Less than 1 day… that’s about 24 hours to go for the 2012/13 season to kick off. Hazard, Oscar, Podolski & Giroud to name a few, should be giving Premier League followers more than enough to look forward to, as the top clubs in the Premier League’s investments in goal scoring, look to set the division on fire.
I am personally looking forward to a goal fiesta and for some fallen goal-scoring heroes to come out of their goal ‘siesta’.
One former goal ‘machine’, that seemed to have had a few bad knocks from luck on his way to London from Liverpool, has been tormented by not only a dramatic receipt stuck under Abramovich’s fridge magnet, but critics from the footballing crowd all over the globe.
This season is looking to be the ultimate chance at redemption and acceptance for the Spanish striker.
Since leaving Liverpool in 2011 for the astronomical sum of £ 50 million, El Nino has not quite lived up to his name, and Abramovich’s investment has still not quite been justified to most… including me.
In December 2011, rumours had surfaced, with Chelsea apparently willing to listen to offers in the coming window regarding the former Liverpool striker. By then, tension at Stamford bridge was building up, with Lampard being axed and Villas-Boas gladly employing Drogba and Sturridge for his attacking needs, leaving not only Lampard, but also the Spaniard on a cold bench.
It’s now 2012, and we are in August. Who would’ve thought things would be where they are? What happened? Well, here’s a quick résumé:
– Villas-Boas ended up at Tottenham after being ‘terminated’ by the Russian.
– Chelsea miraculously beat the odds in a dramatic final to win the Champions League, courtesy of the now departed, Drogba.
– The Euros have been concluded with Spain and Torres shining throughout the tournament, with the latter grabbing the Golden boot.
– Roberto Di Matteo’s appointment as Chelsea’s manager has brought back faith and a new lease of life to many senior members’ careers.
– Chelsea have slowly started to feel like the old force they once were, with the Spaniard’s form on the rise.
The heavily criticised striker’s mediocre display in the Premier League gave way for Chelsea’s interest in Hulk from Porto. However, with the transfer window nearing its end, the stars seem to have given Torres one last chance to re-spark his legend. Last season, the former Liverpool star started a total of 20 games and scored an unimpressive 6 times.
In May, the disappointed Hitman cast serious doubts over his long term future at Chelsea, just after his team had tasted Champions League glory. The former Athletico man let his frustration out in a candid interview with Guillem Balague. “There’s been many times when I’ve felt lost, I wasn’t sure what to do. I felt like I didn’t know where I belonged”, the striker was quoted saying to Sky Sports. His desire to have a clear talk about Chelsea’s future direction in regards to his involvement was finally revealed to the world when speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “I need the club to tell me what is going to happen and what sort of role I will have within the team, what my duties are, what the club expects of me”.
£ 50 million El Nino might have felt what it feels like to self-destroy oneself in the blind chase for glory. It seems like glory is achievable when goods are delivered, and his delivery until now has been ‘dodgy’… or inconsistent to say the least. And if he ever wondered what his club expected of him, the answer might just be simple: what most clubs expect of a £ 50 million striker… goals. The blue outfit’s investment for the coming season clearly highlights their intent, with big names such as Hazard and Oscar now part of their squad. Torres must clearly feel threatened and so should he.
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