The Chelsea Thread

[Tyton]

The only man to score for 6 teams in the Champions League. 'Nuff said. (;

That statistic doesn't really mean that much, other than how likely he is to change clubs.

Ibra is great, but he has career long reputation for drifting out of games vs. harder opponents, and for a reason. Although to be fair the last 2 seasons he has been good in those as well. But even SI has him at 7 out of 20 for Important Matches, and they rarely get these stats wrong. And EPL propably has more hard games than any other league.

 

[CJACKO11]

Indeed, for all Torres' faults, he's only guilty of doing what your whole side is doing, missing big chances.

Couldn't agree more, not just that but very poor defending. All that aside some days you deserve to lose because the other side are better and that was one of them days.

He got subbed because he was rubbish. One key pass, a 75% pass accuracy, dispossessed twice, and, uh, nothing else at all. He didn't even take one shot.

But playing devils advocate he came off when our main playmakers in Mata and Oscar came on and they were the two who created the late chances for Studge.

Glad you think so.. Everyone else completely ignored me

IMO, the only chance of Chelsea signing Falcao is with a very, very high fee (at least €40m) plus Torres. Surprised the media haven't put that one out there yet. €50m is not going to twist Atletico's arm into selling, considering they've already invested €45m+ in him already!

Say we spend 50mill on the lad that doesn't even include agents fees and contract fees, there is no way i believe we will spend that much in January.

Also i want to add Falcao has now gone 4 games without a goal and the worst thing is if he had that rut playing for us he would get stick as much as Torres and Studge does now.

In my opinion we get Lukaku back which not only gives us another option but gives up a different option. I tweeted towards the end of the game how annoyed i was that we kept slinging the ball into the box but to who?????

On the game the thing which annoyed me the most was late in the game Cech comes up for a corner so what do we do??? Yes that's right play a ******* short corner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very poor Luiz defending for the first goal but Long deserved a goal for his performance. Very well played to WBA and a well deserved 3 points and i am absolutely chuffed for Clarke but really do fear for Di Matteo.

 

[Alcaraz]

The number of shots Sturridge had against WBA is the same number of shots Torres has had in his last 4 EPL matches combined. This was despite the fact that Sturridge played as winger while Torres was leading the line.

World-Class.

 

[Tyton]

The whole thing with Torres is just bizzarre, don't think i've ever seen a player decline at such early age, especially since physically he seems to be in great shape. I heard some people claim he's just burned out after winning almost everything there is to win, but i think its bs as he actually works very hard on the pitch (propably harder than i remember him work at atletico or lfc), always starts ******** if he gets benched, and so on. So at least you're not looking at another Bogarde.

 

[Mike.]

The whole thing with Torres is just bizzarre, don't think i've ever seen a player decline at such early age, especially since physically he seems to be in great shape. I heard some people claim he's just burned out after winning almost everything there is to win, but i think its bs as he actually works very hard on the pitch (propably harder than i remember him work at atletico or lfc), always starts ******** if he gets benched, and so on. So at least you're not looking at another Bogarde.

He does work hard, but he has seemingly lost his reading of the game. Torres used to be brilliant at reading the half chance, now he cant see it unless its gilt edged, and even them he doesnt take it.

 

[Mike.]

The number of shots Sturridge had against WBA is the same number of shots Torres has had in his last 4 EPL matches combined. This was despite the fact that Sturridge played as winger while Torres was leading the line.

World-Class.

Sturridge always takes lots of shots, this isnt new. Most of the time they are wild and the wrong decison. This also isnt new. Odd comparsion to make. Torres takes far too few, DS often takes too many of them at the wrong time.

 

[Alcaraz]

Sturridge always takes lots of shots, this isnt new. Most of the time they are wild and the wrong decison. This also isnt new. Odd comparsion to make. Torres takes far too few, DS often takes too many of them at the wrong time.

I rather have a striker who takes too many shots rather than too few. At least that way we have a chance, no matter how small, of scoring. Odd thing is that Torres did not even have a shot during his 60 minutes...he was literally a passenger.

 

[Alcaraz]

Basically made the comparison to show just how short of form and confidence Torres is infront of goal that he has stopped takin shots as well.

 

[GodCubed]

Sturridge always takes lots of shots, this isnt new. Most of the time they are wild and the wrong decison. This also isnt new. Odd comparsion to make. Torres takes far too few, DS often takes too many of them at the wrong time.

Agreed. Taking too many shots is just as bad as taking too few. Two extremes, neither particularly helpful.

I rather have a striker who takes too many shots rather than too few. At least that way we have a chance, no matter how small, of scoring. Odd thing is that Torres did not even have a shot during his 60 minutes...he was literally a passenger.

Taking fewer shots doesn't necessarily mean less chances. Torres could be creating space and laying passes off to teammates in better positions, meaning fewer shots but better quality of chances.

 

[Mike.]

I rather have a striker who takes too many shots rather than too few. At least that way we have a chance, no matter how small, of scoring. Odd thing is that Torres did not even have a shot during his 60 minutes...he was literally a passenger.

Not really its incredibly wasteful, and breaks down promising moves. What Chelsea need is a medium between the two. The will be times when Torres tunring down the shot is actually more useful than a wild waste from DS and vice versa. Especially when you realise Chelsea's style is based on interplay, then destorying the interplay with too many shots is actually worse in a lot of ways. Which is probably why Di Matteo has not yet dropped him for DS, when he probably would have for any other forward.

 

[Alcaraz]

Well at least you agree that Torres should be dropped

 

[rephlex]

I think most agree that at this point. The question is, what do you do with someone with his fee and his huge salary. Where does he go? Why would he agree to take a massive salary cut to play in a smaller club? The only option flying around seems to be 'Oh he'll go back to his old club' which seems to be either Liverpool (no chance) or Athletico (pretty much no chance).

So you're probaby stuck with him unless you pull a Berbatov and literally dump him on someone for next to nothing.

 

[CJACKO11]

I rather have a striker who takes too many shots rather than too few. At least that way we have a chance, no matter how small, of scoring. Odd thing is that Torres did not even have a shot during his 60 minutes...he was literally a passenger.

But how many did the team have on a whole in that 60minutes?? I'd say 2-3 real chances. It wasn't until when Mata and Oscar came on that we started creating real chances and by that time Torres was off.

 

[Tyton]

Why would he agree to take a massive salary cut to play in a smaller club?

Move him to youth team or make him guard broom closet. All in all, he still seems to care about playing, so he'll most likely leave.

 

[rephlex]

In most jobs, if you deliberately demeaned someone to force them to leave their role in order to save the company money, the company is asking for a lawsuit against it. He isn't refusing to play football or breaching his contract in any way.

It is a much better idea to help him find his form while retaining or purchasing other options to give him competition.

 

[Alcaraz]

But how many did the team have on a whole in that 60minutes?? I'd say 2-3 real chances. It wasn't until when Mata and Oscar came on that we started creating real chances and by that time Torres was off.

I am not looking at this game in isolation...Torres was good in the early season but has again declined horribly in the past month. We can't afford to have a wildly incosistent striker like him leading the line if we want to do well

 

[Alcaraz]

It is a much better idea to help him find his form while retaining or purchasing other options to give him competition.

Which we have been doing for the past 2 seasons. Helping him find his form that is.

And yes on the matter of competition. Does anyone still remember the interview Torres gave after the CL finals where he basically was crying about his lack of minutes on the pitch? Despite the fact that he has been utter rubbish that season before a couple of good games towards the end.

At most clubs any player would have been severely disciplined for giving such a interview after the greatest night in the Club's history.

What does Chelsea do? We move heaven and earth to try and reassure him that he is our main man and pointedly refuse to bring in striker reinforcements in the summer despite the fact that we definitely needed it. How does he reward the club's faith? By playing utter rubbish.

And then people ask me why I blame Torres so much.

 

[Mike.]

Which we have been doing for the past 2 seasons. Helping him find his form that is.

And yes on the matter of competition. Does anyone still remember the interview Torres gave after the CL finals where he basically was crying about his lack of minutes on the pitch? Despite the fact that he has been utter rubbish that season before a couple of good games towards the end.

At most clubs any player would have been severely disciplined for giving such a interview after the greatest night in the Club's history.

What does Chelsea do? We move heaven and earth to try and reassure him that he is our main man and pointedly refuse to bring in striker reinforcements in the summer despite the fact that we definitely needed it. How does he reward the club's faith? By playing utter rubbish.

And then people ask me why I blame Torres so much.

Firstly Torres doesn't choose to play badly, for whatever reason he has lost his edge, but still works very hard. Seconly that wasnt a bad interview at all, no club would have disciplined him for that, think you;re being biased and revisionist about that interview. Secondly, given that certain Chelsea players have done much worse off the field, using that to bash him over the head borders on nonsensical. Some of the blame you put on him utterly borders on the irrational now.

 

[Mike.]

Well at least you agree that Torres should be dropped

For DS. Not at all. But for Llorente, yes.

 

[Alcaraz]

Firstly Torres doesn't choose to play badly, for whatever reason he has lost his edge, but still works very hard. Seconly that wasnt a bad interview at all, no club would have disciplined him for that, think you;re being biased and revisionist about that interview. Secondly, given that certain Chelsea players have done much worse off the field, using that to bash him over the head borders on nonsensical. Some of the blame you put on him utterly borders on the irrational now.

Never said he choosed to play badly. And he works as hard as the rest, nothing special. Also the article Subtle posted earlier highlighted just how much he is lacking in movement and effort which is costing us goalscoring chances

And get real. Chelsea just won the CL. Greatest night in the clubs history. And Torres immediately goes to give an interview where he complains about how he is not getting enough minutes and implies he might leve etc. Stuff which would be kept in the dressing room and certainly not revealed at such times.

Certain Chelsea players have done worse but at least they perform on the field majority of the time. This guy does neither so he is not helping the club in any way

Basically just trying to show how Torres has had the full support of the club and fans despite the fact that many players would get far less at other clubs and has still failed. It's his own fault really... Certainly don't feel anyone else can be blamed

I partly agree with you on DS. Even though we looked far more of a threat going forward with him leading the line as compared to Torres against WBA... DS needs to get a run of games before we come to any definitive conclusions. He should start against Juventus, we got nothing to lose