumbering at times. It would have been nice to see Chelsea move the ball quicker and with more attacking intent. Maybe then Torres would have been more involved too. Maybe because Chelsea overlooked Blackpool a little.

:goodpost: VERY interesting reading ,,I could remember all those incidents but seeing them listed together put a better perspective on them

[dodojojo 510]

The example of the French World Cup team is why I think players deliberately being asses is not exactly a shocking premise. You have multimillionaires representing their country at the biggest sporting tournament and which only takes place every 4 years--and what do they do but embarrass themselves and country with petulant behavior of the lowest order. Not improbable that it could and does happen on the club level.

And it's not about picking on the francophones. It happens to be that the clique in question here speak French.

[steve5221 91]

Ah yes, the 'always next season' syndrome. We had a similar thing with sheva.

Torres is not Sheva, Sheva was passed it when we bought him. Torres has had no luck so far - if the stunner he scored against Man U had counted he would have been off and running. I am more worried about certain other players, it looks like they are delibaretly not passing to him. He has to keep coming out wide for the ball and put crosses in the box. Last night when we went 3 up will lost our discipline and everyone was trying to score. Torres was in great positions at the end but Malouda refused to pass.

If we keep winning it dont matter who scores aslong as we win and Torres brings benefit to the side. He doesnt hide when the going gets tough like Anelka and all the other french speaking players.

[Term-X 7,891]

Torres is not Sheva, Sheva was passed it when we bought him.

The only comparison I'm making is that mentality of "always next year" or "don't worry, he will score against [insert team]".

That is all.

I myself have stressed the differences between the two players.