When it comes to Fernando Torres the main question has to be as follows: is he the root of Chelsea’s problems or is Chelsea the root of his inability to find form? In other words, has Stamford Bridge given him the Blues or did he just peak to early as a footballer?
We all know just how devastating he was for Liverpool and prior to that how good he was for Atletico Madrid. There was a reason Roman Abramovich was willing to back a £50m move for the striker. There was a reason that Chelsea fans were initially so excited to see the Spaniard join their ranks.
Whilst he’s little more than a walking punch-line nowadays we should also remember that not so long ago he was one of Europe’s most feared strikers. But then things change quickly in football.
Many believed that Torres’ career would prosper when he moved to London to join the Blues, but instead he has flopped and foundered like a fish out of water. It’s not like he has struggled with injuries or hasn’t been given a regular run of games in the squad. This is a player who has had his fair share of opportunities but just seems unable to score on a regular basis.
Chelsea fans will be keen for me to point out that there’s other areas of his game where he’s still world-class. Yes he can make runs, yes he can provide good movement and yes he can set other people up. But can he do the job he was brought into do and score goals? The answer seems clear: no.
It’s now common parlance to suggest that his consistent lack of form is a result of his incompatibility with Chelsea’s system. Whilst I would have been willing to give this excuse a little more credence during the first few months of his stay at Stamford Bridge, shouldn’t a £50m player be able to adapt to his teammates rather than vice-versa? And what’s so different about this Chelsea system to the one at Liverpool where Torres was able to thrive?
What about all the times Torres has found himself one-on-one with an opposition keeper whilst in Chelsea colours and made a complete hash of things? If the Chelsea system is so detrimental to Fernando’s game, how come he’s presented with so many opportunities and how come he keeps failing to put them away?
It seems churlish to me to place the blame for Torres’ lack of form at Chelsea’s feet. Whilst a change of scenery could prove beneficial, surely Torres has to be accountable for his performances? If his career isn’t now in steady decline, it’s time for him to step up and prove it. Whether he can do this remains to be seen, but one way or another, it’s time to put an end to the claims that it’s the Chelsea system that’s responsible for his loss of form.
Follow @ThePerfectPass on Twitter for details on all the latest updates and various football-related musings.
Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.