It's a very worrying time for Fernando Torres. Since he's come to Chelsea he hasn't shown any of the form he had when he first joined Liverpool. The goals have also dried up for him for Spain.
But when you look at his move to Chelsea in the first place it was clear he was a signing by the owner (Roman Abramovich) and obviously (Andre) Villas-Boas has come in now and Chelsea's system doesn't really suit his style. Didier Drogba, for so long now, has been the focal point of that team and is based around his physicality and ability to hold up the play.
Torres wants balls played over the top, but Frank Lampard is the one who does that for Chelsea. He's the one who wants to make those runs, run through the gaps, get in beyond the strikers. When Lampard and Torres play together, you often see them too close and getting in one another's way.
You also have to wonder if Torres has found it difficult to settle at Chelsea. The likes of Lampard, John Terry and Drogba will have obviously strong relationships with players they have know for some time. Torres has to try and break into that, while at the same time forcing someone out of the team. If he is scoring goals galore then players will always accept this, but the fact that he is not will make it all the harder for him! This has probably led to the 'Break down in TRANSLATION' from his Spanish interview where he allegedly criticised some of his team mates. No doubt the frustration of not scoring and now not playing is beginning to take hold. But I must add how well I think Andre Villas-Boas has handled this situation, coming out publicly stating that they will get the full interview pre translation and then deal with it accordingly. This sends a strong message that although young, he is no soft touch.
It's going to be harder for Torres now after Daniel Sturridge's goal at Sunderland. He's a confident young lad and you can see that by the fantastic goal he scored. We all know Torres is an unbelievable player and has fantastic ability, but it's all about confidence for strikers and it's just not happening for him right now.But if he gets a run in the side, gets a few goals, then things can change for him. I think that will also appease the Chelsea players because, at the moment, he seems to me to be a distant player within that squad.
