Scousers keep their wits as former hero falls flat
While some ridiculed Fernando Torres, the former Kop idol now cast as a modern day Judas, the slogan ‘He who betrays will also walk alone’ appeared to most accurately articulate the feeling among Reds fans that they had been let down badly by a player they believed would remain loyal to the cause.
In the few days since his record breaking transfer Torres has done a good job of dismantling any misplaced ideas that the modern day footballer is anything other than a clinical professional. Explaining his desire to leave Liverpool, the Spain forward made it clear that emotion played little or no part in his decision.
As far as he was concerned, the previous Liverpool owners had failed to deliver on promises to add to the squad from a position of strength and, with the club having declined, Torres now believes Chelsea are more likely to offer him the chance to pack his personal trophy cabinet.
Clinical and cold eyed. Just like the striker’s approach in front of goal, in fact.
Or rather, just like the striker’s approach used to be when he made a very strong case to be regarded as the deadliest player in the world. Torres’ edge has been blunted by injuries and a lack of motivation over the past 12 months, prompting the questions last week about which Torres Chelsea had bought.
Carlo Ancelotti had no doubt the 26-year-old forward can quickly recover his best form and, together with Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, provide the Stamford Bridge club with an enviable frontline.
Torres was almost immediately given the chance to prove his new manager’s judgment is spot on when he was presented with a wonderful chance to mark his debut with a goal after just 90 seconds.
Maybe the Liverpool players didn’t have time to stage a whip-round and get Torres a leaving present because there was no other explanation for Maxi Rodriguez’s hopelessly misplaced pass that granted the Spaniard time and space to run at the visitors’ backline.
Had he scored then, it would have been the perfect start. Instead, Torres advanced 10 yards before skying his shot over the bar. Perhaps his nerves were understandable given the occasion, but players like Torres aren’t supposed to suffer from nerves.
A second, even better opportunity came his way in the 31st minute, four minutes after Torres had been clattered by Daniel Agger, the only real moment on testiness between former friends.
This time Torres was clear inside the box and ready to pull the trigger when Jamie Carragher dived in with a superb block.
No player epitomises the Liverpool spirit more than Carragher and he is believed to have taken the end of Torres’ affair with Liverpool to heart. No player, therefore, would have enjoyed making that block quite as much as Carragher.
And that was that for Torres in terms of chances. From that point he appeared leggy and short of match fitness and was clearly below best. The fitness will come quickly, Chelsea can only hope the sharpness also returns soon.
It was no surprise, therefore, when he was replaced after 66 minutes. Nor was it a surprise that his exit prompted more taunts, this time a chant of ‘you should have stayed at a big club’.
The relative stature of the two clubs is a moot point. What was not in doubt was that this would be Liverpool’s day when, two minutes later, Raul Meireles scored the only goal of the game.
Television cameras trained on Torres’ face. There wasn’t a flicker of emotion. What he felt inside, though, is anyone’s guess.
There was no doubting the feelings of his former team-mates at the final whistle, especially skipper Steven Gerrard whose exhausted, two-armed salute spoke volumes.
Another banner read ‘Torres is a pawn on the chess board but the king remains’.
The king, of course, is Kenny Dalglish and it appears that with the Scot in charge, Liverpool can quickly move on.
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