AN ODE TO FERNANDO TORRES After reading a couple of articles that followed Fernando Torres’ departure for AC Milan last week, I almost got the impression that Chelsea fans were dancing on the streets of SW6 after learning that the Spaniard had departed Stamford Bridge. There wasn’t really much truth in that at all because if we as Chelsea fans were celebrating anything, it would either have been the Blues’ perfect start to the new season or the excellent form of Diego Costa in his first three Premier League games. There was no feeling of euphoria among Chelsea fans at bidding farewell to the Spaniard. In fact, the overriding feeling was likely to be one of disappointment. Disappointment that he never quite found the prolific scoring touch that he displayed in his earlier spells at Atletico Madrid and Liverpool. Disappointment that he never quite lived up to the huge expectations that had weighed on him since he became the club’s most expensive-ever signing in January 2011. And disappointment that a new environment was probably in the best interests for all concerned. Torres had fallen behind Diego Costa and Didier Drogba in the pecking order of strikers at the Bridge, so his loan move to AC Milan could work out well because just like him, the seven-time European champions are looking for something to spark them back into contention after three poor seasons that culminated in a disappointing eighth place finish in Serie A last season. El Nino could be just the man to revive the Italian giants and while I can’t speak for all Chelsea fans, I am quite sure that I am not alone in wishing him all the best at his new club and thanking him for his services to our club during the past three- and-a-half seasons. Because while there are many who will look on Torres’s time at Chelsea as a disappointment, the fact of the matter is he worked his socks off for the club during his time in SW6 and he certainly played his part in helping us to some memorable wins and silverware along the way. Much has been made in the media of his poor goal return in the Premier League and while there is no hiding from the fact that he scored only 20 goals in 110 league games for us, it is the timing of some of those goals that were crucial. There was a hat-trick in the 6-1 thumping of Queens Park Rangers in 2012 and winning goals in our final-day victories over Everton and Cardiff City in the past two seasons which helped us to pip Arsenal to third place and avoid the peril and inconvenience of playing in the qualifiers for the Champions League. Perhaps most memorable of all was last season’s league meeting with Manchester City at the Bridge when he missed a sitter early on but then set up Andre Schurrle’s opening goal and hit the crossbar before scoring the winner himself right at the end of the game. That winning goal perhaps explains why despite all of his scoring woes he continued to receive the vocal backing of the Chelsea fans for as long as he wore the club kit. Because he didn’t give up on what looked like a lost cause but chased the ball and forced an error between goalkeeper Joe Hart and defender Matija Nastasic before he turned in the loose ball. And of course there was his form for Chelsea in Europe, where he enjoyed a pretty decent return of 17 goals in 40 games and played no small part in our Champions League victory in 2012 and the Europa League triumph the following year. Of course, we will never forget his breakaway goal in stoppage-time at the Nou Camp in the 2012 semi-final and his opener against Benfica in the Europa League final. However, there were other important moments including crucial goals against Steaua Bucharest, Rubin Kazan and FC Basel during our run to the Europa League final and his forcing of a corner in the dying embers of the Champions League final from which Drogba headed in the crucial equaliser that forced extra time. Lest we forget, those two European titles and the 2012 FA Cup are the only major club honours that he has won so far as a player, so he can look back on his Chelsea career with a fair amount of satisfaction. But for now, thanks for the memories, Fernando, and all the best in Milan!
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 12:14:39 +0000
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