Chelsea FC: The future

Many might on argue on the fact that it is time Chelsea's golden generation finally stepped down and open the road ahead for the new generation of players to step up. With previous managers trying to bring in the youth policy to this club such as Andre Villas Boas and Scolari, things did not end up well for them with both of them being sacked because of dressing room tension. It was widely reported that senior Chelsea players were un happy on being left out. Now things are looking different, with Didier Drogba already offloaded to China and Frank Lampard nearing the end of his career, manager Roberto Di Matteo could promote some of his young players into the first team.

With Chelsea ranked 1st in Club's producing English Talent not many have come up from the academy and have made a name for themselves with John Terry the only exception in that list. While producing players is one thing nurturing them and providing them opportunities in the first team is a different thing. Chelsea have failed in that department. With Chelsea deciding to spend heavily on foreign players almost every season now the development of some talented youngsters in that academy is getting hampered.
With elite clubs such as Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal having produced exceptional players from their youth system such as Xavi,Lionel Messi,Ryan Giggs to name a few, Chelsea have been lacking in this field. With players in the youth academy deciding to leave the club due to lack of opportunities, Chelsea have suffered heavily seeing their progress in other clubs for eg: Fabio Borini, Scott Sinclair. Chelsea's youth system has failed immensly and it is now that at the age of 23 years old that Ryan Bertrand has got a chance in the first team, with players like Josh Mceachran, Gael Kakuta still looking for to find a regular place for themselves in this high profile Chelsea side.

But all is not lost in this youth side. Chelsea have invested heavily on the development of their youth system and added players with immense quality in their pockets to the already talented one's in that side. Club owner Roman Abrahimovich knows that he cannot just rely on spending heavily every season and making record transfers one after the other with the introduction of Financial fair play by UEFA.
With players like Islam Feruz, Lucas Piazon, captain Nathaniel Chalobah all proving their worth on a regular basis for the youth side it won't be long before these players start to challenge for a first team place, with all 3 of them having played U-18 international football for their respective countries. But for that Chelsea should continue with their development in the youth academy and not let another set of exceptional talents leave the club.

Here is my list of4 Talented youngsters in the Chelsea academy that have the potential to break into the first team and become world class players, what is required is just a bit of nurturing and game time.

1. Josh Mceachran- Having joined Chelsea at a very young age, many believed Josh had the talent and the skill to be one of the top central midfielders not only for England but also for Chelsea. Having made his Chelsea debut at an age of 17 years expectations from Mceachran were high. Then Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti handed Josh his 1st league start against Hull City where he was being played in a more deeper role. Josh ended 2010/11 season with 4 starts and 13 substitute appearances to his name. With limited chances under new manager Andre Villas Boas the next season, Josh was loaned out to Swansea city where he re united with his youth team coach Brendan Rodgers. Josh failed to make an impact for Swansea having made only 1 appearance during his loan spell. Having made appearances for England U-17,U-19 and U-21 many believe Josh could be a regular starter for the England senior team if given game time. Surely one Chelsea player who can have a say in the upcoming olympic games.

2. Thibaut Courtois- Signed by Chelsea from Genk, Courtois was without doubt Chelsea's best young performer last season. Courtois was loaned out to Spanish side Atletico Madrid where he managed to win the Europa cup and saw his side finished 5th in the league. He kept 19 clean sheets for the Spanish side.  At 6'6" Courtois is a huge keeper with great shot stopping ability and a very good left foot. At a mere age of just 19 Thibaut has just begun and is expected to get better. Seen as an ideal replacement for goal keeper Petr Cech. He is expected to continue staying with Madrid for another season.

3. Kevin De Bruyne- Signed by Chelsea in January of last season, De Bruyne was Chelsea's 3rd Belgian recruit after Lukaku and Courtois. Signed from Genk after being their influential player the season before guiding them to a champions league spot, De Bruyne hit peak form when being played in a more central role rather than in a more wide position. In a more central role De Bruyne had more control over the game and was able to influence the attack more.

4. Lucas Piazon- Signed from Brazilian club Sao Paulo in November, Pizaon settled pretty well in the Chelsea youth system where he guided Chelsea to the FA Youth cup and saw himself win the Young player of the year award as well. Often referred to as the next Kaka mainly because of his looks, Piazon's talent is un-questionable. His ability to score as well create chances can come in very handy for Chelsea if he is developed properly. Piazon was exceptional last season and was rewarded for his good play by being on the substitute bench for 2 games, although he did not get any playing time in both the games Piazon can surely be a player for Chelsea first team next season.

Having seen Ryan Bertrand emerge from the youth ranks as well and participating in the Champions league final was a huge bonus for the Chelsea reserves/youth squad having seeing one of them go on to make the big stage. This will act like a big bonus for these youngsters knowing that all they need is to work hard and have a little patience. With the "Golden Genertion" of Drogba,Lampard,Terry,Cole etc almost coming to an end this may be the opportunity these young players might be seeking and Chelsea will be hoping these players can live up to their expectations.

A preview on our new signings.

After an amazing season which saw us win the most coveted cup in European football for the first time in club's 107 year history, it is time the club worked towards repeating the feat it achieved last season. Many believed that Chelsea's UCL win was "LUCKY" and "UN-DESERVING". Even legendary players like Joann Cryuff slammed Chelsea's UCL win and slammed them over their tactics of being ultra defensive.

So from moving on towards the criticism we received, Chelsea made their intentions clear for next season after signing 2 players early on in this window- Belgian international Eden Hazard and German international Marko Marin. Also reports have linked us to Brazilian forward Hulk and Croatian play maker Luka Modric. Roman Abrahmovich has made his intentions clear it seems what he wants from Chelsea in the coming years. After being named a very ageing squad and seeing many players past their prime a change is what is required in this club and Roman it seems is clearly working to fill the requirement of the club.

Here is a preview on the two players we have completed the signing of and how well they can fit in at Chelsea.

1. Marko Marin- Marko Marin is a 23 year old Winger/Att Midfielder signed from German club Werder Bremen for a fees reported to be in the region of £6.5 million. Often referred to as the German Messi not because he scores 50 odd goals a season but the talent the lad comprises. Marin did not have the best of the seasons last year having missed out on many games due to injuries but having made only 16 starts this season Marin managed 45 dribbles which is 4 more than what Ramires managed last season (Chelsea's highest). Also don't go on the stats of last season where he managed to get only 1 goal and 5 assists last season but rather watch the games he played for Bremen to make a clear picture in your mind regarding the player. Marin was included in the 2010 world cup squad for Germany at the age of 21 and managed to make 2 substitute appearances for the side. Although the club have got themselves a bargain in 6.5 million pounds I highly doubt Marin will be a regular starter and will be more of a spot player most likely a replacement for Salomon Kalou who has been released by the club after his contract expired. The main concern Chelsea will have regarding the player is his ability to stay fit having missed out on a lot of football recently due to injuries. Marin played most of his time at Bremen as a winger but after the departure of Ozil, Marin was basically deployed in the "Number 10" role for Bremen that makes him a very versatile player and his ability to adjust as per the requirements of the team. Not the best in front of the goal Marin's play is basically about his runs,dribbles,footwork and his assists which draws comparisons to Lionel Messi.
 Here is us wishing Marko Marin the very best of luck in his time at Chelsea and looking forward to some German magic in London.

2. Eden Hazard- Zinedine Zidane once said:  "Eden is technically gifted and very fast. I would take him to Real Madrid with my eyes closed. He can become a great footballer, he is a star of the future.". The quote alone says a lot. Eden Hazard is a 21 year old Belgian international who recently signed for Chelsea from Lille. The transfer fee was rumoured to be priced at £32 million, while Hazard will receive a weekly wage of around £170,000. Eden Hazard's rise over the past couple of years has been meteoric, with the Belgian starlet undergoing a remarkable transformation from precocious Lille youngster to Ligue 1 sensation and one of the most sought after players in Europe. Having being tracked by the likes of Manchester United,Manchester City,Barcelona and Real Madrid alone explains a lot about the talent of the player. Having played 38 games for Lille last season Eden managed to get 20 goals and 16 assists last season along with 106 shots as well. Having been compared to the likes of C.Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Eden Hazard is arguably the hottest property in football at the moment. Eden made his league 1 debut at a mere age of 16 where he made a handful of substitute appearances. The following season Eden was handed over his 1st Belgian cap and was also awarded the League 1 player of the year award. Hazard announced himself in the European market with a goal against Liverpool which saw his reputation grow around. Often referred to as a defender's nightmare Eden Hazard is quick, excellent dribbler and an amazing ability to finish. Hazard has been awarded the League 1 player of the year twice in his career something even the best French footballer such as Zidane and Henry have never achieved.
Here is us wishing Eden Hazard the very best of luck in his time at Chelsea and looking forward to some Belgian magic in London.


So where does all this take our team. Surely the signing of Hazard and Marin is a step forward and Chelsea have made their intentions clear for the coming seasons that they still want to be there competing among the best teams in the world. The two signings could have a major role to play next season especially Eden Hazard who must be the obvious choice when naming the team sheet. Hazard can be deployed either on the wings or right behind the striker where he has played most of his time at Lille. We can see a shift in the role of Juan Mata as he may be shifted into a more of a winger from playing as the front man along with the striker. Also Eden's presence can lead to a more quick,established front four with Mata,Torres and Ramires.

Also having been linked to a potential move for Hulk in the coming window Chelsea can get themselves another excellent signing who can play in the front 4 role for Chelsea. Hulk's presence might mean Ramires shifting to his more natural role as the CM.

Also where does this take our 50million signing Fernando Torres. Well the players signed so far have been the one's Torres has been craving for since he has come to Chelsea. Unlike Drogba, Torres's game is more about speed,dribbles rather than hold up play and bullying the defenders.

My expected formation for Chelsea in the coming season would be: (with Hulk)

Cech

Cole-Terry-Cahill-Ivanovic

Lampard-Ramires

Mata-Hazard-Hulk

Torres

My expected formation for Chelsea in the coming season would be: (without Hulk)

Cech

Cole-Terry-Cahill-Ivanovic

Lampard-Mikel

 Mata-Hazard-Ramires

Torres

Follow me on twitter: @ShikharrC

End of an era: DIDIER DROGBA

Signed from Marseille on 20th of July 2004, Didier Drogba was one of the brightest stars in Chelsea Football Club since the Roman era began. Many questioned his transfer fees from Marseille which was reported as 24 million pounds and the then manager Jose Mourinho was questioned a lot. Mourinho calmly replied "Judge it when he leaves the club". Drogba now after 8 years of service to the club finally puts the curtains down to his illustrious career at the Bridge. The most decorated overseas player ever to play in the PL. The Ivory Coast captain managed to find the net 157 times in 341 appearances and is the club's fourth highest scorer all time. Didier's 8 year career at Chelsea was a decorated one where he managed to win three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two Carling Cups and the Champions League. Drogba also holds the record of scoring in every FA CUP final he has participated in and has managed to score in his 8 appearances at the Wembley. No wonder he is regarded as the "King of the Wembley". Didier has had many un-forgettable moments and also a few forgettable one's at the Bridge. 
Ron Gourlay very rightly said: 'Didier is undoubtedly a Chelsea legend and will always be part of the Chelsea family". How ironic it was that it was Didier's final kick of the ball as a Chelsea player that led the club to their greatest day in their 107 year history. Didier was instrumental in Chelsea's Uefa Champions League success where his vital goals against Napoli,Barcelona and Bayern munich in  the final led the club to their most glorious day. 
Drogba managed to win- 1 player of the year award, 1 players player of the year award, 2 PL golden boots and 2 African player of the year award during his time with Chelsea FC. Drogba is also Chelsea's record striker in European competitions and also their record scorer in cup finals scoring 9 times in 9 appearances. Didier's best season as a Chelsea player came during the 2009/10 season where he found the net 37 times in 41 appearances.
Didier Drogba had few bad forgettable moments as a Chelsea player and was often criticized for his play acting. Didier Drogba's infamous slap in the 2008 UCL final against Manchester United is still considered one of the main reasons as to why Chelsea lost that final. Another infamous incident was against Barcelona in 2010 at Stamford Bridge where he openly criticized the referee which led to him serving a ban. But all these moments lived short in the memory of Chelsea fans as nothing can overshadow what the African KING has done for the London club. His contributions can never be matched. Part of the most successful period in the Club's history Drogba was and forever will be regarded as one of the club's all time greats.


The legend leaves the club on a high having won every possible trophy he could as a Chelsea player and none can question his desire,passion and love for the club. Didier Drogba a true Chelsea LEGEND and as he said: "A Blue Forever". Thank You Didier. It has been an honor.





Follow me on twitter: @ShikharrC

AVB : The season and what went wrong

On 22nd june 2011 Andre Villas Boas left Porto FC to join the English side Chelsea FC. On a deal which saw Chelsea pay 15million Euros to the Portuguese side to avail his services. At a tender age of 34 AVB was regarded as one of the most talented young managers in world football. After an amazing season with FC Porto which saw him lift the Portuguese league,cup,Portuguese super cup and also the UEFA cup (now known as Europa Cup). Villas Boas side went unbeaten that season with 27 victories to their name. Villas Boas was highly regarded in world football. Having worked besides the likes of Sir Bobby Robson and Jose Mourinho the expectation level on the guy's shoulders were high. AVB worked well in the transfer window signing the likes of Spanish duo Oriol Romeu and Juan Mata as well as Liverpool mid-fielder Meireles. Villas Boas had an amazing start to his pre-season career in Chelsea with lifting the Barclays Asia trophy and managed to win all his pre season games with Chelsea. AVB's first game in-charge was against Stoke city at the Britannia stadium which saw his side held to a 0-0 draw. AVB finally lost his first game for Chelsea away to Champions Manchester United 3-1 which saw Fernando Torres's miss of the season. Villas Boas's signings had a quick impact with Juan Mata and Oriol Romeu having an amazing start to their Premier League career with both of them starting regularly. Villas Boas had his plans simple and quite straight forward. He wanted to re build this Chelsea side by replacing the likes of Frank Lampard,Didier Drogba to name a few. Villas Boas plans were working pretty decent with Daniel Sturridge hitting his peak form under the Portuguese manager with the likes of Mata and Meireles supporting him,but all was not well in that Chelsea dressing room with the likes of Lampard un-happy with the lack of appearances they were getting under the manager. Villas Boas suffered his first set back when his side crashed out of League cup after loosing to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge 2-0. This defeat was followed by 3 back to back wins against Wolves,newcastle and Valencia with the same score line of 3-0. Victory against Valencia also saw Chelsea top their Group E and qualify to the knock out rounds of the UEFA Champions league.Villas Boas's Chelsea also defeated undefeated Manchester City at the Bridge 2-1 in the league and things looked good for the Portuguese manager. Pressure again started to rise when Chelsea lost 2-0 to Everton which saw Villas Boas's men put up an unconvincing performance and drop put of the top 4. Come January Villas Boas signed Bolton star defender Gary Cahill to Chelsea,but that deal had little affect as Villas Boas hardly gave Cahill an appearance. Pressure continued to mount on Villas Boas after his side lost to Napoli 3-1 in the UCL. Villas Boas had left out Chelsea stars Frank Lampard,Ashley Cole out of the playing XI. The final nail in the coffin arrived when AVB's side lost to West Brom 1-0 in the league which saw them 3 points behind of Arsenal and outside a top 4 place in the league. AVB was later on relieved of his duties and assistant manager and ex-Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo was handed over the mantle.

What went wrong: The aim AVB had was quite clear and  it was something Chelsea really need right now. But the timing was all wrong and the personnel he had were not good enough. Villas Boas started the transformation period a little too early. He should have looked to establish himself for the first 2 seasons and slowly and steadily should have worked upon the rebuilding phase. Replacing the likes of Lampard and Drogba was never going to be an easy task and Villas Boas started this phase a little to early. Villas Boas should have slowly and steadily invested in the transfer window and looked for the ideal replacements of his ageing squad. The biggest blow for AVB in the transfer window was the failure to sign Croatian midfielder Luka Modric from Spurs. The Chelsea team lacked creativity and AVB's tactics demanded more attacking and creative players. The high line that AVB played in the defense was another factor that haunted him more than often. Ageing Chelsea defenders lacked pace and high line meant tracking back and the likes of Terry,Ivanovic lacked pace with Luiz the only defender with a good amount of pace at his disposal. AVB had issues with the senior players as well when his tactics were being questioned openly in the media by the senior players after a string of bad results and he definitely lacked the backing of his dressing room.

-Shikharr Chandra
Follow me on Twitter: @ShikharrC

Transfer Window Analysis

Going back a few months,when the season kick started in August,there were a lot of expectations on the shoulder of Chelsea players and even more after the club's previous manager Carlo Ancelotti got sacked. Many believe that his sacking was un-called for and the club would not benefit and their thinking was not wrong upto a certain extent as he was the same manager who led Chelsea to a double winning season in his 1st season in charge. But you never know what goes inside Roman's head do you? After a fairly decent season that saw us finishing 2nd in the league behind Manchester United Carlo got the sack and Roman took a gamble and bought in another Porto manager Andre Villas Boas. This was AVB's second stint at Chelsea. He was also the opposition scout under Jose Mourinho when he came to Chelsea from Porto. The Portuguese was under enormous pressure as many expected him to redo what Jose did during his time at Chelsea.

1. Andre Villas Boas- AVB was bought in by Chelsea to replace Carlo Ancelotti. At a tender age of 34 many believed that this was a huge gamble taken by Roman considering his lack of experience. AVB had a great time incharge at Porto where he won a treble in his first season incharge and was highly recognized in the footballing world as the Next Big Thing. This was a huge test for AVB as not many managers have been able to keep Chelsea's chairman happy for quite a while. In the past 5 years 4 managers had lost their job most notably managers like Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti. Roman paid a whooping 24 million pound buy out clause to Porto to avail the portugese services. AVB with him got the former West Bromwich manager Roberto Di Matteo as his assistant manager. It was a very young back room staff, with AVB himself only 34years old. AVB had a fairly decent start to his Chelsea stint with a good run of wins apart from the early 0-0 draw with Stoke. His 1st defeat came to the hands of Sir Alex at Old trafford where AVB's men put on a good show but lost the match 3-1. As the season continued and AVB started loosing hisluck it seems when Chelsea started to fall drastically after getting eliminated from the league cup to the hands of liverpool and a run of poor results in the league that saw them trail the 2 Manchester clubs and the 2 London clubs ( Spurs and Arsenal) not far behind them. AVB was under enormous pressure and many believed that Roman's plans had backfired him and saw this as another fail move by the Chelsea owner. But AVB it seems had different plans. The squad that he played was mainly without Chelsea's top star Frank Lampard. Many believed that AVB was getting his tactics wrong by leaving the Englishmen on the bench but AVB stuck to his tactics but the reseults were not favoring him.

Chelsea's dismal run continued which saw them drop down to 5th in the BPL behind the 2 Manchester and the 2 London clubs. A poor result against Birmingham in the FA cup did not do any favor to the manager and to add to that a dismal performance in the Uefa Champions League against Napoli which saw them lose the first leg 3-1. A lot of eyebrows were raised on AVB's team selection when he decided to leave out the likes of cole,essien and lampard and decided to start with Malouda and Bosingwa who have been fairly average this season when compared to the likes of Cole and Lampard. News paper reports started suggesting that he had lost the support of his players and many started betting on him to be the next manager to get the boot.

But during the course of the season Chelsea's poor run was mainly because of the lack of good players in that squad rather than AVB's tactics, the likes of Bosingwa,Malouda,Mikel,Torres were not upto the level as many would have expected them to be playing. Mistakes in key games like Napoli,Arsenal and Manchester United have cost Chelsea valuable points and have put AVB under enormous pressure.

My view- It will be a mistake by Chelsea if they decide to sack this young manager as Chelsea are a team under transition and need to keep faith in him if they want to move ahead .Rating-6.5/10

2. Juan Mata- A player who came up from the Real Madrid youth academy was daunted by many to be the next big thing in football but Madrid failed to see his potential and handed him over to Valencia. At Valencia he cam across pretty well and was undoubtedly their star man. Playing just behind the strikers he was a danger all teams were aware of. AVB scouted his talent and even though he was being tracked by Arsenal he decided to join us. During the course of the season if there is 1 man who has stood above all it has been Juan Mata. He has been what Robin Van persie has been to Arsenal FC,not in terms of goal but his ability to create an impact in the game. Already rated as the top passer in the BPL in his 1st season he has been a prodigy for the club. 10 assists this season with only David Silva ahead of him the young Spaniard has totally left a mark in the English football with his wonderful movement with the ball and his passing abilities. Scoring on his debut against Norwich people knew there were more signs of greatness to come from the little Spaniard.

My view- Should be played behind the strikers as that is where he is most comfortable and dangerous

Rating-9.5/10

3. Raul Meireles- Another recruit from Liverpool after Fernando Torres,there were huge expectations from him after Chelsea failed to lure in Luka Modric from Tottenham as Chelsea were looking for a playmaker. Meireles this season has not been able to create the same magic he did with Liverpool. With Liverpool he scored the famous goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Problem this season has been that he has not been playing in his desired position rather in a more defensive role. He hasn't come up with any stand out performances rather has been a very ordinary player after a very promising transfer.

My view- Should be played in his desired position but problem is that there are already 2 or 3 players in that same position who have been better than him. Should be given an opportunity next season as well as he can be a part of the new Chelsea squad.

Rating-5/10

4. Oriol Romeu- Romeu is another talent from a very talented academy of Barcelona. It has produced players life Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta etc. and Romeu is another player who can follow their footsteps. Romeu had an amazing start to his Chelsea career when he took full advantage of Essien's injury and made sure Chelsea did not miss him with his good performances day in day out. He looks to be the ideal CDM and an ideal replacement for Micheal Essien. After the first half of the season he has struggled to regain his place after he was hit by an injury and also the return of Essien has limited his place in the starting line up. He looks better than John Obi Mikel and should be used as a replacement to Essien

My View- Should be played more often as this would help him settle even better at stamford bridge and Chelsea should keep hold off him as he is an amazing talent

Rating-7/10

5. Gary Cahill- Gary Cahill was signed as a replacement for Alex who left the club in January 2012. Signed from Bolton he looked a very promising player but many felt he was not upto the level of Chelsea and Chelsea may have made a move in desperation. 3 starts so far this season his best game has been against his former club Bolton where he managed to keep a clean sheet and put on quite a decent performance. So far has not made any blunder and has taken advantage of the missing Chelsea captain.

Rating- Too early to decide as he has only 3 games under his belt, should be played more next season in cup games..so far has been an average player.

6. Romelu Lukaku- The young Belgian from Anderlecht surely set the Belgian league on fire when he chipped in 18 goals last season for the belgian side. Signed by AVB for 22 million pounds,the 18 year old described this as a dream move. A look alike of Didier Drogba with an equally good built and a little more pace maybe a lot of expectations are their on him,considering the fact Drogba might leave the club next season. Limited chances this season has summed up his season with no goals so far for Chelsea 1st team but he has managed to chip in a few for the reserve side. A good talent and another player who can be a part of Chelsea's new squad over the coming years.

My view- Should be sent out to loan next season to gain some BPL experience that can help him settle well for the club.

Rating-None so far considering his limited chances so far for the club.

7. Lucas Piazon- The young Brazilian "wonderkid" as called by many was signed by Chelsea for 11.5 million pounds from Sao Paulo. Often referred to as the Kaka look alike, Piazon's chances in the first team are yet to kick start. He has been on the bench for 3 games but has never been called into action by AVB mainly due to Chelsea's dismal run of form lately. Has looked quite good for the reserve squad where he has chipped in with goals. A player who can play both as a striker and a play maker looks an amazing prospect for the future and can do wonders for the club if used well.

My view- Should be loaned off for a season to gain some BPL experience can come off good and can be an ideal replacement for Lampard in the coming years.

The Curious case of Fernando Torres!!

Late January, fax machines put to work...a reported fee of 50million pounds paid from Roman's pocket to Liverpool FC for a certain Fernando Torres. Yes the very same player who run ragged even the best CB's in the world,the guy who famously scored the winning goal that led to Spain winning their first major title after a long time. It was a transfer every LFC fan dreaded of and every CFC fan wondered is our puzzle solved. Often said "with great powers come great responsibility" but in this case it was "with great fee comes greater responsibility". Even though Nando looked a bit out of touch in the FIFA World Cup considering his knee injury he was still becoming an early fan favorite among all CFC fans...Handed over the coveted #9 held by almost every great footballer in any club,the pressure on Fernando Torres just kept on building. Then came the day and what a day it was to get your first game for your new club,a game against a team that made Fernando Torres a household name it was the famous CFC vs LFC game @stamford bridge and all eyes had to be on Fernando Torres. The game ended with Chelsea on the loosing side thanks to a Raul Meireles goal,questions were raised on Fernando's performance but considering it was his 1st none made a big issue of that...time passed Fernando just could not settle....there was an air of disarray among the CFC fans considering his form.Then came the month of April, a rainy day Chelsea vs West Ham a london derby game...Fernando had been dropped on the bench because of his run of goal-less games,on he came on a very wet pitch @stamford bridge,and on he came with a heavy load of pressure and taunts surrounding him...after playing nearly 10 mins he got his 1st chance of the game cutting past 2 defenders and slotted it past the defender and it was a GOALLL!! the first of the many CFC fans hoped of....season ended many were worried about his form majority were optimistic about him. Come the end of pre-season he did not have much to show for but a flare of positive feeling was found in every CFC fans when they heard his name. Come the start of the next season after goal-less start to his 2nd season came the biggest game of the PL campaign the game at Old Trafford, Chelsea unbeaten under their new manager AVB. Fernando had a lot to prove and after a dismal first half seeing CFC go down 3-0 pressure was on them to see this game through..throughout the game there was something positive about Nando's game and come start of the second half it took Fernando Torres just 45 seconds to score past De gea what looked to be one of the best goals he would have scored as a striker,it was a top class finish...the game continued with CFC pushing and pushing on United's goal and then came the moment, Nando skipped past 2 def and rounded the keeper off with goal at his mercy and he shoved the ball wide, for every United fan it was a situation of laughter,for every CFC fan well they could not believe what they had just seen and for Fernando Torres it was a humiliating scene in front of 80k fans sitting in the stadium.

Days passed and Nando looked better than before winning balls,creating chances and a run of goals in games against genk and swansea saw many take their words back on Torres being a fail signing,but good days just did not last a red card after scoring a goal against Swansea left him fuming. October turned out to be quite a fairytale month for the striker but since then Nando is yet to find the back of the net come end of February. Even though there have been glimpses of him coming back in touch but they have been usually overshadowed with his rather poor display in most of the games. Having 12 assists to his name this season he has been better than many CFC mid fielders but here comes the question : Ain't he a striker??yes assists are a added bonus when they come via a striker but goals are the things that describe a striker which Nando has failed at during his 1 year tenure at Chelsea. A mere tally of 5 goals in somewhat around 40 odd games for Chelsea has left fans fuming and many have called for his axe. With a pay package worth 10million pounds it seems like every goal he has scored has been worth 2 million pounds. The question that arises in everyone's mind is how come a striker so prolific,calm,composed can turn into such a big failure within 1 year. Some blame it on AVB,some on the lack of creativity and some on the style of play.....

My opinion: The lad has lost all his confidence and constant support shown by the manager and fans is making it a more pressure situation for him. Too much effort he puts up in certain games and some lack lusture displays in some has been his story. Is it time to offload this summer??Maybe a yes maybe a No,a very debatable situation but as it stands a Yes looks a high value for money.