Fernando Torres: Too good to play for Chelsea?

[Henri 115]

Sadly i agree with her, mostely http://tribalfootbal...chelsea-1581551

Fernando Torres: Too good to play for Chelsea?

20.04.11 | tribalfootball.com

After their Champions League exit, award winning American poet Jennifer Juneau investigates Fernando Torres' troubles at Chelsea and whether he is suited to the Blues.

As usual, at the start of the match we were annoyingly reminded once again that Fernando Torres, who Paul Hayward in The Guardian referred to as "a 50m pound expression of Roman Abramovich's power over team selection" has yet to score for Chelsea. The pressure for this expression to score is tremendous. After all, he was the tool chosen to fix Chelsea into clenching the Champions League title. The question on many people's minds is—Why? Over-analysis on the Torres saga has over-stayed its welcome, and yet we continue to ask, Why?

And why do we demand to know? Why hasn't anyone put the issue to rest and let it be what it is: Torres has lost his spark, the success of his youth is behind him. But the topic remains: Who is to blame and what will it take to get him back?

When he hadn't been doing well in his last season at Anfield, the explanation was that he just wasn't happy at Liverpool. But in retrospect he hadn't done well in the World Cup either alongside his Spain teammates, so that erases the fact that he fell into a scoring slump at Liverpool because he just wasn't happy.

Then we were handed the explanation that he was coming off of an injury. He'd been coming off that injury for too long. Then we heard he had homesickness.

None of it flies and none of it catches.

The Ancelotti - Abrahmovich Factor

If Torres was not suited to fix Chelsea into winning the title, at least Chelsea should be suited to fix Torres into adapting to the team. So far I'm not convinced. The more Ancelotti rants that he has faith Torres will come around and end his scoring drought, the less convincing he is. We often hear enough in the press that Ancelotti believes in Torres, that it's only a matter of time but the thing is, do we believe in Ancelotti? He may very well be the problem. He didn't select Torres to play for the team, Abramovich did, Ancelotti was taking his orders from the top. In fact, not too long ago it was published in the Daily Mail that Ancelotti said he had no interest in signing Torres after his World Cup disaster.

Far be it from Ancelotti to argue with Abramovich that he was throwing a wrench into his Drogba-Anelka dream combination. He may have ended up sacked, like Jose Mourinho for speaking his mind—although at least Mourinho's dignity is intact and ironically his team, Real Madrid, may very well win the Champions League, setting a record for Mourinho to be the only manager to win three Champions League titles with three different leagues. And everybody hates Mourinho—except, of course, his players.

What is more important? To be miserable under a colossal weight of pressure and displace it onto your team only to lose? Or to stand up for what you believe, move on and win? If Ancelotti's side keeps failing, he'll be fired anyway so what's he got to fear?

RTE's Eamon Dunphy pointed out that Abramovich should have empowered his manager with trust and said, "Here's 50m pounds, do what you can with it." Without a voice in the process, Ancelotti was forced to bow to the owner's wishes. How can one have the ease to integrate a player into a team that doesn't want him?

RTE's trio of commentators had a lot to say on the subject. First of all, as Dunphy pointed out, if Torres had the confidence, he wouldn't have fumbled so much but flicked the ball right over the goal line on several occasions, making the feat seem effortless. According to them, Torres took the cloud he was under at Liverpool and placed it over Chelsea upon his arrival.

The Torres – Drogba Connection

Perhaps the most irksome circumstance of all is the forced duo of Torres and Drogba. It has been clear that Drogba and Torres do not mix and if they ever click the Champions League will be long over—then what?

When the two are played together, the frustration on Ancelotti's face matches Torres's frustration on the pitch. In the April 6 match it was noted that as Torres dribbled the ball down the field, Ramires and Drogba were slow to react leaving Torres with no one to cross the ball to and it fell at the feet of United.

The only positive move Ancelotti made the whole evening was to keep Torres in the full ninety minutes instead of substituting him. Against the grain of every other viewer on Earth, I believe he did the right thing. It's his job as manager to install confidence in his new striker and up until now he hasn't done so. Much to everyone's chagrin, fans, commentators, newspapers alike, Drogba should never have been taken out in the 70TH minute. Eamon Dunphy referred to it as "a Drogba sacrifice to integrate Torres." But how do they expect Torres to find his form when he doesn't have any opportunity to play a full game?

Why Ancelotti continues on playing the two together is a mystery. They're as much in sync as Ancelotti is with Abramovich. Their lack of chemistry has been the elephant in the room since January. Fans watch and they want to believe the connection between the two strikers will be electrifying.

Drogba has denied allegations that a Torres move wasn't welcome by him and that he felt his position was threatened. No matter what he says or however hard he thinks he tries, on the pitch he has left Torres wide open numerous times having decided to take it solo with the ball ending up in the stands. In the 65TH minute of the April 6 game, this is exactly what Drogba did.

On two occasions during the match it was embarrassing to see Torres's desperation rear its head in the form of a dive, in which he received a yellow card. Ferdinand refused to let him go down without a fight. The best response could have been for Torres to get angry and play with a vengeance, to score and stop United in their tracks—he's done it before. Instead it was the reverse with him appearing more emotionally beaten than ever.

The Pressure of a Price Tag

Enough already. It's not the fact that Torres went for 50m pounds, it's the fact that people won't let the guy live it down. Get over it. The deal is done. It's yesterday's news. He's paid the price back in criticism from the press and backlash from his fans. Not one day in the newspaper or one Chelsea match goes by when his price tag hasn't been thrown in his face.

It's true that Liverpool got two for the price of one with the signings of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. What's most important is that Liverpool received two extraordinary players who were hungry for success, who wanted to play for Liverpool despite their monetary value.

If either one of those players had 50m pounds waved in front of them they would have grabbed it too—along with the eternal debt of pressure and possibly demise.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

The title's somewhat misleading about the actual content of the article.

I solely believe though, this has all been over-analysed. Media fails to understand the importance of confidence in a footballer, try playing a competitive game when you know things aren't going well and people are criticising you left, right and centre.

Torres is showing his sharp instincts, deft touch and immense finishing ability. Slowly, but surely, Carlo is bringing him out of his shell, his disallowed goal on Saturday demonstrated this very well. Like the commentator (on my replay) said, if it hadn't been ruled offside, everyone would be complimenting the quick touch & finish. Let's not forget the superb volley he struck into the top corner from the D during the United first leg - Ruled out because of a little push in the penalty area, which replays show was on our own player!

In recent days and weeks we've seen Torres smile more and more when he's coming on and playing for us. His body language is shifting to a more positive outlook. When he scores that first goal we'll celebrate more than we did for Ramires!

On a separate note, I find it highly ironic that United fans can criticise us when Berbatov's debut season went along similar lines to this..

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Torres is showing his sharp instincts, deaf touch and immense finishing ability.

Do you mean deaf or deft LDN ? Maybe deaf is more appropriate

Agree with you its been done to death by the media -with more than a liberal dash of schadenfreude.

The media have selective criticism ie when it comes to the grannyshagger going 9 months without a goal in open play

Also its Tribal football - usual made up bollox.

A yank poet writing about like, saaccer, in, like Great Britain, ...I mean like, Hello ??

[david2424 0]

Torres is a grat player. Love to see him at Chelsea!

[Henri 115]

Do you mean deaf or deft LDN ? Maybe deaf is more appropriate

Agree with you its been done to death by the media -with more than a liberal dash of schadenfreude.

The media have selective criticism ie when it comes to the grannyshagger going 9 months without a goal in open play

Also its Tribal football - usual made up bollox.

Triball: True, but still i find it interesting that its not typical joynalist but a female poets point of view!.

[Henri 115]

Torres is a grat player. Love to see him at Chelsea!

Me too, that`s not the point!.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Do you mean deaf or deft LDN ? Maybe deaf is more appropriate

Oops - Corrected

Agree with the rest of your post too there FB!

[spuz 143]

The trouble is at Liverpool he played the same formation every week,with the same players and would most of the time get 90 mins.

Here he's played with Anelka,Kalou,Drogba on his own,coming on for 10 mins,going off at half time,going off with 25 mins. left.

He needs full games with a regular partner.

[zolayes 14,489]

Triball: True, but still i find it interesting that its not typical joynalist but a female poets point of view!.

more noteworthy it an American poet ,,,so she must be an expert on soccer

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

A like, yank like, poet writing about like, saaccer, in, like Great Britain, ...I mean like, Hello ?? #

I'm going to find a Yank 'Football' site and write a poem about their underperforming Quarterback

[madalista 30]

A like, yank like, poet writing about like, saaccer, in, like Great Britain, ...I mean like, Hello ?? #

I'm going to find a Yank 'Football' site and write a poem about their underperforming Quarterback

so because she is american, she cant know about soccer?? im african but im quite informed on the nfl and the nba....id like to think i can discuss both objectively

[We Hate Scouse 10,260]

so because she is american, she cant know about soccer?? im african but im quite informed on the nfl and the nba....id like to think i can discuss both objectively

Just good old British humour. Calm down.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

so because she is american, she cant know about soccer?? im african but im quite informed on the nfl and the nba....id like to think i can discuss both objectively

I'm sure shes more than capable - but a nice poem would heave been good

''I wandered lonely as a Fernando the Wonderhorse, Score a Fucking goal mate''

Something like that.

[madalista 30]

Just good old British humour. Calm down.

it was just a question...just trying to ascertain what he meaant

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Can you hear the crowd Fernando ?

I remember long ago another starry night like this

You were scoring for the Dippers,

we mocked because you looked like a girl

Now your'e playing for the Chelsea boys

We made lots of noise, but nothing

We were singing out for you my friend

The MHL and Shed end

ABBA rule

[zolayes 14,489]

so because she is american, she cant know about soccer?? im african but im quite informed on the nfl and the nba....id like to think i can discuss both objectively

I'm a massive White Sox fan but wouldnt think of publishing an article analysing the reasons for our 6 game losing streak ,,,or try to show

how Ozzie has got it all wrong

[dodojojo 510]

She's an American based in Switzerland. Maybe she's a massive soccer fan?

I'm an American too. Guess I shouldn't post anymore? Or maybe I've been a longtime fan of soccer and enjoy it enough to spend some time yakking about it online?

I spent a few childhood years in New Zealand and loved cricket. Don't follow it as much now so I don't post online about it.

Perhaps, it's more about the enthusiasm for the sport rather than location of residence?

It's an okay article, it's nothing we haven't brought up here. The title is stupid.

[zolayes 14,489]

She's an American based in Switzerland. Maybe she's a massive soccer fan?

I'm an American too. Guess I shouldn't post anymore? Or maybe I've been a longtime fan of soccer and enjoy it enough to spend some time yakking about it online?

I spent a few childhood years in New Zealand and loved cricket. Don't follow it as much now so I don't post online about it.

Perhaps, it's more about the enthusiasm for the sport rather than location of residence?

It's an okay article, it's nothing we haven't brought up here. The title is stupid.

we dont have our opinions published...as some expert analysis ...that's the difference...