Torres awakens to drag Blues back from brink

Brentford 2 Chelsea 2

In the end, Fernando Torres, having endured a miserable afternoon until the 83rd minute, came alive to save his team and earn a 2-2 draw at Griffin Park; but it was hardly cause for wild celebration as Chelsea’s season continues to lurch from one disaster to another.

Benitez, whose starting line-up must have cost 10 or 20 times the amount it would cost to buy the entirety of Brentford’s players, stadium and training ground, even had the cheek to complain afterwards his squad was too thin and blamed tiredness for the performance.

If so, then he faces more problems because the replay of this tie will have to take place on the weekend of the fifth round because there is an international break next week and the Europa League in a fortnight and it cannot be fitted in before.

Even so, having been beaten in the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup by Swansea and defeated at home in the Premier League recently by relegation-haunted QPR, this was quite simply a match they could not afford to lose.

So Torres may just have scored the most important goal of his Chelsea career.

His curling strike, set up by substitute Demba Ba, has given Benitez a tiny window of light in a very dark winter; but the overall assessment of Chelsea’s performance is pretty damning.

“The first half, we didn’t do what we have to do,” complained Benitez. “We talked about it beforehand, we knew it would be difficult. We made too many mistakes in the way we wanted to play. I was really pleased with the reaction of the team in the second half. We showed quality, character and it was much better. But the negative thing is that we are using some players in too many games.

“You can see that some players are playing 90 minutes all the time and it’s not easy.”

Let’s put this in perspective. Chelsea were up against a team from League One who hadn’t played against their more illustrious west London neighbours since 1950.

And yet for the opening 45 minutes they were controlled superbly by Uwe Rosler’s promotion-chasing side, who were quicker to the loose ball, quicker into the tackle and quicker on the break.

Adam Forshaw, a midfielder signed from Everton’s youth team, almost put the home side ahead before eventually setting up the opener with a sliding tackle on Frank Lampard in the 43rd minute that allowed winger Harry Forrester to shoot. His effort was saved by goalkeeper Lee Turnbull but the rebound fell nicely for striker Marcello Trotta to fire home.

In a match played in a thunderous atmosphere Chelsea responded by bringing on Juan Mata after the break and by equalising through a superb individual goal from Oscar, who weaved through the defence and curled home cleverly.

But even then Brentford refused to buckle and continued to frustrate their Premier League opponents — eventually going 2-1 ahead when Turnbull brought down substitute Tom Adeyemi and Forrester scored from the spot.

The home fans sung, “champions of Europe, You’re Having A Laugh”, and it was hard not to concur; even when Torres took a little gloss off Brentford’s afternoon with his equalising goal that keeps Benitez in a job for now.

There was also a penalty claim for handball that could have gone Chelsea’s way. But the fact that Blues supporters subjected Benitez to taunts of, “you don’t know what you’re doing”, when he made second-half substitutions shows how difficult an environment he is working in.

“It is a transition period at the club,” was his only defence. “They wanted a manager with experience, and I will try to do my best.”

Brentford boss Rosler was understandably more upbeat; and he’s well aware that all the pressure will be on Benitez back at the Bridge. “I think we look forward more than Chelsea to that replay,” he said. “We have everything to win and nothing to lose. I wouldn’t be surprised if we give them a real game there as well.”

It’s almost too much to expect Rosler to be proven right; but given the drama served up by the FA Cup already this season, you cannot rule it out.

Benitez, of course, will be praying for something different. His fingernails — and owner Roman Abramovich’s resolve — probably aren’t strong enough to survive another day like this.

BRENTFORD: Moore 8, Hodson 7, Craig 7, Dean 7, Logan 8, Forshaw 8 (Saunders 84), Douglas 9, Diagouraga 7, Donaldson 6, Trotta 6 (Adeyemi 70), Forrester 7 (Barron 80).

CHELSEA: Turnbull 4, Ivanovic 5 (Azpilicueta 79), Cahill 5, Terry 6, Cole 6, Ramires 7, Lampard 6, Marin 5 (Mata 46; 7), Oscar 7, Bertrand 4 (Ba 82), Torres 5.

Referee: Jon Moss.