Di Matteo has also been given a chance to prove his worth and Sturridge being at the centre of praises from his performances and coming of age is clearly an option the manager considers.
The Chelsea squad took a little while to gel, but that period is now over. Mata has instated himself at the heart of creation in midfield, Hazard looks to add dimension to the area and with Torres upfront complimenting quality deliveries, Di Matteo’s squad look likely to be very menacing this coming season, even if their pre season has been poor.
Torres’ form and prowess upfront have also stunned the footballing world recently, reminding us all of the beast that lies under the hood. Could it have been a knock to his confidence upon moving to Chelsea, with the structure and expectancy being different to Anfield? Could it just be London? Or a system that gave the striker a hard time to adjust in regards to his natural style & movement? Whatever it was, it seems like El Nino is ready to fire, and as a passionate follower of the beautiful game, nets shaking to beautiful goals are some of the few things I cannot imagine getting bored of.
The weight on Fernando Torres’ shoulders is obvious and being a proven Premier League athlete, broken and tested on many occasions, Torres looks willing to embrace the task at hand. After all, that is what he was made for and that is what he was doing graciously from Madrid to Merseyside.
The Blues are playing twice on the opening week, first away to Wigan, then a home game against Reading. On paper, the points should be left in Chelsea’s basket, but Premier League encounters of this generation have always held surprises, and Di Matteo along with his team know that. Wigan have had a nightmare of a campaign last season and will likely be looking to start with a point to prove, while newly promoted Reading will also look to send a message to continue their deserved promotion to the finest division of English football.
Collecting the golden boot at the Euros have given Di Matteo a lot to think of and according to the Daily Mail, the Italian manager said: “I don’t want to put pressure on one player. We operate as a team. Hopefully, our strikers will score lots of goals. But he’s not the only one. We have Daniel Sturridge and midfielders who can score, too.”
Torres should not only take these words seriously, but also see through these lines, a hidden message: “If you don’t perform, you’ll watch someone else do what we thought you could do”. Sturridge’s potential is now a fact, and the young forward does not seem to show any intent of giving up on the chase for top spot at Chelsea. “Hopefully this season I’ll be playing up front, so whoever the manager signs or wants to bring in, it only gives me the impetus to want to do better. It’s important that you take your opportunities when they come along,” were the words of Sturridge to Chelsea’s official website.
While Hazard is optimistic about Torres’ coming back in form & Di Matteo’s trust eliciting belief from fans, the Spaniard knows that from now on, only his feet can do the talking. His compatriot, David Silva is another one to know the importance of the coming season for El Nino. The Manchester City midfielder was quoted saying to the Mirror days before their meeting in the Community Shield, “It may be the most important season of his life, because he will have more minutes on the field”.
Words, words, words & words… some boosting and others depressing; the life of a footballer in short, Torres knows what he cannot afford. The new faces, the new season and the new war begins for the blues this weekend and I just have the feeling that the Torres saga is about to be re-written in bold letters.
Is Torres the man to watch? Goal fiesta at the Bridge this coming season? Your thoughts, our pleasure…
Written by Danny D’Purb for www.ThisIsFutbol.com | Link up/Connect/Share with Danny on Twitter @DannyDPurb
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