Beware danger of wounded Torres

Fernando Torres has been through just about everything this season but his latest setback is the final insult — the relief he felt at squeezing into Spain’s Euro 2012 squad has now turned to frustration at the realisation that his international manager may not play with strikers at all this tournament.

It wasn’t so long ago that the combination of Torres and David Villa was hailed as potentially the best striking partnership in the world, prompting Liverpool to launch an expensive and eventually fruitless campaign to persuade Villa to join his international teammate at Anfield. But things have changed.

Villa is injured and unavailable — while Torres has been deeply affected, both psychologically and physically, by an emotionally draining year at Chelsea that has seen him labelled a £50m flop and a player no longer able to function at the very top level.

The green shoots of recovery seemed to peak through several times during the season, only to shrivel instantaneously at the first setback, often thanks to events beyond his control.

On one occasion the Spaniard was sent off just as he started to hit form, missing the next three matches and losing his place to Didier Drogba; and the ultimate blow came when he scored in Barcelona but was left on the bench for the biggest club match of his career; the Champions League final.

He made no secret, weeks later, that arriving in Poland with his Spanish teammates was a huge relief saying: “When things were going badly with Chelsea this season there wasn’t a weekend when I didn’t get a text or a phone call from one of the lads in the Spain group just giving me support or encouragement. It’s fantastic to be with them.”

Now, however, there has been another twist for Torres; after he was left out for the opening game against Italy — in favour of midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

It doesn’t say much about Vicente Del Bosque’s faith in his strikers that he opted to use none of them for that match; choosing instead a controversial ‘false number nine’ formation that includes no forwards at all but an attacking high midfield three of Fabregas, Andres Iniesta and David Silva.

There was further despair for Torres when he came off the bench to replace Fabregas — scorer of Spain’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw — but missed three excellent chances to win the game as he featured in a more regular formation for the last half hour.

It is yet another complication for Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni as he prepares his team for Thursday’s crunch game in Gdansk; because which formation should he be preparing for?

But Torres gave him no help as he remained diplomatic about his own position, saying: “The important thing is that Spain wins, no matter what. I think it went well both ways. If Cesc is still doing well, keep playing him.

“Playing Italy with a line of three, we showed that we understood the coach — and Iniesta was man of the match.

“And then when we changed the system we used the spaces well too. Italy blamed tiredness for the way we dominated at the end but the arrival of Jesus Navas hurt them and I benefited too.”

In many ways Torres’ comments are endearing; a sign of a new humility and greater maturity that comes as a result of dealing with so many problems over the last year, together with a realisation that unlike in his early days he will have to work and fight for everything he gets from football.

But he must surely be concerned because Fabregas, more used to a midfield role, insists he is happy to continue up front if required.

The Barcelona man said: “At first was I surprised at the decision. But I’m happy to play there again and try to score again. We have many tactical variations to choose from and we are happy.

“We have to think about the Ireland game now. It was a difficult match against Italy, the hardest, against a very strong rival. And having gone behind, it wasn’t a bad result. I think our fate is still in our own hands. We know we can play well in the next two games, and we will. We showed character to come back and draw.”

Spain midfielder Xavi also backed his team’s new system and claimed he was relatively pleased with a point against the Italians, which keeps Group C very close indeed.

He said: “There is much talk about the system, but I was not surprised at all. Cesc did a great job up there and that’s not easy, and he scored the goal after showing a great striker’s movement. There is confidence in the system and it means we have options. A draw is not a bad result, because the important thing is we still depend on ourselves. We must win the next two games and then that’s it.”

Ireland, you have been warned. Strikers or no strikers, Spain will certainly be keeping Richard Dunne & Co on their toes in Gdansk on Thursday; and there is an uncomfortable feeling in the air that Torres’ luck has to change soon.