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From what I've seen this season so far, Torres seems to be on some kind of form, but are we always going to be hypercritical? He's looked about as sharp this year as he has since joining us (even so, still no sign of prolific league goal scoring), but I sometimes feel that there's too much water under the Bridge (pardon the obvious....) and we will always be looking for mistakes in his game. All players make mistakes, but you tend to cut them a bit of slack when it's not overly persistant.
I'm just not sure how to evaluate Torres as there have been flashes of moments when he's recently looked back to his best, but it's interspersed with poor control and a touch of headless chicken impressions, but maybe there was always that element to his game, just not as often. 
 
Winston Churchill's quotation, made in a radio broadcast in October 1939:

"I cannot forecast to you the action of Fernando Torres. He is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key could be Jose Mourinho."

Never been impressed with Torres here, thought he was superb a few years back and hoped he could rediscover that form but since hes been here hes always looked a bit too sullen and not like a player who needs the big stage to get back to anything like his best.
 
He'll have good games for us as he has on occasion but I'd imagine he'll have a lot more mediocre ones which costs us points and I think any decent striker over the period hes been with us would have got a better return.
 
I support him and am always happy if he has a good game or input but reserve the right to take the piss as much as I like without anybody on here having a say in how I support the team.

Shevchenko was finished at the highest level and Torres had just had an awful World Cup and very poor first half to a season for Liverpool. These mistakes were of our own making because we were not thinking before we went and got them. Falcao would not be a risk in my opinion, just like it wouldn't have been a risk to try and sign Aguero which i was begging Chelsea to try and do.

Ask yourself the question, do we really want to be like Sunderland? They've scored 5 league goals and Fletcher has bagged the lot. Torres has been criticized for not scoring enough goals, but if I'm honest I'm happier with things how they are and see it as far more healthy for the club that he hasn't scored all our goals. Sure we'd all be waxing lyrical if he had scored all 11 of our league goals so far, but that would put us in a very precarious position. If we are over reliant on one player then we will struggle when that player is out.
As it stands, we are scoring goals from all over the park and have had a stunning 13 different goalscorers in all competitions:
Torres, Mata, Cahill, Ivan, Lamps, Oscar, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Moses , Hazard, Bertrand.
And we still have Sturridge, Marin and JT to get on the scoresheet (and of course the prolific Mikel!)
Torres is our joint top scorer and overall is second only to Mata in goals+assists tally.
I do understand why Torres has been criticized, I have done myself, but this is mostly due to the ridiculously high standards he himself has set in previous seasons. The truth is though, the job he is doing is a valuable one at the moment. Yes he's had a couple of very poor games, but generally he has worked his lone striker role very well and by doing so, has allowed that stat of 13 different scorers to occur.
As critical as I have been, I am very pleased and satisfied that Torres is at our club and has a huge part to play in our season. I do think we need another striker, but not to replace Torres, moreover for cover/backup/assistance. If Torres and Sturridge are out, we've got a problem which needs fixing. Torres is a very talented lad and is starting to show his ability in fits and starts. He is without doubt an asset to the club and I for one am glad he's here.
We need to appreciate what the staff are trying to do at the Bridge. Our whole philosophy is slowly evolving and so far the signs are promising. We are not a one man team, we do not have to rely on one striker being on form or employ strikers that have only one dimension to their game, we play football, we play with style and pride, we back our lads and we win titles. We are the European Champions.

If we had bought a new striker in the summer for £50m and he'd had exactly the same start to the season as Torres has, we'd all be raving about him.

If we had bought a new striker in the summer for £50m and he'd had exactly the same start to the season as Torres has, we'd all be raving about him.

Ask yourself the question, do we really want to be like Sunderland? They've scored 5 league goals and Fletcher has bagged the lot. Torres has been criticized for not scoring enough goals, but if I'm honest I'm happier with things how they are and see it as far more healthy for the club that he hasn't scored all our goals. Sure we'd all be waxing lyrical if he had scored all 11 of our league goals so far, but that would put us in a very precarious position. If we are over reliant on one player then we will struggle when that player is out.
As it stands, we are scoring goals from all over the park and have had a stunning 13 different goalscorers in all competitions:
Torres, Mata, Cahill, Ivan, Lamps, Oscar, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Moses , Hazard, Bertrand.
And we still have Sturridge, Marin and JT to get on the scoresheet (and of course the prolific Mikel!)
Torres is our joint top scorer and overall is second only to Mata in goals+assists tally.
I do understand why Torres has been criticized, I have done myself, but this is mostly due to the ridiculously high standards he himself has set in previous seasons. The truth is though, the job he is doing is a valuable one at the moment. Yes he's had a couple of very poor games, but generally he has worked his lone striker role very well and by doing so, has allowed that stat of 13 different scorers to occur.
As critical as I have been, I am very pleased and satisfied that Torres is at our club and has a huge part to play in our season. I do think we need another striker, but not to replace Torres, moreover for cover/backup/assistance. If Torres and Sturridge are out, we've got a problem which needs fixing. Torres is a very talented lad and is starting to show his ability in fits and starts. He is without doubt an asset to the club and I for one am glad he's here.
We need to appreciate what the staff are trying to do at the Bridge. Our whole philosophy is slowly evolving and so far the signs are promising. We are not a one man team, we do not have to rely on one striker being on form or employ strikers that have only one dimension to their game, we play football, we play with style and pride, we back our lads and we win titles. We are the European Champions.

Ask yourself the question, do we really want to be like Sunderland? They've scored 5 league goals and Fletcher has bagged the lot. Torres has been criticized for not scoring enough goals, but if I'm honest I'm happier with things how they are and see it as far more healthy for the club that he hasn't scored all our goals. Sure we'd all be waxing lyrical if he had scored all 11 of our league goals so far, but that would put us in a very precarious position. If we are over reliant on one player then we will struggle when that player is out.
As it stands, we are scoring goals from all over the park and have had a stunning 13 different goalscorers in all competitions:
Torres, Mata, Cahill, Ivan, Lamps, Oscar, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Moses , Hazard, Bertrand.
And we still have Sturridge, Marin and JT to get on the scoresheet (and of course the prolific Mikel!)
Torres is our joint top scorer and overall is second only to Mata in goals+assists tally.
I do understand why Torres has been criticized, I have done myself, but this is mostly due to the ridiculously high standards he himself has set in previous seasons. The truth is though, the job he is doing is a valuable one at the moment. Yes he's had a couple of very poor games, but generally he has worked his lone striker role very well and by doing so, has allowed that stat of 13 different scorers to occur.
As critical as I have been, I am very pleased and satisfied that Torres is at our club and has a huge part to play in our season. I do think we need another striker, but not to replace Torres, moreover for cover/backup/assistance. If Torres and Sturridge are out, we've got a problem which needs fixing. Torres is a very talented lad and is starting to show his ability in fits and starts. He is without doubt an asset to the club and I for one am glad he's here.
We need to appreciate what the staff are trying to do at the Bridge. Our whole philosophy is slowly evolving and so far the signs are promising. We are not a one man team, we do not have to rely on one striker being on form or employ strikers that have only one dimension to their game, we play football, we play with style and pride, we back our lads and we win titles. We are the European Champions.

Ask yourself the question, do we really want to be like Sunderland? They've scored 5 league goals and Fletcher has bagged the lot. Torres has been criticized for not scoring enough goals, but if I'm honest I'm happier with things how they are and see it as far more healthy for the club that he hasn't scored all our goals. Sure we'd all be waxing lyrical if he had scored all 11 of our league goals so far, but that would put us in a very precarious position. If we are over reliant on one player then we will struggle when that player is out.
As it stands, we are scoring goals from all over the park and have had a stunning 13 different goalscorers in all competitions:
Torres, Mata, Cahill, Ivan, Lamps, Oscar, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Moses , Hazard, Bertrand.
And we still have Sturridge, Marin and JT to get on the scoresheet (and of course the prolific Mikel!)
Torres is our joint top scorer and overall is second only to Mata in goals+assists tally.
I do understand why Torres has been criticized, I have done myself, but this is mostly due to the ridiculously high standards he himself has set in previous seasons. The truth is though, the job he is doing is a valuable one at the moment. Yes he's had a couple of very poor games, but generally he has worked his lone striker role very well and by doing so, has allowed that stat of 13 different scorers to occur.
As critical as I have been, I am very pleased and satisfied that Torres is at our club and has a huge part to play in our season. I do think we need another striker, but not to replace Torres, moreover for cover/backup/assistance. If Torres and Sturridge are out, we've got a problem which needs fixing. Torres is a very talented lad and is starting to show his ability in fits and starts. He is without doubt an asset to the club and I for one am glad he's here.
We need to appreciate what the staff are trying to do at the Bridge. Our whole philosophy is slowly evolving and so far the signs are promising. We are not a one man team, we do not have to rely on one striker being on form or employ strikers that have only one dimension to their game, we play football, we play with style and pride, we back our lads and we win titles. We are the European Champions.

Ask yourself the question, do we really want to be like Sunderland? They've scored 5 league goals and Fletcher has bagged the lot. Torres has been criticized for not scoring enough goals, but if I'm honest I'm happier with things how they are and see it as far more healthy for the club that he hasn't scored all our goals. Sure we'd all be waxing lyrical if he had scored all 11 of our league goals so far, but that would put us in a very precarious position. If we are over reliant on one player then we will struggle when that player is out.
As it stands, we are scoring goals from all over the park and have had a stunning 13 different goalscorers in all competitions:
Torres, Mata, Cahill, Ivan, Lamps, Oscar, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Moses , Hazard, Bertrand.
And we still have Sturridge, Marin and JT to get on the scoresheet (and of course the prolific Mikel!)
Torres is our joint top scorer and overall is second only to Mata in goals+assists tally.
I do understand why Torres has been criticized, I have done myself, but this is mostly due to the ridiculously high standards he himself has set in previous seasons. The truth is though, the job he is doing is a valuable one at the moment. Yes he's had a couple of very poor games, but generally he has worked his lone striker role very well and by doing so, has allowed that stat of 13 different scorers to occur.
As critical as I have been, I am very pleased and satisfied that Torres is at our club and has a huge part to play in our season. I do think we need another striker, but not to replace Torres, moreover for cover/backup/assistance. If Torres and Sturridge are out, we've got a problem which needs fixing. Torres is a very talented lad and is starting to show his ability in fits and starts. He is without doubt an asset to the club and I for one am glad he's here.
We need to appreciate what the staff are trying to do at the Bridge. Our whole philosophy is slowly evolving and so far the signs are promising. We are not a one man team, we do not have to rely on one striker being on form or employ strikers that have only one dimension to their game, we play football, we play with style and pride, we back our lads and we win titles. We are the European Champions.

Ask yourself the question, do we really want to be like Sunderland? They've scored 5 league goals and Fletcher has bagged the lot. Torres has been criticized for not scoring enough goals, but if I'm honest I'm happier with things how they are and see it as far more healthy for the club that he hasn't scored all our goals. Sure we'd all be waxing lyrical if he had scored all 11 of our league goals so far, but that would put us in a very precarious position. If we are over reliant on one player then we will struggle when that player is out.
As it stands, we are scoring goals from all over the park and have had a stunning 13 different goalscorers in all competitions:
Torres, Mata, Cahill, Ivan, Lamps, Oscar, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Moses , Hazard, Bertrand.
And we still have Sturridge, Marin and JT to get on the scoresheet (and of course the prolific Mikel!)
Torres is our joint top scorer and overall is second only to Mata in goals+assists tally.
I do understand why Torres has been criticized, I have done myself, but this is mostly due to the ridiculously high standards he himself has set in previous seasons. The truth is though, the job he is doing is a valuable one at the moment. Yes he's had a couple of very poor games, but generally he has worked his lone striker role very well and by doing so, has allowed that stat of 13 different scorers to occur.
As critical as I have been, I am very pleased and satisfied that Torres is at our club and has a huge part to play in our season. I do think we need another striker, but not to replace Torres, moreover for cover/backup/assistance. If Torres and Sturridge are out, we've got a problem which needs fixing. Torres is a very talented lad and is starting to show his ability in fits and starts. He is without doubt an asset to the club and I for one am glad he's here.
We need to appreciate what the staff are trying to do at the Bridge. Our whole philosophy is slowly evolving and so far the signs are promising. We are not a one man team, we do not have to rely on one striker being on form or employ strikers that have only one dimension to their game, we play football, we play with style and pride, we back our lads and we win titles. We are the European Champions.

The concepts of criticism and support are not mutually exclusive, yet there seems to be an underlying split between the two camps here. If that's the case, then I'm afraid I'll have to stay with a foot in each. I am terribly frustrated with the return we have had from the lad as the statistics really don't lie, it's plain for all to see that he's really not produced anything even close to his best. This is not mindlessly lambasting the lad, this is a considered opinion based what we can all see.
I will continue to back him and sing his name in the hope that he will find his mojo again, but if truth be told, my throat is getting sore and his performances are hardly soothing. Granted, we do see flashes of his unquestionable talent and I along with many others hang on to it in the hope of a purple patch, but a sustained period of defence terrorizing has yet to be achieved.
When we signed him, I was a little concerned about his lack of recent form at the Dippers, but had an overriding feeling of inflated optimism, due to his blindingly obvious world class talent. And that's the worst thing of it all. He is clearly one of the most naturally gifted strikers in world football and if he ever does rediscover his lethal best, then we will be laughing all the way to the title.
However, 9 goals in 50 league games and 15 in 74 overall is not even close to the sort of figures we should be citing.
I will carry on backing him as I would just love it, just love it and I'll tell ya, I'd just love it if he proves all his doubters wrong. My optimism is running thin though.

Oh come on dkw, we've been supporting him since day one, most of us still do and will until he's not with the club anymore. Does that mean we should be blind to his obvious flaws? Whatever happened to "no man is more important than the club "? Torres himself admitted in various interviews that it was CFC fans' unequivocal support that carried him through this tough period. And he should be f**king grateful, considering the return we've got on that investment.
Check any non-CFC forum views on Torres situation and you'll see that even those who'd love to have a laugh at our expence don't blame the team setup or tactics or lack of service or quality of our midfield. They call it the way they see it, it's on Torres. I realize we have to protect our own but can you objectively still cite outside reasons for the fact Torres doesn't look half the player he used to be so long after we bought him? Really?