Is Fernando Torres finally
ready to prove his worth at
Chelsea?
After a largely wretched 18
months in blue, there are signs
that the £50m man is returning to
something like his former self
Chelsea's Fernando Torres
celebrates scoring the opening goal
against Manchester City at Villa
Park. Photograph: Andrew
Couldridge/Action Images
Dominic Fifield at Villa Park
The Guardian, Sun 12 Aug 2012
20.03 BST
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Chelsea
Fernando Torres
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Chelsea's players were ambling
into a ragged huddle while the
ground staff assembled
Manchester City's victory podium
when John Terry ushered
Fernando Torres to one side and
offered the Spaniard a
congratulatory clap on the
shoulder. This was the European
champions' fourth loss of a
stuttering pre-season, their
defence too often vulnerable
where only recently it had been a
source of strength, but the
captain could cling to one
positive. Early indications are
that Torres is ready to make his
mark at last.
It would be tempting to insist
that, for a player who cost a
British record £50m and is a
World Cup winner and twice a
European champion with Spain,
evidence of his undoubted
pedigree is long overdue. Just as
simplistic would be to suggest the
flashes of quality demonstrated
here, culminating in a cutely
taken finish beyond Costel
Pantilimon which earned Chelsea
a brief lead, should be considered
proof all will be well in the
months ahead. But such is the
urgent desire at Stamford Bridge
for Torres to succeed, as he once
did for Liverpool, that seeing him
with confidence so clearly
bolstered is seized upon as
reason for relief.
This has to be Torres's year. The
striker has been too peripheral
throughout his time in London,
shrunk in the shadow of Didier
Drogba, with those in the dug-out
and the stands alike waiting for
him to stir. There have been
occasions when he has flourished
– a hat-trick against Queens Park
Rangers, or that jaw-dropping
denouement at the Camp Nou –
but there has been little positive
consistency to his form.
Successive Chelsea managers
have praised his contribution on
the basis of assists rather than
goals accumulated. He was
bought as a scorer, not a
provider, and seven Premier
League goals in 46 appearances
tells its own story.
Now the environment feels more
favourable, his importance to this
team very obvious. He returned
to Cobham after an extended
break with Drogba departed for
China and as an unlikely golden
boot winner from Euro 2012. This
was his first 90 minutes of pre-
season and, where he had looked
so rusty in the defeat at Brighton
eight days previously, some of
the gliding menace of old seemed
restored against City. The goal,
pilfered with his left, was
converted in a blur. So flustered
was Stefan Savic that the
defender was hauled off at the
interval.
Admittedly, an ability to unsettle
the Montenegrin hardly serves as
confirmation the forward is back
to his best – Vincent Kompany
was less unnerved by his
presence – but Torres, too, will
sharpen his match fitness in the
weeks to come.
This was promising, and arguably
the European Cup winners' only
real cause for optimism. "He
moved very well," said Roberto
Di Matteo. "He was a danger, he
worked hard for the team, scored
a good goal …" The manager
quickly reverted to talk of the
strength of the collective when
asked if Torres would take on
extra responsibility this term
given that Chelsea, for all their
interest in Hulk, Radamel Falcao
or Edinson Cavani, lack
alternatives at centre-forward.
But the 28-year-old undoubtedly
feels more integral than ever.
In the immediate aftermath to
the Champions League final
success in Munich in May he had
bemoaned a lack of clarity in his
role. "The ideal for me for next
season is if someone tells me
what's going to happen," he had
said. "What role will I have in the
team? What function? What is
expected of me?"
This club's transfer policy since
has offered an answer, aimed as
it appears at eking form from
their record signing. A supply line
has been constructed at lavish
expense. Oscar will arrive after
Brazil's friendly in Sweden on
Wednesday. Marko Marin will
return soon from a hamstring
strain. Juan Mata will have more
of an impact than he managed
here. And then there is Eden
Hazard.
The Belgian, even at £32m, will
need time to settle in new
surroundings and offered only
hints of his ability on the ball
against City. There were flicks
and dribbles, and one horrible
nosedive face-first into the turf
after one backheel backfired. One
City fan dressed as Zippy from
Rainbow took to berating his
display, conscious that the league
champions had attempted to
secure the 21-year-old
themselves earlier in the
summer. Both were hauled from
this contest early, but Hazard will
have more productive days than
this. The hope, of course, is that
he finds rhythm quicker than
Torres did.
Di Matteo will demand the
striker's display here sets an
upbeat tone for the campaign
rather than prove another false
dawn. The Italian has other
problems to address after seeing
his side ship 13 goals in six pre-
season games, and he did not
need his forward-line proving
another headache ahead of
Sunday's trip to Wigan. This
latest defeat was arguably
warped beyond recognition by
Branislav Ivanovic's dismissal,
yet the consolation provided by
Torres's display still felt
significant. Chelsea will take
heart from that if little else.
Eden Hazard watch
1min First touch booed by some
City fans, a reminder that the
Belgian had opted for Stamford
Bridge over the Etihad this
summer
6min The referee, Kevin Friend,
speaks with Hazard after he
appeared to go to ground far too
easily after a challenge from Yaya
Touré
9min Stefan Savic goes through
Hazard, who slumps to the turf
clutching his left leg. Savic is
eventually booked when ball goes
out of play
20min Hazard outpaces Savic,
tricks inside Nigel de Jong, then
falls flat on his face as he
attempts another backheel,
prompting whoops of "what a
waste of money"
29min Low shot saved by Costel
Pantilimon
40min Attempted to flick on
Ramires's pass to Fernando
Torres for the Spaniard to open
the scoring
71min Substituted in favour of
Ryan Bertrand, having been
peripheral on the left through
the second period with his
impact negligible
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