Resurgence of Fernando Torres: the 50 million pounds man

Fernando Torres is back

Vicente Del Bosque (Spanish Head Coach) is a happy man these days. Maybe, just maybe his striker troubles are over. No, he’s not found another striker but it’s down to the resurgence of Fernando Torres, the one time goal machine but now a rusty one.

El Nino (The Kid), as he is fondly called, seems to have reborn again, playing like the Torres of old who tormented defences worldwide.

He’s been an ever present fixture in the Spain side, since the Euro victory in 2008, in fact he scored the winning goal in the final of Euro 2008.

But of late, Torres was more often a substitute and in fact was left out for a couple of games and not that he was doing something wrong but the goals had just dried up, and goals are what counts.

But Del Bosque’s problems were much vast. With David Villa not the same player anymore and the other options of Soldado, Negredo, and Michu not effective, Del Bosque needed Torres to fire. The recent performances of Torres must have given him some respite.

A graduate from Atletico Madrid’s youth system, Torres is their youngest ever player as well as youngest ever captain, becoming captain at the age of 19.

After six years with Atletico, Torres moved to Liverpool, on the back of his decent goal scoring record, for 26.5 million pounds. At Liverpool under Rafa Benitez is where Torres found his real touch becoming an instant hit. It was at Liverpool where he became the goal scoring machine that he is, amassing over 60 goals in 100 odd appearances for the club.

In the summer of 2010, Rafa Benitez left Liverpool and with him took Torres’s heart. Under new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, the goals dried up, the confidence was low, the enthusiasm was lost and when Chelsea came calling in January 2011, Torres could not say no and moved to Chelsea for a British record 50 million pounds, making him the sixth costliest player in history in the process.

But the tag of 50 million was too big a burden for Torres, and he was just not the same. The goals came far and few in between and the injuries were more common. Many thought he will gradually get there, but it just wasn’t happening.

In his first full season for Chelsea 2011-2012 Torres amassed a meagre 14 goals in 40 appearances, something very low for his standard and even more so for someone who has a 50 million tag on him.

Even though Chelsea did go on to win the Champions League that season, Torres’s contribution was limited, and he was a second half substitute in the final against Bayern Munich. Something was wrong, but no one, not even Fernando himself had an answer.

At the national level, his place was being threatened by the likes of Soladado, Negredo and The False no. 9 (a situation where a team plays with no striker used extensively by Del Bosque). Although he was a member of the Euro 2012 winning squad, he was used mainly in a substitute capacity.

The 2012-2013 season was the same story for Torres as lack of confidence and lack of goals, all seemed to double his problems. Midway through the season, Chelsea fired coach Roberto Di Matteo and brought in Rafa Benitez, someone who knew Torres in and out.

Many started to believe with Benitez at the helm, Torres would start to deliver. Even though Torres had a sort of mini-revival and was the leading scorer in the Europa League which Chelsea eventually won, it was the Barclays Premier League where the goals were not coming.

With the signing of Demba Ba from Newcastle, Torres was mostly used as a substitute in the league but was a regular in the Europa League where Demba Ba was cup bound. In the end, he finished with 26 goals for the season but a paltry 8 in the league.

Sure, 26 goals is decent enough, but not for Torres and especially not for a 50 million pound player. He needed his confidence back and it was taking long. He made it to the Spain squad for the Confederations Cup but was mostly a substitute and even though he was the top scorer at the tournament, the goals had come against lowly opposition.

The 2012-13 season brought back Jose Mourinho to Chelsea and many including me thought it was the end of the road for Torres. With Jose bringing in Samuel Eto’o, Torres was no longer first choice.

But as destiny would have it, the ever dependable Eto’o was not so at Chelsea, giving Torres his chance. And even though a bit rusty at first, Torres just burst onto the stage in the Tottenham match and despite being sent off, was clearly Chelsea’s man of the match.

An amazingly quick return from injury and then the devastation of Schalke in Gelsenkirchen (his 100th Champions League start) have many believing he is back and for good. His confidence is back there is a new found vigour in his game.

Mourinho – The Special One for Fernando Torres?

The Special One has maybe proven to be that special person needed to bring back Torres. El Nino has risen from the ashes like a phoenix. He seems to have finally lifted the weight of his shoulders and is ready to step up.

Take note people, the clouds of darkness have disappeared, and El Nino (The Kid) is roaring to play justifying ever penny of the 50 million pounds spent on him. Welcome back Fernando.