If we signed Falcao, I wouldn't be opposed to a 4-2-2-2 every now and then when fitness needed a boost? This would only work if we added another holding mid. It would allow us to rotate the midfield maestros by only playing 2 and resting the other. The old 'magic rectangle' is sketchy at times but it would allow us to occassionally rest. By no means would I want to see this formation game in and game out.

 

Something like this: Cech, Azpi, Iva, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Luiz, Mata, Hazard, Torres, Falcao (Basing this off of if we played a match during the African Cup so we'd be missing a few)

No width and players who can't cross (In Mata's case, shouldn't be crossing as he's much better use elsewhere), even Falcao would struggle. We don't have the players for it and really it's not worth even attempting just for the sake of Torres.

No width and players who can't cross (In Mata's case, shouldn't be crossing as he's much better use elsewhere), even Falcao would struggle. We don't have the players for it and really it's not worth even attempting just for the sake of Torres.

Not necessarily. It's a cross between a 4-4-2 and a 4-2-3-1. Only difference is more advanced wingers when in possession when compared to the 4-4-2. Compared to the 4-2-3-1 your number 10 just becomes the striker. Quite often in a 4-2-2-2 one of the strikers drops slightly deeper to play as the number 10 but with 2 strikers it can be deadly. Also when you say we have players who can't cross, I very much disagree. Did you see Hazard cross versus Leeds after Mata laid it back to him, a beautiful out swinger right across the face of goal, but of course Torres was nowhere near the right place to attack the cross, lovely cross all the same, it's the one we actually won a corner off. 

 

We don't have much width anyways, but to say we wouldn't have any at all with a 4-2-2-2 is a little crazy, since all your doing is sacrificing a central player for a striker. It could well open up alot of space centrally, since you have 2 forwards pulling the cb's around the place, and we have some very good wingers in Mata, Moses and Hazard who could be deadly if used as inverted wingers cutting in feeding through balls. Thats said, you need to top strikers and with the array of wingers we have, I'd much rather with out current setup stay as we are, with a better focal point than Torres.

This thread still going??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

yawn.

Suppose Torres carries on till the end of the season playing as dire as we say, and he scores 25-30 in all comps, do we say that aint a bad return ??, this is based on current total with roughly 50% of season to go!!

Unless he scores game winning stunners or cup winning goals I would suggest that he has been a bad return.  I used to have some hope, now I have little hope that he can turn this around. He still plays in a blue shirt so I am not going to cut his head off but  I think he is just f**ked in the head now because he's like a box of chocolates, you never know what we're gonna get.  

I like a good scapegoat as much as the next guy but even im getting bored of this now. The sooner he leaves the club the better the club will be and the better the forum will be!

I think this thread will just carry on till he goes, to be honest.

Nice to see Torres score a goal against Leeds. 6 goals in 5 matches doesn't make for bad reading at all. I would just accept it and say at least he's scoring more often, even if it's against weak opposition. Hopefully he can expand his goalscoring form on tougher matches. That's the test for Torres now. 

Admittedly, apart from that goal against Leeds, he virtually had no impact on the match unfortunately. He was too sloppy with possession and his passing was very ordinary. He knows he needs to improve on that form of his game.

What i cannot get my head round, is why his play is so dire, surely he must look good during practise, or Hazard and Moses, are even worse in that position, hopefully can up his ante against the Villa tomorrow!

Wich topic has the most pages? Is this a record?

If you include the 150/160 previous Torres thread that was locked, it's the longest thread by miles!

If he scores 25 goals but they continue being as irrelevant as many of his current goals for us, then it shouldn't change to much. Goals when games are already well won are fine, celebrate them, cheer, but also don't lose perspective. We need a striker who can win us games and points single handedly, who can grab games by the scruff of their neck and put us in control. Torres has not looked like that player for some time.25 mostly irrelevant goals doesn't change that.

On the other hand, if they are 25 opening goals, equalisers or winners...then I will happily eat my words

I guess we'll find out in the next couple of weeks if he's going or staying and I guess it all depends who comes in, because if Danny is leaving what's plan 'B'. I can only assume that we have someone else already signed / sealed delivered hopefully someone that didn't cost 50 mill but can at least put the ball in the net.  And yes this thread will no doubt continue till he leaves...what's on his contract, another 2 years...oh f**k this thread could be a world record.   

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8353694/Rafael-Benitez-Fernando-Torres-backing-Chelsea-s-striker-bid

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8353694/Rafael-Benitez-Fernando-Torres-backing-Chelsea-s-striker-bid

 

I'm just wondering if anybody would even take him at a club considering his ridiculous weekly wage of around £175,000 a week. I can't see how he would be of any use to anybody apart from his previous clubs of Liverpool or Athletico Madrid where he has proven his worth.

Oh No....FSW has even hoodwinked RA now..

 

 

 

Benitez has been praised by Abramovich for turning Torres’ fortunes around.

He added: “I’ve not heard directly, but Michael Emenalo (Chelsea’s technical director) is watching every training session and they are quite pleased with the way that things are going.”

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4710945/Fernando-Torres-ready-to-fight-for-Chelsea-spot.html#ixzz2FpddNXw8

Anyone hear about this? Sorry if it's been posted.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9762189/Concentrate-on-your-own-job-Jose-Mourinho-tells-Rafael-Benitez-after-World-Club-Cup-flop.html

 

This makes me really worried, the fact he's thinking about the Real Madrid while managing our club.

Edited December 23, 201213 yr by Erik

I fully expect Torres to get two or three goals today. Villa are really poor and we're playing well.

I fully expect Torres to get two or three goals today. Villa are really poor and we're playing well.

 

I don't, i have learnt not to expect anything from Torres anymore, that way it's easier not to get so angry at him when he fails.

Nah seriously, can't see him not scoring today. He scores every game now. He'll score today, i'd put money on it.

For a minute there though, thought he wasn't even starting.

Glad I put 10 quid first g/s

Don't worry folks, Villa are sh*t, that's why he scored!

To be fair, that was stunning.

Told u he'd score!

To be fair, that was stunning.

Told u he'd score!

 

Good shout.

To be fair, that was stunning.

Told u he'd score!

If you say it every game you're bound to get it right eventually.