Chelsea’s record signing, Fernando Torres, has had a very up and down year. let’s take a look….
8th April 2010
A terrific day for the Spanish striker, two goals for the Reds against Benfica in the Europa League to send them into the semi finals. The win set-up a fairytale return to his boyhood club Atletico Madrid in the semis. In scoring twice on the night, he also became the first Liverpool player to score four consecutive doubles at Anfield.
But all was not well, in the 86th minute of that match he was substituted off after feeling some pain in his knee. That was to be his last appearance in a Liverpool shirt that season. It also gave way to the start of the biggest rollercoaster year of his life, where he would go from winning the biggest prize in football, to a disgruntled figure at Old Trafford on a lazy Tuesday night in the Champions League.
18th April 2010
After that, he went to Barcelona for surgery as he sought a quick return to action before the World Cup, the doctors estimated his recovery to take 6 to 8 weeks and that would usually mean that you would take 6 weeks before you’re up and running again, not 6 weeks till match fitness, and certainly not six weeks until you play in a World Cup. That was the dilemma for Fernando Torres.
8th June 2010
The Spaniard is back to playing football again. And it’s 7 weeks after his surgery and he partakes in Spain’s 6-0 rout of Poland, netting one himself. He’s not to play again till Spain’s second group match.
16th June 2010
The date of Spain’s first group match, and it’s against Switzerland, a sad looking Torres sits on the bench, resigned to not playing a part in this match which resulted in a Furia Roja defeat. A surprise to neutral and Spain supporters all over.
He started again in the wins over Chile, Portugal and Paraguay all without scoring, something clearly wasn’t right. Then came the inevitable, Torres dropped for the semi final with Germany replaced by Pedro, he wasn’t to regain his place for the rest of the tournament.
11th July 2010
The final of the FIFA World Cup, and Fernando Torres comes in deep into extra time, only to be injured just two minutes later. So now it was just a question of recovery time after winning the World Cup with Espana. How much time off did Liverpool give the striker to not only recover from his injury but recover from a mammoth 2009/10 season and an exhausting World Cup?
15th August 2010
Torres comes on as a substitute in Liverpool’s opening game of the season against Arsenal. Just over a week later he started his first game in the 3-0 defeat by Manchester City.
After that, the Spaniard was forced off after only ten minutes of Liverpool’s embarrassing defeat by Blackpool at Anfield. The problem? An adductor muscle injury similar to that sustained in the World Cup final. The recovery time? Three weeks again surely? No, Torres was rushed back to action in time for a pivotal Merseyside derby against Everton 14 days later. Liverpool were beaten 2-0 by their bitter rivals.
Sensing his time at Anfield was at an end, Torres secured his £50 million move to Chelsea on deadline day in January this year. He made his debut for them less than a week after signing. And so to that balmy Tuesday night at Old Trafford, one year after coming off with discomfort against Benfica. Ancelotti gambles with his own future by starting his star signing. But after just 45 minutes the Italian admits he made a mistake securing the ultimate humiliation for Torres as he was hauled off at half-time.
Will Torres come good? Form is temporary, class is permanent.
He’s still that kid that is endeared to Liverpool fans hearts, he just needs a break.
Submitted by Two Liverpool Fans
