The Lord of the Wings: The Return of the Kid

I went to ‘hit the sales’ at Sports Direct in midweek – classy, I know – and at the entrance of the store was a variety of calendars; and low and behold, there, at the front, was a Fernando Torres one (fully clothed and in a Chelsea/Spanish kit I must add). With the reduced price of £1 I thought that was a decent snap-up, until the sight of some shiny boots took my eye and I wondered off.

All-in-all though, I bet non-Chelsea fans had a joke that the price resembles what the Blues should have paid for Torres or that nobody likes him hence the lack of sales. However, there is at least one fan of the Spaniard: me.

Yes I can admit that he hasn’t scored as many goals as we’d all like him to, but I think January will give him an opportunity to shine. With competitor Didier Drogba being involved in the African Cup of Nations, this will hopefully provide Torres with a string of matches in which he can adapt to Chelsea’s first team methods as well as slowly build up his confidence. This is of course, if manager Andre Villas-Boas can keep him on for the whole 90 minutes.

Torres has only notched in two Premier League goals this season but has contributed to a handful of Chelsea assists including his latest couple against Portsmouth in the FA Cup.

As mentioned on BBC Radio 5live last Sunday, Chelsea may also benefit if they play Juan Mata just behind a lone striker (perhaps Torres) and play the likes of Ramires in a wider role. This would then see the long awaited yet evidential partnership of the two Spanish aces in the centre of the field, but then again, where would Daniel Sturridge fit in?

I think time on the pitch is what Torres needs as well as a healthy string of matches. He has had 180 minutes in his last two games though, so here’s hoping for a 90 minute goal fest from the number nine against Sunderland tomorrow. And if I were a betting man (which I’m not), I would almost certainly think he’d score against Norwich City a week later.

And one last thing, if any of you are interested in a Fernando Torres calendar, check out your local Sports Direct, but hurry ‘cus a rush of goals could mean a rush of sales! Now, time to test my boots… 

Aaron Aquilina
@P_D_L_P