“The most disappointing moment in my career”. On a night where Chelsea claimed the most desired prize in European football, Fernando Torres uttered those words. The Spaniard looked a dejected man as he sat on the bench in Munich, watching untested Ryan Bertrand claim a place in the starting 11, a place that Torres felt he deserved himself.
Speaking to the media after the game, Torres stated, “this season I have felt things I have never felt. I felt they (Chelsea) have treated me in a way I was not expecting; not in the manner for which the club bought me here”.
When watching Saturday night’s game in the Allianz Arena, you did not have to be a Chelsea fan to realise that Torres was less than impressed with not starting. Prior to the kick-off, The Ex-Liverpool frontman looked frustrated, marching his way onto the bench, shoulders hunched and arms folded. As the game went to penalties, Torres, who was now on the field after being subbed on in the 82 minute, seemed to share an exchange of words with Di Matteo, before shrugging off the Italian managers outstretched hand. It transpires that the exchange of words was Di Matteo asking Torres if he would take a penalty before deciding to use Ashley Cole and the injured David Luiz instead. Although El Nino could not control his joy when Chelsea lifted the trophy, his vocal approach with the media afterwards explained his personal disappointment despite being crowned as Champions of Europe.
So, after all the uproar that Chelsea’s number 9 has caused post game, why didn’t Torres start?
Firstly, his form has not been good enough. With a £50 million price tag looming over his head, scoring 11 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions this season is a poor record for a man of Torres’ ability. Secondly, he would simply have not fit into the system that Chelsea chose to play on Saturday. A 4-2-3-1 formation, Chelsea set up defensively, looking for an outlet through frontman Didier Drogba, with supporting cast Mata, Kalou and Bertrand assisting the Ivorian in starting counter attacks. There was absolutely no question that Drogba would start for Chelsea. His record of 9 goals in his previous 9 finals made him the obvious choice. He is Chelsea’s “clutch” player. An American Sports term, “clutch” references to a player who performs well at exactly the right moments and that is the definition of Didier Drogba. Therefore, if Torres were to have played, it would have been out wide, taking the place of Salomon Kalou or Ryan Bertrand. Any football fan would know that Torres is a frontman who would have very little impact out wide. His pace has declined in the past 2 years and his predictable play on the wings would have been dealt with easily by Phillipe Lahm or Diego Contento. Torres just did not fit into the system that Chelsea started with. A change of formation to accommodate the Spaniard would have been dangerous. Playing a 4-4-2 system would have disrupted Chelsea’s defensive plans and left Torres extremely isolated. It seems that obvious tactical problems has left Torres’ role at Stamford Bridge as a replacement for Drogba rather than a partner.
So what next for Torres? Well, if he was made promises at the start of his Chelsea career that have failed to unravel then he has a right to question his future with the club. His obvious disappointment on Saturday cannot just be put down to not starting. An intelligent player, Torres would have surely known that Drogba would be the lone frontman, unless promised otherwise. With Chelsea’s veteran Ivorian likely to leave London in the summer, it will be make or break time for Fernando Torres. If he is promised to be Chelsea’s first choice striker next season, chances are he will stay. However, with his prime years slowly fading, his dismal goal scoring record and Abramovich’s willingness to spend big over the summer, it is possible that another disappointing season could be on the cards for Torres. Whether treated poorly by Chelsea or not, Torres could prove his worth by finding the back of the net more frequently. If he does this next season at Stamford Bridge, El Nino may never have to sit on the bench again.
Will Torres be at Chelsea next season? Share your thoughts and follow me on Twitter @mattpegg1
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