With Fernando Torres now at his boyhood club of Atletico Madrid, we thought it would be appropriate to look back at the good times he had in a Chelsea FC shirt. Torres struggled to find his killer Liverpool and Atletico form in a Chelsea FC shirt but he still had his flashes of brilliance.
He was never the same player we expected when we paid 50 million for him, but he popped up every now and then with an important goal or two. Sometimes he would do things that would make us all shout “He’s back!!” and totally believe it. Then he would go back to being his underwhelming self.
Other times he would score such fantastic goals that would make us all say “form is temporary but class is permanent”. Fernando Torres proved time and time again that he was still capable of magic, although it was much fewer and further in between than his prime.
This list is a tribute of sorts to El Nino and to all the great things he accomplished as a member of the Blues, even if he was not the star of the show.
Next: #10
10.
September 24th, 2011
Swansea City
Barclay’s Premier League
This goal, and this game, showed the good, bad, and ugly sides of Fernando Torres. The goal came at the end of a clever run in the Swansea City where Torres was found by, who else, Juan Mata who dinked the ball in to the Spaniard. Torres takes it smartly off his chest, swivels quickly, and fires a dart in to the back of the net.
It was Torres’s second in two games and he followed it up with a lovely “hockey assist” to Ashley Cole to set up Ramires’s goal. Just as he was beginning to click, Torres was sent off for an absurd two-footed challenge and any momentum he had built up was gone with a wave of the referee’s hand. The goal was still pure class though.
Next: #9
9.
March 31, 2012
Aston Villa
Barclay’s Premier League
In a season where he had only 11 goals, this was one of Fernando Torres’s best if not inconsequential goal. It was reminiscent of the Torres of old who would lead counter attacks and let it fly from just about anywhere on the pitch.
This goal came at the end of a thrilling 3-2 match but it was a smart finish at the end of a swift counter attack lead by Daniel Sturridge. He found Torres streaking along with him and laid it off to him in stride.
Torres takes a touch to steady himself and fired it across Shay Given and in to the net. It was a brilliant finish and the striker’s first Premier League goal in six months.
Next: #8
8.
April 11 2013
Rubin Kazan
Europa League
This goal came in the midst of Torres’s “best” seasons in a Chelsea FC shirt. He scored 22 goals in all competitions but he did so in 64 games so he kept up his one goal every three matches form from nearly every other season he was at Stamford Bridge.
Still, this was a cheeky finish by a player who was suddenly in impressive form. Many Chelsea fans believed that it was the mask he wore after injuring his nose and dubbed the new and improved striker “Zorres”.
He was feasting on weaker opposition in the Europa League and this goal was no different but it still took a good deal of confidence and touch to score from just outside the box.
The Rubin Kazan keeper was probably better off staying in his area but he made a mistake and Torres made him pay, something he did not do much of in his Chelsea FC career. It was also an important goal as Chelsea advanced past Kazan with a slim 5-4 margin.
Next: #7
7.
January 11, 2014
Hull City
Barclay’s Premier League
If the goal against Aston Villa was a glimpse at the Torres of old, this goal against Hull City was a full-on stare. With Chelsea FC leading Hull 1-0 courtesy of an Eden Hazard goal, Torres picked the ball up near the halfway line.
He maintained possession and ran at the defender and challenged him one on one. It was a bit slower and more methodical than his runs in a Liverpool shirt but the end result was the same.
The Hull defender gave him more and more space until he reached the box, took a deft touch to create space and toe poked the ball past the Hull keeper at his near post. It was a smart finish at the end of an excellent run that sealed the three points for the Blues.
Next: #6
6.
August 12, 2012
Manchester City
Community Shield
This was the goal that set the tone for the 2012-13 season for Torres in which he scored 22 goals in all competitions. Again it took him 64 games but this was a big match for the Blues and El Nino stepped up to the challenge.
It was an instinctive finish that he showed he is still capable of burying and he also had time to think about it as well.
After some nice work by Ramires just outside and inside the Manchester City box, he found Torres with a bit of space in front of Aleksander Kolarov and dinked the ball in to him.
Torres takes an excellent first touch to bring down the ball with his right foot and rather than smash it with his favored foot, he chips it over Costel Pantilimon with his left and wheels away in celebration.
Next: #5
5.
August 30, 2013
Bayern Munich
UEFA Super Cup
This goal proved that Fernando Torres could still score against the big boys. In a tense UEFA Super Cup and a rematch of the 2012 Champions League Final, El Nino came up big for the boys in blue. Torres received the ball in the Chelsea half from a Branislav Ivanovic throw-in and quickly played the ball to Eden Hazard.
The young Belgian did the majority of the leg work with an excellent run past a few Bayern defenders and made Philip Lahm and Jerome Boateng look downright silly. He then found Andre Schurrle outside the box down the right channel and laid the ball off to him.
Schurrle sent in a bouncing cross in and Torres smashes it on the half-volley past Manuel Neuer. It was an instinctive finish for a player who proved he can still score wonder goals when he does not have to think about it very much. Chelsea would go on to lose the match in penalties but at least El Nino did his part.
Next: #4
4.
December 8, 2012
Sunderland
Barclay’s Premier League
This goal is very similar to the goal scored against Bayern Munich but was slightly more impressive because of how he caught it on the volley. Against Bayern he had more of a chance to size up the bouncing cross but this goal against Sunderland was brilliant and instinctive.
Eden Hazard fizzed in a cross from the left side of the box and rather than try and head it in or bring it down off his chest, Fernando launches himself up and sticks out his right boot.
He times his jump just right and the ball comes off the bottom off his foot and past the Sunderland keeper. It was a killer goal from a Chelsea counter and a certified “golazo”.
Next: #3
3.
September 18, 2011
Manchester United
Barclay’s Premier League
This was a game that was a microcosm of Fernando Torre’s tenure at Chelsea FC. Throughout the match he worked hard and threatened the Manchester United goal with shots and nearly set up Ramires with a driven cross in front of David De Gea’s goal. He was so full of confidence that he even attempted a bicycle kick at some point but could not get it on target.
The goal he scored was one of pure beauty. He made a fantastic run off the should of the United centerback and was found by Nicolas Anelka’s perfect through ball. Torres does not take a touch but instead lets the ball run in front of him and he chips De Gea with his right foot for one of his best goals in a Chelsea shirt. It was a symbol of the highs he experienced as a Blue.
What came after encapsulated all that ever went wrong for Torres in London. He makes another smart run and this time Ramires sends in the perfect pass, then he dribbles and rounds the keeper with the goal gaping. With enough time to stop and make a cup of tea, Torres instead sends his shot in to the crowd and crumples in disbelief and agony.
The Old Trafford crowd cheered as if they had just scored a goal themselves and the shame and embarrassment radiated off the striker. Had it been a player in form who did not have the expectations placed on him, it would have been laughed off as a terrible miss but in Torres’s case, it was a symbol of all that could and did go wrong for him at Chelsea.
Next: #2
2.
May 13, 2013
Benfica
Europa League
This goal was is eerily similar to the goal at #1 and nearly as important. The Blues faced off against Benfica in the 2013 Europa League Final after an interesting European campaign that saw them knocked out of the Champions League Group Stage.
Torres was loving the Europa League and had scored six goals in just nine appearances. His final goal in the competition was the opener against the Portuguese in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. Petr Cech hoofed the ball upfield and it was knocked towards Torres by a wayward Benfica kick.
The Spanish striker showed impressive strength by fighting off centerback Luisao for the loose ball and was free on goal with just the keeper to beat. Torres showed excellent patience and skill to round Artur and finish with his right foot from a tight angle.
Chelsea needed a big man for a big occasion in their first final without Didier Drogba in nearly a decade and it was Fernando Torres who stepped up a year and some change after his epic goal against Barcelona.
Next: #1
1.
April 24, 2011
Barcelona
Champions League
You all knew this one was coming but you are still here to relive one of the great moments in Chelsea FC history from one of the most unlikely sources. The Blues were hanging on by a thread against Barcelona as the Blaugrana were banging down the door to try and book their place in the Champions League Final.
It was all hands on deck as the 10-man Chelsea side had every player behind the ball to try and protect their slim lead on away goals. In the middle of a Barca attack, Ashley Cole hoofs the ball upfield to Fernando Torres who was inexplicably behind any player in a blue and red shirt.
He raced on to the ball and showing a confidence we had seen little of prior to this moment, rounds Victor Valdes and slots the ball coolly in to the goal. The angst and relief on his face was evident to the millions watching around the world as the weight of his transfer fee and expectations all came tumbling off his shoulders, even if just for a moment.
It was one of many magic moments in the run to the Champions League title but it is one of the most iconic in the history of the competition as Chelsea took down another giant on their way to European glory.
Next: Demba Ba's Top 7 Goals For Chelsea FC