Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has stated that perhaps signing Fernando Torres this summer might be a possibility. However, if that happens, it will be a massive step backwards for Atletico as the Chelsea striker clearly seems beyond repair.
Falcao is arguably the best striker in the world right now and will draw interest from top clubs this summer that may as well force Atletico to sell their prize asset. Then to replace Falcao with a 29 years old that too past his best makes no sense.
Over the years Atletico Madrid have had great strikers at their disposal. Torres was their prolific captain before he left to join Liverpool in 2007, then there was Forlan and Aguero and now Radamel Falcao. All of these big names have fantastic goal scoring records for the club but Torres is no longer a big name, or perhaps only when it comes to selling shirts.
Torres knows all about Atletico’s history and the striker scored 91 goals for the club in 243 appearances and carried his brilliant goal scoring form to Liverpool where he was loved by the Anfield faithful. Since his departure from the Merseyside, Torres has only scored 28 goals in 116 appearances, surely not a stat worthy of a 50 million striker. Simeone and El nino have been team mates at Atletico from 2003 and 2005 and the manager claims:
“Fernando knows about the club’s history, what it means to play here and I don’t need to speak about his ability.
“We were team-mates. I know how important he can be.”
Perhaps Simeone thinks he can rejuvenate Torres but that is only easier said than done. Even the manager under whom Torres flourished the most, Rafael Benitez, is unable to help the Spaniard much at Chelsea and at times it looks like that El Nino has given up on reviving himself for the Blues.
Torres’s “A” game is long gone, the blistering pace that used to beat the defenders with ease, the quality first touch and above all the killer instinct to bang goals have all been lost somewhere at Liverpool perhaps. Without those abilities, Torres is feared by none and it looks highly unlikely that he will recover.
Atletico have built a quality team as the years have gone by and finally they look destined to feature in the next year’s Champions League. If Falcao leaves in the next transfer window then they surely need a top quality striker to replace him. Yes they will get a healthy sum from the sale of one of the best around but gambling on one of the worst to replace him will be without doubt a massive mistake.
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Hey Torres, guess what Alonso is returning to Liverpool and Gerrard is there, THAT CAN FIX YOU, nothign else
Poor article. Athletico Madrid play a faster and direct style. This is suitable for Torres.
Since when did Liverpool play faster style under Rafa when Torres worked.
Do u reaaly wanna say that Torres can return to his form of anfield days? Because that is exactly Ayletico shud want if they r to sell a striker like Falcao
Liverpool and Rafa had the right players behind Torres.
Gerrad as the trequarista just behind Torres and Alonso in the double pivot as the regista. These players played the ball forward faster by releasing the spaniard into space. Wingers even made early crosses.
At Chelsea they played long ball and a high pressing line in his first 18 months. This season they play a possessive pressing game,which isn’t well suited for him either because he then has to fight off a defender or two when the ball eventually gets to him (which is rare). Look at Demba Ba now,struggling!
Which trait made Torres one of the best? His ability to successfully beat the offside trap after Gerrad or Alonso and even Xavi release the ball quickly into his path. Go check out his goals in the last European tournament where he won the goalden boot when he only played in limited time.
Mate I do agree that with Chelsea’s style a more physical striker like Drogba would work and Torres needs the ball at his feet. BUT
Have we not seen him missing goals in one on one position with Chelsea? have we not seen his bizzare first touch that used to be class. and most importantly (the trait that made him the best) Torres has lost that first 5 yards of searing pace that helped him beat even the fastest defenders with ease.
He can come good with Atletico but my question remains the same, can he be as good as he was at Liverpool or can he be as good as Falcao? i do not think so, and if not then Atletico should not sign him, you may have other ideas
Mate. It’s not about who’s better. I don’t think for one second that Torres lost his clinical technique. Every player needs momentum in one game and a series of games. I know this because I’m also a player.
As you can see this season,Chelsea strikers,both of them are like passengers in games. They rarely get the ball because the players behind them are dribblers so they keep the ball longer than they should and thus allowing opposition defenders to recover into their positions. This then makes it difficult for the striker to find space and the opportunity is lost. In a series of such games for strikers,it can be negative for the mindset and momentum. Last week when Chelsea played against West Ham,the players behind Ba suprisingly released the ball faster. He fluffed them all and the reason for that is simple. Ba lost the goal scoring momentum he had at Newcastle and his first few games at Chelsea. That means mentally he’s insecure infront of goal now and has to rebuild momentum now if the players behind him can do the same against in the next couple of games.
The same goes for Torres. Now let’s say Athletico and Chelsea do a swap. With the lack of service you see Chelsea’s strikers get,even Falcao will score only 20 goals or less in a season. But put Torres in Athletico’s system now and with the same amount of chances Falcao gets now,Torres will score 20+ goals in a season.
Look at Man United. Average midfielders with world class strikers. United isn’t that good but their secret is,their strikers get the ball faster either by a through passes or early crosses. It’s all about the service and building momentum from that.
Torres was never the problem. Chelsea simply made a mistake by buying a player who doesn’t suit the system and playing style. Torres isn’t your long ball type of striker or your Suarez Aguero agile like striker who can operate in tight spaces. Chelsea can still keep him but they’ll need a suitable player like Benat or Wilshere who can operate in the double pivot by making those key passes from deep and by disciplining the likes of Mata and co to look for his run.
Trust me mate,Falcao will become a an average striker if he joins Chelsea and Torres with thrive at teams like Athletico and United.