Useless. Flop. Goddamn waste of money. Adjectives are not too hard to come by when Fernando Torres is the topic of discussion. Few footballers have fallen as far and as fast as the former Liverpool hit man has in the past 2 seasons.

Once feared by the world’s finest defenders and revered by Kopites the world over, the Spanish striker has suddenly become something of a cruel joke in the Barclays Premier League. So indelibly has he left his mark in England that his very name has taken on added meaning in the English language:

Nando

Noun – an unbelievably easy goal scoring chance wasted due to woeful finishing.

Example: What a nando from Torres!

Verb – to miss an easy goal scoring opportunity by seemingly defying the laws of Physics.

Example: Dear god, please don’t let Torres nando this one.

But Chelsea didn’t shell out a whopping £50M for Torres to coin words. They need the troubled Spaniard to start hitting the back of the net with regularity. In order for that to happen however, they need to get Torres the one thing he desperately needs – a psychologist. What is psychology going to do that countless hours of training haven’t been able to? The answer is simple; rather than moaning every time Torres misses yet another golden opportunity, a psychologist will address the source of the problem. Consider these points:

1. Fitness

Many commentators like to claim that Torres “doesn’t look fit.” This, of course, is absolute bullshit. Fernando Torres has been available for selection for every single Chelsea game this season bar three – Bolton (away), Everton (home) and QPR (away). And even for those 3 games, he was not missing due to injury. Rather, Mr. Torres was serving a 3 game suspension after picking up a senseless red card versus Swansea.

So Torres is fit. And if even if you’re one of those nitpickers who distinguish between “fitness” and “match fitness” then we can still confidently say that Fernando Torres is match fit. The Spaniard has made 18 appearances in the league to date, even if quite a few have been from the bench. He’s been in the rough and tumble, he’s had to chase balls (haha!) and he’s also been given an extended run in the first team, especially with Didier Drogba off playing in the African Cup of Nations. Clearly then, Torres’ problem is not merely a physical one.

2. Talent

Is Chelsea simply asking too much of poor old Torres? Is Andre Villas Boas demanding the impossible? Hell no. We all saw what Torres did at Liverpool. Is the striker just “past it” then? Over the hill? Unlikely, at 27 years old the lad still has time on his side.

Admittedly, he has shown glimpses of his glorious best on occasion this season: small bursts of speed, clever assists as well as a few deft touches here and there have all been noticed and clutched at by desperate Chelsea supporters. Even if Torres’ performances have been dreadfully inconsistent, it is obvious that ability is not his major problem. He can do all the things he is being asked. He just isn’t.

The harsh reality, dear readers, is that Fernando Torres’ biggest obstacle to recapturing his former glory is his mentality. The man is royally screwed upstairs. Let us address 2 key issues:

1. Pressure

Is there anyone in the Premier League who is under more pressure right now than Fernando Torres? Perhaps not. The hapless duo of David de Gea and Steve Kean are in with a shout, but their troubles only began in August. Torres has been under considerable stress ever since the departure of Rafa Benitez from Liverpool in June 2010.

Hampered by niggling injuries after a goalless World Cup, Torres never really regained his explosive pace and sharpness under new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson. The drop in his on-field performance, coupled with on-going frustrations with then Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette ultimately led to his acrimonious transfer from Liverpool to Chelsea in January 2011.

But unknown to (or ignored by) Chelsea was the fact this this was not the Torres of old. Their new signing arrived in London with a lot of mental baggage. Torres was already under extreme pressure to recapture his lost form but now he also had to adjust to new surroundings, prove himself to a new club, face intense competition for a starting berth as well as justify his British record £50M price tag. Mix all of that with the ever present media pressure that hounds Premier League players on a daily basis and what you’re left with is a high-stress cocktail that few people can swallow.

Working in high pressure environments will always cause stress, and stress leads to anxiety. For world class athletes though, performance anxiety can be a motivating factor that’s spurs them to excellence. Increased anxiety leads to increased arousal and if this arousal is within the athlete’s optimal functioning zone, then it will lead to better performances. Pressure can bring out the best in football players. That is why we often see the best matches at major tournaments like the Euros, the Champions League or the World Cup (in the high pressure knockout rounds).

However, no one performs optimally under extreme pressure. Too much pressure will result in excessive arousal outside of the optimal functioning zone and that causes a significant drop in performance.

Fernando Torres needs to realize that being nervous is natural. He needs to harness his anxiety and use it constructively to improve his performances. He is simply becoming too worked up. He needs to relax. If he can’t manage to do that, his woeful form will continue to haunt him as the season progresses.

2. Confidence

Trying too hard without success leads to physical as well as mental frustrations and is a classic sign of a player in a slump. And let’s not ignore the facts; Fernando Torres is in a helluva slump. His confidence is shot. Scoring 2 goals in 23 games can do that to a guy. We can only imagine the mental turmoil he experiences each time he sees Andy Carroll ahead of him in the scoring charts.

The danger of suffering from low confidence is that the situation can quickly spiral out of control. Low confidence leads to a drop in motivation, which in turn causes decreased performance, ultimately resulting in even less confidence. It is like a vicious cycle, which if left unchecked, can completely destroy a player’s season or even his career.

So what can Torres do to help himself and get out of this rut? He needs to focus on the simple things. Uncomplicated gameplay will increase the chances that attempted actions or tasks are successful, resulting in elevated confidence levels. No more flick ons or backheels or stepovers for Pete’s sake. The groans of the crowd when those “tricks” fail to come off are far more damaging than you might think. Just run and shoot, Fernando. That’s all you have to do. Something is bound to go in sooner or later, and when it does you need to milk it and build from there.

As for you Chelsea FC, if you value your£50M investment at all, please get off your collective asses and get this man a shrink. “Run and shoot” is a simple enough command, but we wouldn’t want poor old Torres to take it out of context, now would we?

The author, Demetrie Thompson, is a lifelong football fan and the editor of What Is Psychology.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Fernando Torres, once renowned as one of the most feared strikers in world football now finds himself in a disastrous situation. Almost one year since his record breaking £50 million move to Chelsea, Torres has scored mere 5 goals i.e. cost £10 million per goal. The blues have been patient but not anymore as the reports suggest the Londoners are ready to sell him for £20 million. Where will the Spaniard go from here?

Manchester:

Surely Manchester City can afford Torres’s wages but they already have three top quality strikers in Aguero, Balotelli and Dzeko all in form so why sign a flop one.  Adding to that the Spaniard wants to play and at City he will only be able to make the bench warmer than he has been doing for Chelsea.

Sir Alex already has one problem sitting in the form of Berbatov, adding Torres to that, very unlikely. Besides United are not looking to spend much this winter, in case they do then by all means the priority should be a central midfield player. From Torres’s view point, the Liverpool connections might stop him from joining the Devils. Betrayed once for joining Chelsea and turned miserable, the second time he might just be cursed for life by the Liverpool fans.

North London

Harry Redknapp likes to sign players that are unhappy or unwanted at their clubs. Van Der Vaart, Adebayor, Robbie Keane, Jermaine Defoe etc. Torres well unwanted and unhappy, still he is beyond Tottenham’s pay bracket. They just won’t pay over the odds.

The scenario is quite similar with Tottenham’s closest rival Arsenal. Gunners did not bother listening Samir Nasri’s cry of increasing his salary equal to Fabregas’s £110,000 a week, never mind talking about £150,000 for Torres. Let’s say Torres will agree to take a pay cut but to what extent? He earned £110,000 at Liverpool, Arsenal surely not interested.

Liverpool

The fans are divided on this subject. Ever heard of a saying “Form is temporary, Class is permanent” maybe that’s not applicable on Chelsea flops? Some say Liverpool is the only club to get his confident back and start firing goals that the Reds have been missing largely. Others have the word “traitor” engraved in their minds forever when they hear his name. Kenny Dalglish has done a fantastic job of changing the dressing room environment which has been negative for quite some time. Again Torres return might badly influence that.

Spain

Being loyal to Atletico, Torres hates Real Madrid. Never mind, they don’t want him. Barcelona have the best Spanish striker in their ranks, signing currently the worst one not in their plans. All others cannot afford his salary except Malaga, but then did he not want to play for a “big club” or for now he just wants to play.

Others

Torres once claimed he’d like to play for Milan but the Rossoneri do not buy players lately, they only want them on loan. Never heard any flying rumors coming from Russia, Anzhi? Lastly PSG, if they can look to sign 36 years old Beckham for not so footballing purpose then why not Torres as he is Spain’s most marketable player.

David Villa, Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado are all there and realistically Torres as a bench warmer for blues will not guarantee his place in the Spanish squad for Euro 2012. It is not just that Chelsea have to sell him for their good, but Torres must leave for his.

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The top two go head to head on Sunday when Manchester United take on neighbours and arch rivals City at Old Trafford, and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have to be the call at odds-against.
 

Manchester Derby: The title decider?

Indeed it’s not often that United can be backed at 2.1 to win at home, but Boylesports and Victor Chandler go that price about the Red Devils bagging all three points in the Derby clash and regaining top spot in the league from Mancini’s men.
 
The stats are good as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have lost none of their last six games against the Citizens – winning five and drawing one.
 
United have also lost none of their last 25 league games at Old Trafford and have had by far the more testing fixtures of the two sides this season.
 
They have played -  and beaten – Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs and drew with Liverpool last week when Rooney was surprisingly left out of a defensive looking starting line-up.
 
City have only faced Spurs from last season’s top six and have so far had an easy run of games against inferior opposition. This will be the acid test for them
 
Michael Owen, who has scored seven goals in eight Premier League games against the Blues, may not figure in Ferguson’s starting line-up but given his record will surely make an appearance at some point and the 3.5 on offer with Victor Chandler about him scoring anytime looks attractive.
 
Predicting the score line is a really tough call as United have scored with a higher percentage of their shots than any other team in the Premier League (24%), while City are ranked second scoring with 20%.
 
That suggests that both sides could well find the back of the net, and United to win 2-1 is my idea of the outcome and that score line at 8.5 with bet365 and Victor Chandler.
 
 
There are two other games on Sunday that throw up some potentially interesting punts.
 

Arsenal v Stoke City: van Persie for the win!

The first features Arsenal who play host to Stoke at the Emirates, and are odds-on at 1.57 to win and continue their rise up the table after a poor start to the campaign.
 
The Gunners have won all three of their home matches against the Potters in the PL, and come into the game having won six of their last seven games at the Emirates in all competitions.
 
Stoke, on the other hand, have never excelled in away games against London clubs, winning three and losing 12 of their visits to the capital.
 
That makes Arsenal look “good things” to land the odds, but better value could lie in a couple of markets featuring their red-hot striker Robin van Persie.
 
The Dutchman’s double against Sunderland last weekend means that he has now scored 23  in 25 Premier League games in 2011, and it’s not hard to see him adding to that tally.
 
The red-hot striker is a 4.5 chance with Betfred, Boylesports, Paddy Power and Stan James to net the opener and that makes plenty of appeal.
 
However even better value surely has to be the even money (2) about him scoring anytime in the 90 minutes.
 
He is generally odds-on to do so and as short as 1.73 in a place. That makes the 2 on offer with Boylesports and Stan James look an absolute steal.
 
 

QPR vs Chelsea: The London derby, so to speak

Staying in London, Chelsea travel to near neighbours QPR and cannot be opposed at 1.4.
 
QPR are still awaiting their first home win in the Premier League this season and have won just one of the last 14 matches in all competitions against the Blues.
 
Neil Warnock’s side are difficult to predict as they have put in some good performances in beating Everton and Wolves away, but were woeful when hammered 4-0 by Bolton and 6-0 by Fulham.
 
By stark contrast, Chelsea are really beginning to find their stride and the decision by  Andre Villas-Boas to introduce fresh blood into his ageing squad is really beginning to pay dividends.
 
A 3-1 win over Everton was followed by a 5-0 romp against Genk in the Champions League and it’s impossible to see the Hoops being able to halt their winning run.
 
Chelsea have so far won all their five matches against teams in the bottom half of the league, and an in-form striker in Dean Sturridge who is now beginning to realise his full potential.
 
He has so far scored four goals in the PL means and looks worth a few quid at the 5.5 on offer with bet365 to net the opener.
 
Chelsea have now gone seven Premier League games without keeping a clean sheet for the first time since 2003, but this surely represents a chance to put things right.
 
They are 1.91 with bet365 not to concede, and that looks another good bet.
 

Liverpool vs Norwich: Three points for the Reds

On Saturday, Liverpool should prove too strong for Norwich in their clash at Anfield but at a top priced at 1.33 make little appeal from a punting perspective.
 
Kenny Dalglish’s side are now unbeaten in their last four, and sit just two points behind Newcastle in fifth spot in the league.
 
They will be eager to take over that coveted Champions League spot from the Magpies, and this is the type of encounter which they will surely win comfortably.
 
The visitors come into the game on the back of a 3-1 thrashing of Swansea and also have a number of key players missing through injury.
 
They will be without former England under-21 striker James Vaughan, ex-Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala, Elliot Ward, who are all suffering with knee injuries as well as centre-back Zak Whitbread will be absent with a pulled hamstring.
 
By stark contrast Liverpool don’t have any major injury worries, and with Stevie G pulling the strings in midfield should be able to create plenty of chances for Luiz Suarez and Andy Carroll.
 
However those two are plenty short enough in the first goals scorer market and the value bet has to be Charlie Adam at a standout 10 with bet365.
 
Adam is always a threat at set pieces, and is a short as 7 with many bookmakers to net first. The Stoke firm seem to have made a rick in pricing him up at 10 and he has to be worth an interest at those odds.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Bob Bradley has some decisions to make ahead of Gold Cup play.

When the U.S. scheduled today’s fixture with Spain they likely felt it would be a good tune up for a team destined to fight it out with Mexico for CONCACAF supremacy in the coming weeks. Spain got a brace from Santi Cazorla and goals from Negredo and Fernando Torres to down the host 4-0 ahead of their Gold Cup opener against Canada on Tuesday.

What happened in Boston today was nothing less than a confidence shaker. Playing most of the match with their reserves, the U.S. were undone by a four goal performance from the reigning world champions on the backs of a number of outstanding performances from a mix of Spain’s “A” and “B” level players.

The U.S. was outclassed at every step of the match. In every phase the Spanish giants dominated, and while that’s not a surprise, the level of dominance was disheartening.

The U.S. could not generate anything in the first 45 minutes playing without eventual second half subs Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley and missing Donovan the entire match due to illness. Without three of their best players the U.S. surrendered an astonishing amount of possession and paid the price.

Game thoughts:

- Despite the personnel, playing a flat 4-4-2 was an awful decision from Bob Bradley. Refusing to give cover to an exposed backline killed the U.S. and resulted in open lanes for late runners which produced two of the four Spain goals.

- Defense is a glaring issue for the U.S. Conceding goals to Spain is one thing but to not pressure and to have poor marking, especially in the middle, is unacceptable and could hurt against the better teams in the Gold Cup. The Oguchi Onyewu/Tim Ream pairing was not good. Neither player did well and without cover the Spanish attackers had a field day.

- Dempsey and Bradley coming on in the second half brought better spells for the U.S. with the passing and possession getting better.

- Today’s individual performances from some of the younger players should give the U.S. some cause for concern. Sacha Kljestan, Robbie Rogers, Jozy Altidore and Eric Lichaj had some bad moments in the match. Some of these players will be called upon to contribute heavily in the Gold Cup and their individual effort was not good today. While no U.S. player had a good day these guys stood out to me as not doing well.

- On the positive side, I thought there was some good play from Chris Wondolowski and Juan Agudelo. The inexperienced forwards found some spots and tested the Spanish defense. Wondolowski put himself in a number of good spots in the second half and Agudelo was one of the few Yanks willing to go at Spain’s defense.

Going forward its unclear how this game will be received by the U.S. team but it’s tough to say they’ll take too many positives from it. Playing tough competition is a good thing in general but from the outside looking in this could be a confidence shaking match for the Americans.

Bradley has some decisions to make regarding player and formation decisions. While a 4-4-2 could work in the group stage, playing that style against an attacking team like Mexico could be death to the Yanks’ Gold Cup chances.

One thing’s for sure, it will be interesting to see the U.S. and Bradley’s response Tuesday when Gold Cup play starts against Canada.

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com and contributes to Soccerlens.com for the Gold Cup. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It is beyond doubt that Kenny Dalglish’s reintroduction to the Anfield faithful has provided the catalyst for a sparkling run of form that has seen Liverpool win six and lose just two of their last nine league games. But what has actually altered on the pitch for The Reds to now find themselves just four points off the Champion’s League place that seemed unfeasible under Roy Hodgson?

When Dalglish first took the hot seat, he experimented with a 3-5-2 formation, which saw Glen Johnson switching from his familiar right-back slot, to a more unconventional left wing-back role. This particular tactical switch saw mixed results; however this was a clear indication that Dalglish wanted to do away with the 4-2-3-1 formation originated under Rafa Benitez. Dalglish presumably felt getting the best from Steven Gerrard involved the Liverpool captain playing from a more traditional central midfield role, without losing the security of two more rigid, holding midfield players.

Gerrard and record signing Andy Carroll’s recent injuries have forced Dalglish’s hand in some ways into reverting to a traditional 4-4-2 system. And it is in this style the joint record league winners have attained success. Johnson switched back to his more familiar responsibility, while Lucas and Raul Meireles have been charged with dictating Liverpool’s tempo. Dirk Kuyt has switched from his hard working role on the right of midfield into that of a penalty box striker, and this switch has been rewarded with 9 goals in his last 8 league games.

Additionally, Maxi Rodriguez is beginning to show the form that once made him a regular in the Argentinian national side, providing goals and creativity from the wide areas culminating in two hat tricks in his last three appearances.

But it is the introduction of another big money forward that has seemed to spark life into a previously impotent attack. Luis Suarez, the villain of the summer’s World Cup finals, has made an instant impact on Merseyside, showing the quick feet, low centre of gravity and penalty area nous that made him one of Europe’s most sought after strikers. Compared to the toiling, sullen frame of Fernando Torres in his last 18 months at Anfield, Suarez is a breath of fresh air which began with a goal on his debut and has showed little sign of halting.

Opta reports show Liverpool score 2.20 goals per game with Suarez, whilst only mustering 1.28 goals without him, an instant return on at least part of the nearly 20 million pounds Liverpool splashed out on him. Dalglish will have a pleasant problem on his hands when Carroll and Gerrard return to fitness, both in terms of formation and personnel.

Regardless of this current resurgence, Liverpool have lost 12 games to date (10th May 2011), which is indisputably far too many for a team who’s tag as one of the ‘Big Four’ is without doubt under threat. And it is only the inconsistency of the league in general which has allowed them to get as close as they have to the hallowed fourth place. With this in mind, it would be interesting to gauge from those connected to the club in particular whether this push for an unlikely European place is enough to deem the season a success or whether ultimately, another season away from Europe’s top table is deemed a failure.

However this season is evaluated, it is surely only a matter of time before Dalglish finds himself having to deal with the real pressure of filling the position on a permanent basis, with all the expectations that being the manager of Liverpool brings with it.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In my previous article, I argued that the process by which we decide who the world’s best players are has been grossly distorted.

A combination of mainstream media hype (backed up with its ‘statistics’ – often little more than a ruse to get people gambling) and a nostalgic longing for the return of the great playmaker – a natural human urge towards hierarchy and order expressed on the pitch by those players who, commentators love to remind us, ‘dictate the tempo of the match’ (Spain) or ‘make the difference’ (England) – has reduced the role of the fan to that of consumer.

Abandoning our reason, we channel our passions into the banal tunnels dug by sensationalist pundits salivating over inane comparisons, half-witted ‘match analysis’ and pure marketing hype.

We’re forgetting that the beauty of football lies in the sheer multiplicity of possibilities abounding on the field; the best player does not always run the fastest, score the most or tackle the hardest. They need not even play for the best teams.

Now, with the increasing tendency towards a more ‘total’ form of football, we can appreciate more than ever the sheer variety of players whom we can admire and applaud. Here’s the first part of a list of the best 25:

1. 25. Thomas Muller



A classic German international, Muller’s poise, pace and shooting mean he is comfortable in virtually any attacking position. A fine World Cup on the back of a remarkable breakthrough season at Bayern Munich got him noticed beyond the Bundesliga; Bayern’s struggles this year have kept him out of the international spotlight, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more efficient forward in world football today.

Video: Thomas Muller Best of 2009/2010 at Bayern Munich

2. 24. Robinho



The prodigious Brazilian’s troubled career appears to be settling, at last, in Italy. The forward’s movement and trickery appears, strangely, to flourish more in Serie A than either the English Premier League – where he was considered a flop at Manchester City – or La Liga.

Video: Robinho Highlights

3. 23. Radamel Falcao



The Colombian international is the focal point of a Porto attack which has swept all before it in the Portuguese Liga and the Europa League this season (he is the top scorer in both). The striker’s devastating scoring exploits are beginning to draw comparison with those of Mario Jardel; a player with good movement, excellent finishing, a good deal of power and sound decision-making, Falcao also boasts a frightening ability to score memorable back-heeled goals. Big offers are expected over the summer.

Video: Radamel Falcao Goals

4. 22. Arjen Robben



It has often been said that only niggling injuries has held Robben back from being recognised as one of the best wingers in history. Having played at Real Madrid and positively shone at times for Chelsea, one might be forgiven for thinking the Holland international has gone off the radar a little at Bayern Munich. Nothing could be further from the truth. The dazzling Dutchman is still one of the deadliest wide men in the game.

Video: Robben Still Has It

5. 21. Carlos Tevez



Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes Sir Alex Ferguson has made in recent years was that of the British public at large: namely, thinking that the combative Argentine is little more than a second option for Wayne Rooney. Cleverer and stronger in front of goal than the Englishman, Tevez has since flourished across at Manchester City, but appears to be hankering for a move back to Argentina. The Premiership will be that little weaker without him.

Video: Carlos Tevez 2009/2010 Manchester City Goals

6. 20. Ramires



After a slow start to his Chelsea career, the Brazil international is turning into an instrumental player for the London club. The fact that he seems to always get used as a foil for someone else in midfield (at former club Benfica, he was used to help an extremely attacking 4-4-2 function by combining the role of right-winger with defensive midfield) overlooks his ability to make timely runs into the box to score crucial goals, as well as good technical ability which has seen him stand out against nominally similar players like Michael Essien.

Video: Ramires vs Blackburn (15 Jan 2011)

7. 19. Luka Modric



The Croatian international sometimes gets left in the wake of Gareth Bale’s trailblazing runs or Rafael van der Vaart’s spectacular goals, but he is a fundamental component of the most exciting Spurs side in years. Bursting with flair and ingenuity on the ball, Modric epitomizes the importance of a player who can construct moves from deep, picking put the runs of more advanced forwards. The kind of player who makes things happen without always being noticed. The kind of player who belongs on this list.

Video: Luka Modric Compilation

8. 18. Fabio Coentrao



One of the most exciting prospects in Europe, Coentrao’s career began on the left wing. Manager Jorge Jesus controversially converted him to left-back early last season and since then, the Portugal international has blossomed. His ferocious pace and relentless desire to bomb forward at any opportunity are perfectly balanced by a never-say-die attitude which masks his (improving) technical shortcomings as a defender. With a sweet left foot and an eye for goal too, Coentrao is arguably the most complete full-back in the world.

Video: Fabio Coentrao: Marauding Left-Back

9. 17. Fernando Torres



Though this may seem like a strange time to be sticking Torres anywhere near a list of the best players in the world, greatness doesn’t vanish overnight. It doesn’t even disappear over the course of one season. Rather, what we are seeing with Torres is the combination of a) a gradual decline, which has perhaps come a couple of years earlier than you might expect for a player of his age; b) poor form, which has lasted, loosely, since the end of last season; and c) difficulty adjusting to new technical systems – this is a player who has had to endure the dismal tenure of Roy Hodgson, the shift to Kenny Dalglish and then a move to Chelsea all in one season. Expect him to recover, if gradually.

Video: Fernando Torres 2009/2010 Compilation

10. 16. Gareth Bale



Though the ‘Balemania’ earlier this season has thankfully subsided, the Welshman’s meteoric rise has to be recognized as one of the most exciting developments in English football this season. The PFA Player of the Year’s pace, power and unstoppable left foot have marked him out as one of Europe’s most sought-after players. Could he cut it abroad? Judging by the manner in which he sliced open Inter Milan, you’d have to imagine ‘yes’.

Video: Gareth Bale 2010/2011

11. 15. Sami Khedira



The German international is arguably the unsung hero at Jose Mourinho’s new-look Real Madrid – while Ronaldo hoards the acclaim with goals and Xavi Alonso gets the purists drooling with passes, Khedira’s all-round ability in midfield goes relatively unnoticed. Strong in the tackle, good on the ball and with a remarkable ability to read the game for a relatively young player, the German international is arguably the most important member of Madrid’s midfield. His versatility is particularly important when Mourinho adopts a more cautious, lopsided midfield diamond which relies heavily on a central midfield player being able to combine his role with that of a wide player (see also Ramires, number 20 on this list).

Video: Sami Khedira in 2010

12. 14. Nani



Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s a Portuguese winger who ‘goes down too easily’. Perhaps it’s because his name sounds reads like ‘Nanny’ to the English eye. Perhaps it’s because he isn’t Ronaldo. Who knows why the mercurial Manchester United wide man is not being universally lauded for a series of fine displays which have carried Manchester United towards the Premier League title.

True, the Portugal international does still have the occasional tendency to gallop around like a headless chicken but, for the most part, the ingenious trickery, pace and goal threat are now combined extremely effectively. More productive as well as more creative than Antonio Valencia, who appears to have shunted him to the left flank, Nani’s sheer unpredictability mark him out as a winger in the classic sense of the word.

Video: Nani 2008/2009

13. 13. Dani Alves



True to the spirit of a list which recognises players who are able to perform in more than one position at once, Alves does more than merely conjure images of Cafu. Having displaced Maicon at right-back for th Brazilian national team, the Barcelona man is now widely regarded as the best right-back in the world. His ability to defend the right flank yet appear to spend an entire game in the opponent’s half is a testament to the sheer pace and stamina of the man, whose phenomenal work ethic provides Barca with a vital outlet out wide.

Video: Dani Alves 2009/2010 Highlights

14. 12. Ezequiel Lavezzi



Arguably one of the most under-rated players in European football. Lavezzi’s combination of pace, power and trickery has finally been harnessed by Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri, who allows the Argentinian a floating role coming in from the left flank. The sheer competition for places, combined with his until now uncertain role has kept him out of the national team’s first eleven, but Lavezzi – whose abundant skill is not always matched by great finishing – is the kind of rough diamond (see Riquelme, Veron, Ortega) who inspires the adulation of fans in his home country. Here’s a snippet of what the man can do:

Ezequiel Lavezzi: 2010/2011 Compilation

15. 11. Xavi



Not much needs to be said about the Barcelona and Spain playmaker. Allying superb vision to a sure touch and the battling spirit so typical of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, Xavi is arguably the one player able to distract the attention of pundits away from Lionel Messi to and extent which unfairly detracts from the merits of other members of the side. The mark of a great player.

Video: Best of Xavi Hernandez

And here are the The Top Ten

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Failure to find the back of the net once again, this time versus Wigan, has seen the goal drought of Fernando Torres extend to a remarkable twelve (12) hours.

I had concerns about Torres’ transfer to Chelsea in the first place and now that the Spaniard is continuing to frustrate in front of goal, I’ve decided to outline the key issues that made this transfer a bad idea for Torres and for Chelsea and how Liverpool was the unsuspecting benefactor.

(1) Fernando Torres Wasn’t Needed to Begin With…

Prior to the signing of Torres, Chelsea had four (4) senior strikers on their books- Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge. Ancelotti played a consistent 4-3-3 at the time with Anelka positioned on the right side of a central Drogba in a front trident, leaving Kalou and Sturridge on the bench. So, there was enough personnel at the manager’s disposal. Yes, the strikers were displaying erratic form in front of goal and still are, mind you, but could there have possibly been another solution to that problem, besides bringing in a fifth striker in Torres? That brings us to the next issue.

(2) Buying a Striker Was the Wrong Option…

Chelsea’s central midfield includes the likes of Ramires, Michael Essien, John Mikel Obi, Yossi Benayoun, Frank Lampard and Joshua McEachran. Benayoun and Lampard were out for a while due to injury, leaving Ramires, Essien, Obi and McEachran as the club’s primary midfield options and even so, it’s hard to count McEachran, given the fact that he was hardly given an opportunity. On occasion though, we saw Malouda occupy a midfield role in an attempt to fill the void left by Lampard and Benayoun.

Them aside, the popular choice in Ancelotti’s three-man midfield during Lampard and Benayoun’s absence was Obi, Essien and Ramires. Those three players are not naturally creative players. They are defensive midfielders. Strikers like Drogba and Anelka are strikers who thrive on the creativity of midfield. A lack thereof because of a three-man defensive midfield saw them deprived of the service that is critical to their goalscoring form.

In a situation like that, Ancelotti needed a striker who would drop deep to pick the ball up from midfield and run at defenders with it into the final third. That way, he would’ve been relying on his own creative ability rather than the lack thereof in midfield. Kalou is capable of this and seeing that his  style of play is best suited to that of a wing-forward, he would’ve been better suited to the wide right role Anelka occupied. Although hardly involved of late, it is worth noting that he has seven (7) league goals and three (3) league assists- one (1) more than Anelka and the same amount as Anelka, respectively.

Daniel Sturridge, currently on  loan at Bolton Wanderers, is not only capable of this as well, but he is doing it to devastating effect at the moment. Had he been given more of an opportunity at his parent club, he would’ve done a fine job through the middle in place of Drogba. Florent Malouda has been in a bad run of form of late, but as there were few other options available, he would’ve had to continue on the left flank. Thus, the front trident would have consisted of Kalou, Sturridge and Malouda.

Given that solution, Ancelotti could have made one of two (2) choices- (1) Stick with that tactic until his creative midfielders returned from injury or (2) Buy a creative midfielder if he felt he couldn’t trust Kalou and Sturridge over Anelka and Drogba. Buying a striker, however, was a bad choice. Buying Torres at this point in time, was even worse.

(3) The Torres of Today is NOT the Torres of Yesteryear…

This is not similar to the case of Andriy Shevchenko. We’re not talking about a striker who has failed to adapt to the rigors and style of play of the Barclays Premier League. Fernando Torres became an instant hit and fans’ favorite at Anfield. Goals were flying in here, there and everywhere off the laces of the Spaniard’s boot. A fantastic return of over thirty (30) goals in his first season at the club was vivid evidence of this. Torres had absolutely no problem adapting to the league.

Some time ago, however, he raised a concern- he could only play the English game for so long, given the strain it put on his body. It was dismissed somewhat at that point in time, given the fact that he was still banging in the goals. He had an astonishing scoring record at Anfield and he was among the fastest players to score fifty (50) Premier League goals.

Long-term, however, those words of warning rang true. The year before the World Cup, Torres experienced persistent injury problems that kept him out for long spells at a time. Those injury problems, inevitably, affected his brilliant form for Liverpool and later at the World Cup with Spain, his lack of fitness and form was made more apparent to the watching world. Since then, he has struggled to recapture the kind of devastating form that made him synonymous with Liverpool and cherished by all at the club.

Injuries are not only to blame for the slump of this once deadly striker. Problems on and off the pitch at Liverpool also took a swipe at his confidence. A change of ownership and the sacking of two (2) managers did little to build what little confidence Torres had. Nine (9) league goals and two (2) league assists were all he mustered for Liverpool this season.

His unhappiness at the club was clear for all to see. An exit from Anfield seemed inevitable. Chelsea were long-term admirers, finally saw a window of opportunity to get their man and snatched at the fifty (50) million pound chance. Both Chelsea and Torres displayed a bit of naivety and desperation here and they are paying the price, literally. Chelsea spent a British record fee on the idea of Fernando Torres, not the modern day real thing. Their season was going up in flames, the manager was coming under increasing pressure and they thought the old Torres would swoop in and become the focal point of a late surge to success. Torres was eager to get out of Anfeld. He wanted to challenge for silverware and was not willing to wait on the new John W. Henry regime to pay its dividends. He heard of Chelsea’s interest and jumped at the chance. Both parties reacted in a  knee-jerk manner.

The benefactor in all of this is Liverpool. After all, they got rid of an unhappy and out of form player and gained fifty (50) million pounds in the process! Surely, that’s good business.

How Can Chelsea Get the Best Out of Fernando Torres?

Fernando Torres is a striker who plays off the shoulder of the last defender. He relies heavily on the creativity of midfield. Thus, the return to fitness of Lampard and Benayoun is key to the Spaniard returning to some kind of goalscoring form. Also to be considered is the fact that Torres does not play particularly well with a partner. This was overlooked by Chelsea. At Liverpool, Steven Gerrard was a large part of why Torres proved to be such a success at Anfield. The Spaniard thrived on the opportunities that Gerrard created for him. Torres enjoyed being the focal point of the attack.

At Chelsea, Ancelotti can take a similar approach. He may not have Gerrard, but he has Lampard and Benayoun. Either of them would do a good job playing “in the hole” behind Torres in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 setup. Torres would be the lone striker in the starting eleven (11). Just one goal can kick-start an excellent revival for Torres. After all, look at Bayern Munich’s Mario Gomez now since his tap-in for Germany a little while back. It’s not impossible for Torres. All he needs is a break- a tap-in, a clear-cut opportunity. As long as the player “in the hole” does his job and as long as Torres gets to play his favored role as a lone striker, there will be many chances to come.

Drogba, Anelka and company won’t be too happy about it, but the Chelsea hierarchy would have only themselves to blame for that. Either way, Carlo Ancelotti has to do something to get the best out of someone who is quickly becoming the country’s most expensive flop and Liverpool’s best and probably only reason to look back at this season and laugh heartily.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Fernando Torres has now gone nine Chelsea appearances without scoring a single goal. He has appeared three times in the Champions League and made six appearances in the Premiership where he has started all but one league game. So why is El Nino failing to live up to his prolific goal scoring reputation?

Just like Didier Drogba, Torres has been used to playing within a set-up where he is the primary figure and is almost always the first choice. Since arriving in the Premiership, Torres has scored 65 times and accompanied with his impressive performances throughout the qualification for Euro 2008 and South Africa 2010, there is no doubt Fernando is one of the top front men in the world.

Old Torres

During Torres’s time at Anfield, he was paired with a variety of partners but Torres has usually benefited when he receives the most service, playing as a lone striker. It is no secret that Torres was in his best form when he worked together with Steven Gerrard. With Stevie’s influential presence and precision passing they quickly became acquainted with each others game and began reading off one and others movement.

Unfortunately, both Torres and Drogba play through the middle and although their styles are very different, the positions they take up and want to make are very similar. They both enjoy playing along the back line and playing them together could lead them to cramp each other’s space.

Therefore, since Fernando’s arrival, Ancellotti has played around with different formations but has yet to find a suitable match to maximize their number 9’s ability.

Tactical Crisis

One example is the 2-1 win over Manchester United, where Ancellotti opted for a 4-4-2 in which Torres partnered Anelka. Despite Chelsea taking the three points, the forwards struggled throughout the game, failing to gain any understanding off each other and the 4-4-2 formation only served to limit Frank Lampard from pushing forward without having the security of two holding midfielders behind him. Like Gerrard, you get the best out of Frank when he is playing as a ‘second striker’. However, when he sits in a 4-4-2 midfield role, he is restricted to delicately balancing out his attacking and defensive duties.

Furthermore, Ancellotti has had a dilemma when he has wished to play a more attacking formation with 4-3-2-1, which is how Chelsea went out against Fulham. Having two attacking wingers is productive if you have the suitable attacking players, who can take up that role, but Torres and Anelka cannot play on the wing and Drogba has never expressed his delight at playing in that position either.

The Future

So here comes the million pound question, what is the best attacking formation for Chelsea?

For a start Ancellotti should not be trying to force his three strikers to play together simple because he feels he cannot afford to leave two of them out. History has shown us that Fernando Torres is most effective as a lone striker and receiving 100% of the service. You increase your yield from Torres further if you play with an attacking midfielder who acts the second striker; Steven Gerrard played this role for Liverpool. Moving to Chelsea has given Torres the chance to play a similar role, with Lampard acting as second striker.  However, Ancellotti has yet to try this formation out. The reason for this is two-fold. One, a total overhaul of a system that has been so effective for Chelsea would be shortsighted and dangerous, and two, Ancellotti simple cannot afford so late on in the season to be dropping two of his three strikers.

Ultimately a team cannot be changed for one player, but then again if Drogba and Anelka were to leave, Torres would become the focal point of Chelsea’s attack leaving him to play as a lone striker.

But if Drogba sticks around for another season, they must either adapt to their game and learn to play together or Carlo Ancellotti must take the gamble and start playing Torres own his own.

Any critic will tell you Fernando Torres will score for Chelsea and he will retain his devastating form that destroyed Premier League defences in his initial seasons in the Premiership. When this will happen is dependent on where Torres is played; whether with Lampard as a second striker or with Drogba. If it is the latter, it’s crucial they begin to play together otherwise Chelsea will continue to struggle with finding a suitable formation through to the beginning of 2011-2012 season.

If you were Ancelotti, what formation would you choose?

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Soccerlens writer Oliver Neto looks at what might happen in the clash of Premier League powerhouses, Chelsea v Manchester United, in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Pre-amble

ITV’s reliably philosophical approach to match previews does not disappoint, with Marcel Desailly’s classically Sartrean eye for the irrelevant ambling manfully through his broken English towards a fundamental point before Andy Townsend produces a verbal tackle reminiscent of his playing days to steal the initiative: ‘United are top of the table, but I tell you what, ‘ang on, Marcel, I tell you what, if they can get bodies in that United box and whip some balls into Drogba, Chelsea will fancy it tonight.’. Poor Marcel winces before brandishing a charming Gallic smile of acquiescence. Balls will be whipped in, Marcel, whether you like it or not.

Pitch-side, Carlo Ancelotti, having emerged from a mysterious puff of smoke, unfurls an enormous Cuban cigar before taking his seat in the dugout, putting his feet up and looking serious. Upon being asked to put out the offending item, the Italian replies, ‘This game may be in England, but I think you will find that this is a European fixture. Perhaps you forget my Champions’ League titles with Milan. My team was filled with ageing local heros, we underperformed dismally in the league and played much less attractive football than we were capable of. And I smoked cigars. Things will not change. I have coached AC Milan and now Chelsea. I have powerful friends.’

First-Half

Sir Alex Ferguson’s esoteric vision of a ‘tough’ away tie should have offered a glimpse of what he had planned. United operate a conservative 4-6-0 formation, with Wayne Rooney as a left-winger-striker and Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and academy director Brian McClair packed into midfield. Antonio Valencia breaks a metatarsal in the warm-up but still starts on the right. Nani is benched.

Carlo Ancelotti lines up in what appears to be a straight 4-4-2. ‘They’re going for it tonight, Chelsea’ – Townsend.

10^th minute: After 10 minutes of huffing and puffing from both sides, Paul Scholes’ late challenge (roughly thirty seconds) on Florent Malouda pushes Clive Tyldesley to the brink of commentary box orgasm: ‘Oh, it really feels like a good old-fashioned English Cup tie, this!’. Naturally, thunderous challenges, long punts upfield and endless crossing is just what we want from Europe’s crème de la crème.

16^th minute: Michael Carrick begins smacking 50-yard passes in the general direction of Rooney. Rooney actually gets near one of them, and Branislav Ivanovic is forced to come and help Jose Bosingwa. ‘That’s what we expect from Carrick, for him to stamp his authority on a match like this – and Rooney’s work-rate has been absolutely sensational’ – Co-commentator Jim Beglin.

23^rd minute: Bosingwa gives the ball straight to Rooney, who blasts a shot wide. ‘You just can’t keep Rooney out of a game like this!’ – Tyldesley.

31^st minute: Nemanja Vidic and Didier Drogba go for a 50-50 ball near the touchline. Three minutes of furious shirt-tugging and shoulder-barging later, Drogba wins a throw. The remaining 20 players finish the spontaneous tea party begun during their wait and resume the game. Rooney feels particularly strongly that he should have been allowed more time to enjoy his Fondant Fancy, and makes his feelings known to a pitchside cameraman.

37^th minute: Ramires brushes off Carrick and sends a poor cross into the box, but Vidic’s clearance hits Malouda in the face. The ball falls to Torres six yards out and he powers home a glorious finish. Chelsea are ahead, the champions are shaken and Torres’ Chelsea career is finally up and run… – Oh. Torres was about three yards offside. Nevermind, still 0-0, and there is now something to discuss at half-time.

Half-time arrives with neither side holding any significant advantage, but there have been lots of tackles and the referee has been surrounded by swearing players twenty-six times. So plenty for Marcel Desailly and Andy Townsend to discuss.

Desailly: I like Malouda. A lot. And Drogba. Drogba is playing really well. Did you say how he fought Vidic on the ball? Fantastique. And Evra. Evra is trying but he cannot play. Anelka stop him.

Townsend: Well, it’s been a little bit tetchy, little bit bitty – United come here tryin’a hold the line, keep Chelsea out and they’ve done that pretty well. Chelsea – little bit o’ nerves coming in but they started brightly, good understanding between Frankie Lampard and Ramires…I just think that if they can stop tryin’a pass their way through United and just get it out wide to Malouda, get some bodies in there to support Drogba, they can whip some balls in and put United under pressure. They’re cruising at the moment, United.

Second-Half

No substitutions, except for the chewing gum Sir Alex Ferguson has placed in his mouth, having scraped the previous one off the back of his right pre-molar and shamelessly stuck somewhere in David Luiz’s abundant mane.

47^th minute: Torres gives Chris Smalling the slip and fires a shot which is brilliantly blocked by Edwin van der Sar. ‘Ooh, he’s sharpening his sights!’ – Tyldesley.

53^rd minute: United’s midfield looks flat, Rooney starts throwing his arms in the air and Ryan Giggs and Anderson begin warming up.

56^th minute: Ferguson sends on Ryan Giggs for Valencia, but orders Anderson to keep warming up.

60^th minute: Rooney slaloms his way past Bosingwa and Essien before looping a cross over Cech, only for John Terry to fly in with an acrobatic header away from the waiting Giggs. ‘There’s just no stopping Rooney when he’s in this form!’ – Beglin.

63^rd minute: As Anderson starts tucking in his shirt and jumping up and down on the touchline next to the fourth official, Paul Scholes lunges wildly and Essien and is sent off. Anderson sits down again.

70^th minute: A long punt into the box from Ashley Cole isn’t cleared properly. The ball falls to Lampard in, who hits the bar. Clive Tyldesley screeches in shock that the normally effervescent Lampard should miss such an important chance.

76^th minute: Ancelotti sends on Salomon Kalou to cheer up a sulky Didier Drogba.

81^st minute: Sir Alex casually wanders over to the linesman and mutters something. The foreign linesman evidently doesn’t understand the insinuation, so the United manager holds up three fingers before shuffling off angrily.

85^th minute: It’s all Chelsea by this point, with Kalou making inroads and having a couple of shots saved by van der Sar. ‘Chelsea turning the screw on United – can they hold out??’ – a breathless Tyldesley.

90^th minute: Three minutes of injury time awarded. Ancelotti, impassive, lights a final cigar and asks David Luiz to come down from the stands so as to stroke his hair.

92^nd minute: A long punt from Vidic leads to Rooney shrugging off Ivanovic before playing in Giggs, who hits the side netting after his shot is deflected. The referee whistles for full time. Sir Alex Ferguson is incensed, Ancelotti’s cigar runs out and he does not appear to find the gum in David Luiz’s hair, which by now will probably have solidified into a tough, lumpen mass. Much like the two teams on the field.

Final Score: 0-0

Watch out for the Chelsea v Manchester United preview on Tuesday, and you can win £100 simply by placing a bet through us!

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Since his record-breaking transfer to Chelsea, Fernando Torres has been compared to many former big-money strikers – from Shevchenko (by one of Soccerlens’ own) to Chris Sutton.

And after a low-key debut against Liverpool where the tactics of both sides were analysed to death (although few remembered that Steve Clarke, the former Chelsea assistant coach, now works with Dalglish), it’s worth remembering another record signing who took more than just a few games (almost two seasons to be exact) to find his feet at his new ‘big’ club – Dimitar Berbatov (who is, according to the latest sports betting from BetUS, odds-on favourite to finish top goalscorer in the Premier League this season – what a turnaround from the last two seasons!).

Like Torres, Berbatov angled for a move away from Tottenham when he realised that a) Tottenham weren’t good enough at the time to challenge for the league title and b) there was a bigger club waiting to sign him. Although Berbatov didn’t suffer from as poor a run in form before his move as Torres, he took his bloody time at making a transition from being the most important player for his club to being one of three-four strikers the manager could call upon.

The similarities with Berbatov are there in age too – Berbatov was 27 when he moved to United, and called it his final move in his career (or his final ‘big’ move, in any case). Torres will turn 27 in March, and with his contract he’s unlikely to be pitching up tent anywhere else for the next 3-4 years.

Torres, like Berbatov before his move to Manchester United, was always given the main striking duties for his club. His role at Chelsea is different, and he’ll take time to adapt. For the sake of Chelsea fans, hopefully it will be this season or at worst, start of next season. He’s already proving to be a valuable commercial asset selling plenty of shirts, but for a player who aspires to challenge for titles, he’ll need to start scoring goals soon.

With other quality strikers alongside him he may not reach the same prolific heights as he did for that season with Liverpool, but terrorise Vidic again and score 20 goals every season and you’ve more or less paid back your transfer fee…in about 5 years. Unless he helps them win the league title or the Big Cup, although looking at Chelsea’s squad they’ll need to improve performances or strengthen again if they are to mount a convincing challenge for either title.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News